How to run your new tank without fallow and quarantine, post here for guidance live time, we track your tank out to eight months

[Lukeluke]

Algae is our friend. I change water about 4 times a year and I really don't have to. I think people change way to much water.

Fair enough. So you'd say leave it and wait for it to get out-competed, or whatever ends up happening to it, on its own? I don't hate looking at it, but don't necessarily want a tank full of it either. I don't really have anything that's eating much of it. The urchin stumbled onto some.

I actually felt a little guilty about skipping the water change. But everything I'm testing for seems ok. Considering this is a young tank, would you still stay pretty hands-off barring any major disasters that might actually necessitate a water change? Like the dog falling in or something?

Won't be cursing your name if anything goes wrong regardless. Just curious how you'd handle it. Since general consensus on the forum seems to be regular water changes are one of the key maintenance tasks, and I'm a sucker for a good contrarian opinion.

 

[Paul B]

I would remove it by pulling it off if it bothers you. But I wouldn't add any chemicals because algae is a good sign and not a harbinger of doom.

Since general consensus on the forum seems to be regular water changes are one of the key maintenance tasks, and I'm a sucker for a good contrarian opinion.

Yes, I know about the consensus of the opinion of water changes. If you like contrarian opinions I feel many people do way to many water changes. Look at any new tank with all new water. What does it look like? Do the fish look "happy". Are they spawning? Are they hiding all the time? Does the owner spend a lot of time on the disease forum?

Water, especially fake water as most people use gets better with age. Up to a point of course. Algae, corals, bacteria and everything else adds chemicals to water, some good, some not so good. The not so good ones are fed on by bacteria. Bacteria is what run our tanks, not our water changes.

When we change to much water we are removing those chemicals and minerals as well as food for the bacteria we are trying to cultivate. Fish hate new water.

In a new tank we have to change some water because one chemical, nitrate can get to very high values and we don't want it to get to high. But besides that, old water is better.

There is still a few molecules of water in my tank from the early 70s.

Eventually water changes can get less because a correctly running tank is an eco system where the chemicals exuded are all used by the bacteria so there is no waste and everything is happy.

We need to change some water because that eco system in a home tank will never be 100% efficient and the creatures will use some tiny traces of trace elements that we should replace as the organisms grow.

 

[Lukeluke]

I would remove it by pulling it off if it bothers you. But I wouldn't add any chemicals because algae is a good sign and not a harbinger of doom.


Yes, I know about the consensus of the opinion of water changes. If you like contrarian opinions I feel many people do way to many water changes. Look at any new tank with all new water. What does it look like? Do the fish look "happy". Are they spawning? Are they hiding all the time? Does the owner spend a lot of time on the disease forum?

Water, especially fake water as most people use gets better with age. Up to a point of course. Algae, corals, bacteria and everything else adds chemicals to water, some good, some not so good. The not so good ones are fed on by bacteria. Bacteria is what run our tanks, not our water changes.

When we change to much water we are removing those chemicals and minerals as well as food for the bacteria we are trying to cultivate. Fish hate new water.

In a new tank we have to change some water because one chemical, nitrate can get to very high values and we don't want it to get to high. But besides that, old water is better.

There is still a few molecules of water in my tank from the early 70s.

Eventually water changes can get less because a correctly running tank is an eco system where the chemicals exuded are all used by the bacteria so there is no waste and everything is happy.

We need to change some water because that eco system in a home tank will never be 100% efficient and the creatures will use some tiny traces of trace elements that we should replace as the organisms grow.

All makes sense to me. Always appreciate reading your takes on the hobby. If nothing else, your approach makes reef keeping seem more like a relaxing hobby and less of a stress inducing slog. Thanks again!

 

[Paul B]

It is supposed to be a hobby, but the majority of posts are about disease, then medication and more and different disease, then ultimately, selling everything and getting out.

Why would anybody want to put themselves through this?

 

[Lukeluke]

Dang it. What the heck? Just lost an emerald crab. Lost two so far. Should be one more still alive in there. Is 2 too many for 75g? Will they fight and kill each other?

 

[MnFish1]

I would remove it by pulling it off if it bothers you. But I wouldn't add any chemicals because algae is a good sign and not a harbinger of doom.


Yes, I know about the consensus of the opinion of water changes. If you like contrarian opinions I feel many people do way to many water changes. Look at any new tank with all new water. What does it look like? Do the fish look "happy". Are they spawning? Are they hiding all the time? Does the owner spend a lot of time on the disease forum?

Water, especially fake water as most people use gets better with age. Up to a point of course. Algae, corals, bacteria and everything else adds chemicals to water, some good, some not so good. The not so good ones are fed on by bacteria. Bacteria is what run our tanks, not our water changes.

When we change to much water we are removing those chemicals and minerals as well as food for the bacteria we are trying to cultivate. Fish hate new water.

In a new tank we have to change some water because one chemical, nitrate can get to very high values and we don't want it to get to high. But besides that, old water is better.

There is still a few molecules of water in my tank from the early 70s.

Eventually water changes can get less because a correctly running tank is an eco system where the chemicals exuded are all used by the bacteria so there is no waste and everything is happy.

We need to change some water because that eco system in a home tank will never be 100% efficient and the creatures will use some tiny traces of trace elements that we should replace as the organisms grow.

Nonsense. There is no difference between 'new water' and 'old water' - unless you're using a salt that is far removed from natural sea water. BTW - I agree with you in general - people tend to do too many water changes - I would do larger volumes, less often, But anything in the 'old water' is going to reproduce - and be in the new water very quickly. Just like when the tide comes in and out of the reef twice daily.