It's weekend !! Time for a water change. . . Yay or Nay ?

[mikey1958]

I test all my parameters on Saturday morning. Then I do a 4 gallon water change on my 10 gallon tank. I'm trying to get my corals a little happier. As an FYI, I microwave a portion of my distilled water to mix in with the rest and get the new batch of saltwater at the right temp. Faster than waiting on a heater. I also clean the power head, the heater, and the filter at the same time. I clean the glass and get it all nice. Takes about 2 - 3 hours. Then on Saturday afternoon, I go to the LFS and buy something.

This summer I sit there 5 gal buckets of saltwater outside and let mother nature warm it up...

 

[bakbay]

I used to do 20% WCs religiously every month a long time ago. I didn't have the Trident at the time and was not testing regularly; therefore, I had so many issues! For the last decade+, I have stopped doing WCs and all my tanks have been better! I understand that others are having success with WCs and some swore by them. However, in my experience -- the filtration is in the rocks and dosing takes care of the rest, minus trace elements. Why do I need to change the water?

Additionally, I'm lazy -- trying to change water on 3 tanks (+frag tank) can be expensive (salt is $$$ now), tedious, messy, and time consuming! Yes, automatic water change is cool but you still need a mixing station, pour salt, heat it, circulate it, etc. Therefore, I'm a big advocate of no water changes. It has worked for me for the last decade and I suspect that it will work for me for the next decade and beyond. Happy reefing everyone -- just sharing my personal experience. What is (or has been) working for me may not work for you!

Have a wonderful weekend.

 

[Rmckoy]

From viewing many threads weekly, I have come to notice weekend often means water change as Sunday is Church.
There are various feelings on water changes. Some do it and some don't. Some do it because their water tests or livestock suggest a need to perform this task while others do it because they feel obligated.
I do daily water changes of 2 gallons but in reality. . I hate water changes. So why do I do it- because Ive seen a huge improvement with coral color and growth and also remove nutrients and replenishes traces at the same time. I have a mixing station and should have no problem getting it done but yet procrastinate often. For a few years, I did a change maybe twice a year and corals also did well, minus the growth I get now.
When water changes don't get done, we often overlook a single element such as calcium, mag, alk and even trace elements.
As out tanks mature and corals grow, they consume more and then when they are in trouble, we resort to an ICP test and results say " We're Lazy". . . LOL
In reality, water changes are the most cost effective way to manage coral.

How do you feel about water changes?
Do you do yours on weekends only?
How much time do you spend doing water changes and do you find it annoying but must get done or do you accept it must be done?
What is your method of doing water changes (siphoning, automatic unit (AWC),

I did mine last weekend .
It won’t happen for a few more weeks . Possibly longer depending on nutrient levels

 

[XtraKargo]

Yay! I try to at least every other week, if not every week. Best thing I ever did for the tank it seems. (Now that I will be running multiple tanks again I'll really need to come up with a routine. )

 

[Idech]

I usually do mine on Saturday or Sunday, when I do them.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Haven't done a water change in years

 

[forneyjohn19]

I do daily automatic water changes with Neptune dos. My tank is on my work desk (25 gallon), and I have two 5 gallon containers underneath. One is full of new salt water and one is for waste. I dump the waste and create new salt water once a week. Takes max 20 minutes a week of my time.

The corals look better and my nutrients stay in check. I know that I will get lazy with water changes so I dropped the money to automate the task and reduce my time.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Great topic! So yes definitely “water changes” A couple of years back, I was thrown off by my selling my custom 137g peninsula which grew sps with great success. I would do once a month WCs of 50 gallons. Upon selling the 137, I sold a few corals and upgraded to a 180 gallon tank (my present tank) but continued my 50 gallons once a month. Not wise. I finally caught on and went to a 50 gallon water change every other week. My sps are back on track. Personally, I don’t mind doing water changes. I’m retired. A 30 year Postal employee. I know what you’re thinking, but reefers don’t “go postal”. So yes to water changes. Usually Mon. or Tues. and Sundays are set aside to worship the Creator.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

currently every 2 weeks. now that I have a few more fish, maybe I'll step it up. This totally seems like something easily automated though. A pump in the sump to drain it while turning off the pumps and closing the valves then a premixed tank of salt water that can pump it back into the sump then turn everything on without even changing the level in the tank. Then maybe someone can invent a way to drop frozen plugs of mysis into the tank for auto feeding. Maybe also a robotic algae scraper like a robotic vacuum?

 

[slythy]

Small auto water changes. I do 1gal per day in my 70 reef. Been really successful

 

[fishynate]

2 gallons per day via the Kamoer awc in my 230ish gallon tank. She’s relatively new, so time will tell…

 

[Pickle_soup]

I like 10-15% water changes weekly, it allows me to remove more crap from the SB.

 

[Rich Klein]

I did weekly water changes for 7+ years religiously. But ~ 6 months ago I moved to All-4-Reef, and with just dosing a bit of Iodine and Potassium a few times a week Triton ICP testing has showed so far that my parameters and trace elements have stayed stable. I agree with the mention above that I would perform water changes if my ICP tests show contaminants, but other than that I am really enjoying my tank more without the hassle and expense of constant water changes. I do closely monitor ALK, CA, and MG via my Trident, and P04 and NO3 tested every 2 weeks. All my corals are growing like crazy as is my chaeto in my Pax Bellum and refugium.

 

[CoralB]

15% every Friday . I do as well find that my tank perks up and I find it keeps my parameters more stable .

 

[dstockwell]

Do I need to do one, maybe. I don't do weekly or monthly usually 2 - 3 months. I use DI water from the plant, not RODI and topoff is from the 5 gallon machine I dump into my ATO tank. Should I do better, sure, can I live with the that - yes. So my livestock is in the 10 to 1 nitrate to phosphate which equates to 20.0 to 1.0. I understand what that limits me to coral wise, but I can live with that.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

What? Your supposed to change the water?

 

[00W]

My weekend is Monday and Tuesday. I'm usually cooking for 3-400 customers on Sunday before, during, and after they go to church.
I change 10 percent every Monday morning religiously (no pun intended) as I have and probably will for the rest of my life.
I mix my water Sunday afternoon when I get home.
When I started this hobby I had a few books to go by. Water changes were how you took care of your tank and I still believe this today. It was all I had to go by.
Simple insurance for me.
I actually look forward to it. It's my time and everyone leaves me alone with the fish for an hour .

 

[steveschuerger]

I had been trying to do WC for both my 60 and 22 once a week, but had gotten lax and just topped off. Did my first WC in about 2 ½ weeks today for both (approx 8-10% for both). Definitely going back to the weekly changes after seeing the general response to the change.

 

[Joe.D]

I do 10 gallons weekly on m’y RS350 (total water volume is approx 93 gallons). Been doing it on Saturday morning - takes 1.5 to 2 hrs with all other maint and scraping a little bubble algae. Today I’m moving it to Monday evenings - starting to eat into my Saturday a bit too much and Michigan football starts this weekend, so seemed like the right time to make the move.

Wish I’d have purchased a larger pump for the saltwater brute - would speed up the transfer a bit (I fill and empty a 5 gallon bucket twice and carry it back and forth).

At some point, would like to get a Reefmat and larger pump. Between not having to clean filter socks and faster water movement, I could probably save 20-30 min. Just need to put some $ aside at some point - though going to reefmat means I also need to get another ATO set up. More $…

My bubble algae scraping is going quicker after pulling all rock and scrubbing with peroxide a few months ago. There’s still some in the system, but it’s manageable now - only 10-15 min and most of that time is spent searching in nooks and crannies vs actually scraping. Coralline is coming in nicely and I’m thinking that’s keeping it at bay too - along with the Foxface and a few Emerald Crabs.

 

[MugiwaraGrape]

I do a water change every Wednesday when I get home from teaching. It works out because my classroom is attached to our aquaria room so I usually use our RO lines to mix my water the night before and it is ready to go by the end of Wednesday. I usually load it up get home kick off the pumps and do a little sand cleaning then pump out and pump in. Usually takes me about an hour for a 100g. It's almost cathartic to me. I love doing it. =) I also love to see my fish out looking at me like "he's not feeding us right now!? Oh no we're going to starve!"