I only have a canister filter and a skimmer, i clean the canister filter every 3 days. Never had any issues doing so. If left to collect poop etc for weeks to a month then that would probably cause issues.
The reason for canister filters is the build up factor. If nitrate and phosphate build up over time than clean it disturbs the system. Look at it like this. You have a deep sand bed you don't touch for let's say a year that you stir up the sand. All of the built up waste releases into the tank. Except with a filter it is constantly being poured into the tank. When you clean it it changes how the system is operating. You go from constant food for bacteria to only when you feed the fish/ corals. Second if there is beneficial bacteria on media and sponges in the canister you Potentially just killed em all off. Grant it if the rock work harbors enough it should not have a huge impact but some systems rely on that extra push. So now you have a clean canister not feeding the system what happens to that starving bacteria? It dies down. To a cleaner level. But you dump a ton of food in so you could spike the tank and over whelm the bacteria going from nutrient saturated to starved to saturated again. That instability can cause issues in tank's. Algae blooms. Sicknesses in corals. Cyno. Dinos. Diatoms. Ph and alk swinging like it was not before making the tank change and become lessDiatomaceous. The reef tank is all about stability keeping the parameters the same. Bacteria as well considering reeftsnks rely on a stable population of bacteria to filter and keep water none toxic. I would also include the fact that when the bacteria is going from high levels pH and alk suffer from elevated nitrates phosphates and algae growth at night when the light goes out releasing co2. Vs low nutrient no algae will be much more stable. More accurate to predict and testing of the water.
Some great info there thanks. Im no marine biologist by any means all i know is my tank has been up and running for 5 years, i dont dose anything i just do a 5% water change every other day if needed for alk. I also feed just once a day and clean the canister filter sponges every three days ish. I have lots of white sponge filter feeders in the canister and in my tank with happy coral. Like you say it all stays stable so thats the main thing.
Yes the stability is the main thing. As you mention the water changes you do is a great practice. You test regularly I assume and see the changes in the water chemistry. Those small changes vs a big change is a prim example of excellent husbandry. But let's say you wanna start dosing and do wc once a week instead. Make the changes slow big changes also make tank's stability less than desirable. Good work keeping it consistent. I am not sure if biology has much marrit in the hobby but just a little of my background. I would estimate 90% consist of chemistry. But I believe the biology has a impact on it.
I appreciate all the info! We are new to the hobby and have read thinga on line, watched some Youtube ( BRS TV, Mr Saltwater Tank and more), plus talked to our local fish store. We are always looking to improve our tank. Right now it is very clear. Tomorow is another water change. We are also keeping a much better log of the water perameters to see changes. We typically let our salt water mix g or 24hrs before we add it to the take (for water changes). We are finishing up some salt that had gotten hard, we assume from moister some how , so we are not sure if that is affecting anything. Even letting it mix that long we have unresolved salt. We do have a heater in it as well. I just noticed our heater is at 77 for some reason... Will change that tomorrow. We were also looking at adding 1 more power head. We have hygger ones that we like but they are smaller and are wondering if we need more movement in the water as well.
sorry for the loss , for future , decrease the salinity to 1.025 and avoid direct current flow on the coral and keep the tank parameters within normal rangeI think its dying. Which is really weird bc it was looking so much better the other day ( Jan 12)! Its coming off its base First photo is today other two from 1/12
