No water change. Does it work long term?

[QuinnLee512]

I've had my RSR 350 running for 1.5 years now. Up until a month ago I didn't do any water changes. I dose all for reef. I export phosphates via chaeto and gfo. My phosphates usually fluctuate between .1 and .3. I can't seem to produce nitrates naturally so I'm dosing neo nitro. Nitrates are usually around the 10ppm range.

Around 2 months ago I started experiencing coral deaths. What stopped it was a 15% water change. I'm clueless as to what was in the water that a 15% water change fixed. Also recently I added a bubblegum, forest fire Digi, and Monti cap under 200par lighting. They all turned white. I heard lack of iodine can cause that?

So I'm curious if the no water change route can work long term or if I should incorporate monthly or bi-monthly water changes?

 

[fish fish fish]

You would likely run out of trace metals eventually and also could build up in harmful metals like copper if you have any exposed gear or magnets . Also just wondering why don't you want to do water changes? If it was a cost reason then you've already lost more money on dosing and coral than what 2 years worth of salt would cost. Oh yeah also make sure nothings rusting, I have an old reefer350 with handles that have tons of rust on them before i ended up removing the handle and door.

 

[Red_Beard]

I was able to do no waterchanges with lps and softies, but have found my sps very much appreciate regular water changes. I am also dosing AFR, but am dosing iodine and floride in addition.

 

[QuinnLee512]

A hobby is supposed to be fun. Doing weekly water changes is not fun. I can't think of anything that could be rusting. My returns are hard plumbed to my pump so no metal hose clamps. The only magnets that I can think of are for my powerheads. All for reef also doses trace.

 

[QuinnLee512]

I was able to do no waterchanges with lps and softies, but have found my sps very much appreciate regular water changes. I am also dosing AFR, but am dosing iodine and floride in addition.

I'm also dosing chaetogro but I believe that's for iron. What do you dose for iodine and fluoride?

 

[fish fish fish]

A hobby is supposed to be fun. Doing weekly water changes is not fun. I can't think of anything that could be rusting. My returns are hard plumbed to my pump so no metal hose clamps. The only magnets that I can think of are for my powerheads. All for reef also doses trace.

Hmm not sure then, also weekly water changes is extremely unneccessary. I've had tons of growth in the past 2years just doing water changes once ever 1-3months depending on how out of it I am with the hobby. Only time I've had coral struggle whend doing water changes that frequently was when I didnt dose anything and my alk was like 7 mag was 1000 and calcium I didnt even bother checking before I ended up dosing and everythign was back to normal.

 

[fish fish fish]

Hmm not sure then, also weekly water changes is extremely unneccessary. I've had tons of growth in the past 2years just doing water changes once ever 1-3months depending on how out of it I am with the hobby. Only time I've had coral struggle whend doing water changes that frequently was when I didnt dose anything and my alk was like 7 mag was 1000 and calcium I didnt even bother checking before I ended up dosing and everythign was back to normal.

Oh yeah also the water changes dont take that long, I usually just get some rodi water let it heat up overnight quickly dump in 15 gallons worth of salt in and a hour later I siphon 10 gal out of my display 5 out of my sump which takes ~10min and then start pumping water into my sump while turning the return pump back on. Whole thing takes less than 30 minutes

 

[Red_Beard]

Aquaforest iodum and flourine. The flourine does have some iodine too, so if you use both keep that in mind and cut a drop of iodum. In my 75, i am dosing 2 drops of floride and one drop of iodine per day.

 

[QuinnLee512]

Hmm not sure then, also weekly water changes is extremely unneccessary. I've had tons of growth in the past 2years just doing water changes once ever 1-3months depending on how out of it I am with the hobby. Only time I've had coral struggle whend doing water changes that frequently was when I didnt dose anything and my alk was like 7 mag was 1000 and calcium I didnt even bother checking before I ended up dosing and everythign was back to normal.

That's what I'm debating. I would love not having to do water changes but maybe I can do every couple of months.

 

[Red_Beard]

That's what I'm debating. I would love not having to do water changes but maybe I can do every couple of months.

Do what you can, it is better than not at all.

 

[QuinnLee512]

Oh yeah also the water changes dont take that long, I usually just get some rodi water let it heat up overnight quickly dump in 15 gallons worth of salt in and a hour later I siphon 10 gal out of my display 5 out of my sump which takes ~10min and then start pumping water into my sump while turning the return pump back on. Whole thing takes less than 30 minutes

I have a rodi and always have salt water ready using 2 brutes in my garage. So I guess I'm just lazy. :⁠-⁠)

 

[fish fish fish]

I have a rodi and always have salt water ready using 2 brutes in my garage. So I guess I'm just lazy. :⁠-⁠)

Yeah I'd just suggest you doing monthly or bimonthly water changes of like 15-20 gallons. Spending 30 minutes doing a water change is much better than working a few hours to afford those corals just for them to die.

 

[QuinnLee512]

Since my brutes are in the garage, the triple digit summer temp makes water changes even harder. I would have to store a couple of 5 gallon buckets indoors the day before.

 

[rtparty]

What’s not fun is things dying. What’s not fun is wasting money to replace those things.

Make the water changes easier and do them. They are the easiest and cheapest insurance we have.

It’s all about mindset.

 

[Idech]

A hobby is supposed to be fun. Doing weekly water changes is not fun. I can't think of anything that could be rusting. My returns are hard plumbed to my pump so no metal hose clamps. The only magnets that I can think of are for my powerheads. All for reef also doses trace.

If you don’t do WC, IMO you should do at least 2-3 ICP tests per year and do the recommended steps and dosage. AFR is not going to fix everything.

 

[Reefer Matt]

A hobby is supposed to be fun. Doing weekly water changes is not fun. I can't think of anything that could be rusting. My returns are hard plumbed to my pump so no metal hose clamps. The only magnets that I can think of are for my powerheads. All for reef also doses trace.

I also think of reefing as owning pets. There are many chores that must be done with a cat and dog that aren’t fun for example. Live animals require constant care and attention. Depending on your choices of livestock, the amount of maintenance varies, but some will be required regardless.

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

I do no water changes on my 100g, but go by the Moonshiners method. It's monthly ICP tests + adjustments of macro elements (Fluoride, Boron, etc.) and daily dosing of micro elements (Iron, Selenium, Vanadium, Iodine, etc.) Works well for me for the most part, but I'm on the other side of the spectrum with producing too many nitrates.

 

[QuinnLee512]

I do no water changes on my 100g, but go by the Moonshiners method. It's monthly ICP tests + adjustments of macro elements (Fluoride, Boron, etc.) and daily dosing of micro elements (Iron, Selenium, Vanadium, Iodine, etc.) Works well for me for the most part, but I'm on the other side of the spectrum with producing too many nitrates.

Who do you use for your ICP tests? I've tried ATI but I don't know if I trust their results. They said I had very low salinity which I know isn't true because I had checked it with my Milwaukee tester.

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

Who do you use for your ICP tests? I've tried ATI but I don't know if I trust their results. They said I had very low salinity which I know isn't true because I had checked it with my Milwaukee tester.

Oceamo - it's who Moonshiners recommend and sell.

Another note on salinity - my ICP tests also say I'm low in salinity, but my refractometer says it's perfect. The ICP test only measures Na/Cl but does not take into account the specific gravity. It's only meant to show whether it's 'high' or 'low'.

 

[QuinnLee512]

Oceamo - it's who Moonshiners recommend and sell.

Thanks I was just looking into them since that's who Randy recommends.