How many of you don’t do water changes?

[Sallstrom]

Water changes produce visible benefits in every tank I've run.

And it is one of the easiest parts of tank maintenance, with such a big noticable effect.

It always puzzles me why anyone would avoid water changes. I mean, I get letting things slide, I should test more often than I do and I am probably overdue for a WC. But why deliberately plan to not do it?

Everytime I read this question I have the same reaction I would if someone posted "do you clean your glass?"

Perhaps when you feel your tank water is better than newly mixed saltwater

No water changes as a method is not about being lazy(for most people). You need to keep track of a lot of parameters and dose accordingly. Otherwise it's safer to stick to regular water changes IMO.
And it's not about not cleaning your tank bottom if needed. It's about not changing water just for the sake of changing water, if you are happy with your water

We have been and are running many tanks succesfully on our take on the Triton method, at my work at a public aquarium. Since 2014.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I dose trace and major elements, monitoring nitrate,ammonia alk, calc, Mag. I only run a water change if all those parameters are in line and corals are still unhappy. 3-6 months on average

 

[Troy V]

I am in the very limited water change group. I do 2 large sump cleaning water changes a year and always run skimmerless. But I dose 2 part and Mag addition through my ato. After many years doing this hobby I have figured out the key to my success in reef keeping is the KISS method. (Keep it simple, stupid) This method works with SPS, LPS, and Softies.

 

[Jvalle]

I am in the very limited water change group. I do 2 large sump cleaning water changes a year and always run skimmerless. But I dose 2 part and Mag addition through my ato. After many years doing this hobby I have figured out the key to my success in reef keeping is the KISS method. (Keep it simple, stupid) This method works with SPS, LPS, and Softies.

I agree with KISS. It’s absolutely correct sometimes we do overkill. I still run a sea life systems skimmer from 30 years ago obviously with a good and fairly new pump. It’s simple and has been working for me

 

[Jvalle]

ok guys don’t laugh lol .......all you old school reffers will be filled with nostalgia lol lol

 

[Troy V]

Excellent! Those DIY refugiums worked well.

 

[Jvalle]

This is the tank

ok guys don’t laugh lol .......all you old school reffers will be filled with nostalgia lol lol

yes with a home depot refugium light and I have to throw away chaeto every week because it grows to fast and reduces water flow .

 

[Troy V]

Fuges are amazing! Here is my Xenia fuge I've been using for almost 20 years. Super simple.

 

[Jvalle]

This is the tank


yes with a home depot refugium light and I have to throw away chaeto every week because it grows to fast and reduces water flow .

 

[Troy V]

Love the tank! 3 cheers for nutrient rich water. Excellent polyp extension!

 

[Jvalle]

Thx . I’m a huge zoa fan

 

[|sCRIBe|]

I run a zeovit tank with undetectable phosphate on the Hanna checker and zero nitrate with api. All other parameters are stable and I dose many kz products. I don’t do regular water changes unless I’m bored and it’s been a long time. Maybe ever 2+ months I’ll do ~10%

 

[Rich Klein]

hi I have been 2 years without water changes and have never for one except replace with RO. I dose prime and stability daily and run a large refugium in my 150 gallon tank . I’m on top of daily maintenance too. See some pics thx

How do you clean your substrate?

 

[Zachbud]

I usually to about 10-15g every other month or if I’m cleaning out something.
160g volume

ive been considering getting a few EcoTech dosing pumps to do easier more often water changes.

 

[Vette67]

I used to be very strongly in the no water change group. Got into many heated discussions about the merits of doing no water change back in the day. I thought I knew what I was doing, and water changes were a waste of time. I started my tank in 2002, and got away with minimal water changes (like 10% a year) for 10 years. Then in 2012, this happened....

Tank got inundated with hair algae so quickly, it killed about 75% of my coral. Ever since then, I am much better about water changes. Probably could be better.... So, from my experience, you can get away with no water changes for about 10 years. YRMV.

 

[|sCRIBe|]

I used to be very strongly in the no water change group. Got into many heated discussions about the merits of doing no water change back in the day. I thought I knew what I was doing, and water changes were a waste of time. I started my tank in 2002, and got away with minimal water changes (like 10% a year) for 10 years. Then in 2012, this happened....

Tank got inundated with hair algae so quickly, it killed about 75% of my coral. Ever since then, I am much better about water changes. Probably could be better.... So, from my experience, you can get away with no water changes for about 10 years. YRMV.

No way that happened just from not doing water changes.

 

[Vette67]

No way that happened just from not doing water changes.

Well, in the 8 years since that happened, not much has changed. I've been running a calcium reactor since the beginning, still have it. I had a 20 gallon fuge that I set up in 1998, ran it for 22 years, and just upgraded that to a 40 gallon 2 weeks ago. I bought my MTC HSA-1000 Beckett skimmer in 2004, and still use it today. The live rock is still the same, a couple of the original corals survived and I still have them. I really can't think of anything else that changed drastically enough besides my water change frequency. I'm open for other suggestions..... I did add an ORP controller with ozone about 4 years ago, and a bio pellet reactor 3 or 4 years ago. Those are really the only 2 things I added since that crash, equipment-wise.

 

[Reef Quest]

No water changes either for me in any of my aquariums. This one is 11months old.
I use the Oceamo Duo and Regulators on it.
I'm not against water changes, but would only do one if absolutely necessary.

 

[Proteus Meep]

I have yet to see a tank run long term with no water changes that does not at some point reach 'critical mass' as it were with a build up (or depletion) of some kind or other that cannot be removed with any currently available export other than water change resulting in a tank disaster of some kind, smaller tanks tend to go quicker larger tanks in the hands of the dedicated can go longer a decade or more, but eventually....

...it all depends on what is considered long term sucess by the individual reefer

Many people have argued passionately over the years at success with the method, but often when you look at their reefing history they have upgraded to a larger system, moved house and changed the substrate and a significant portion of the water in doing so, or sell lots of frags and effectively do lots of tiny water changes etc,

Currently from what i see it's just little bits of history repeating...We will get there one day and the only way to do so is the people who have and currently are pioneering and experimenting with the technique, for myself i would rather give my inhabitants the healthiest water conditions i can right now and for myself that is achieved via a 10% weekly water change.

I like to think as my first priority of how it is for my fish and inhabitants and liken a no water change tank to a teenagers bedroom...no matter how good that air purifier you have put in there is, if you dont give the room a clean and open the window to let some fresh air in occasionally to replace the old air...its going to get pretty funky in there and just a downright unpleasant place to live

 

[DeniableArc]

Nine month old 120 no water change system.

Hey mate, what are your parameters? Iv seen your tank before and I’m curious. Maybe I have already asked