Daily water changes

flricordia · Feb 8, 2009

Back in 92 when I started my first reef tank in a 20 long bare-bottom tank I had a perforated 1/2" PVC pipe running along the bottom-back connected to a powerhead that blew any debris to the front. I would siphon this off each day, about a quart, and replenish with new SW.
The tank was one of the best I had ever had to date. FL LR was available and there were about 100 Christmas Tree worms scattered all about.
One morning as I was checking the tank out before heading to work I noticed some of the worms were ejecting little brown balls up into the water column that would break apart into hundreds of microscopic balls. Many of the other Christmas Tree worms were ejecting a milky white into the water column.
Everything in that tank was doing awesome.
This last Jan 2nd I set-up a tuffy 36gl trash can and mixed a batch of Tropic Marin Pro. Everyday I have dipped out 1.5 gls of water from my system (totals about 100gl) and replenished it with the new water.
So far ph has not dropped below 8.2 and everything is doing better than I have ever seen it do.
I will keep this up with no large water changes, just the removal and replacement of the 1.5 gls.
Have also stopped dosing anything except kalkwasser in top-off.

FaviaFreak · Feb 8, 2009

sounds terrific to me, it being such a small amount of water it's not causing any type of stress to your inverts and it's replenishing trace elemments, Alk, Ca etc. on a daily basis, I imagine your P04 levels are pretty low? do you have any tank pics? how are your colors and growth?

Frank · Feb 8, 2009

I have a 60gal. Fish, all sorts of corals and I replace 10 gallons a week with natural sea water. The tank has been up for 13 years, never had a problem, never had to add any supplements. I am ferm on water changes.

Ladipyg · Feb 8, 2009

The easiest and best solution to problems that plague most reefers is frequent, small, consistent water changes. I change out 5 gallons a day, storing my water in an inert water storage tank. flricordia, I would take some PO4 tests after the water has been sitting in the Tuffy for a week. I was using a Brute can and found after a week, I was getting high Phosphate readings...the cans leach it into the salt water. That's the main reason I went ahead and bought a water storage tank...no more problems. I just make sure a powerhead and heater are in it. Take reading weekly and I'm good. Once a month I'll do a larger water change...in the area of 25 gallons...after using a turkey baster to get all the gunk under and around the corals into suspension.

slipondajimmy · Feb 8, 2009

wow, 5 gallons a day. How big is the tank?

AquaWorldPSC · Feb 8, 2009

I know someone who also did this and his tank was one of the best I have ever seen and the growth was crazy. He used tap water too!

flricordia · Feb 8, 2009

After 2 weeks of doing this and adding nothing but kalk in the top-off my alk is 3.4, calcium 480 and ph 8.3.
Ladipyg. I will test and see. So far after 2 weeks no high PO4 readings. I will keep an eye on it. Thanks.
Actually what little undesirable algae I was getting on the powerheads and a few of the new frag mounts is gone now.

Dace · Feb 8, 2009

this sounds like a great idea. but i would die if i had to incorporate daily water changes to my system. i barely am able to help my wife with the kids with my schedule. I'm glad this is working for you. Nice thread

flricordia · Feb 8, 2009

Here is a pic from today. Coralline is starting to take over the glass and overflow.
Dace, the water changes are basically over with now. I just stick a 2 quart container into the sump and remove water, doing that twice and replenish it with new water already made up. Takes all of 1 minute.