regular water replacement

[ElitePirate]

hi friends

So I have a 15G tank and a lot of people asking me to do regular water changes. My understanding is, we do regular water change just to restore minerals. Am I correct?

If I manually add minerals twice a week like - Magnesium, Calcium, Alkaline buffer (to maintain KH), Iodide,Iodate, trace elements etc and measuring my water param regularly, then a 25% water change twice a month would be enough right?

So far my Magnesium, Calcium all within range. KH is 8-9. Ammonia, Nitrite all 0. Phosphate and Nitrate level is quite high and to reduce that I'm doing small water changes now and also using NOPOX.

So if I properly monitor my params, twice a month 25% water change should be OK right?

Thanks in advance #reefsquad

 

[BedrockIOMC]

this is a touchy topic and everyone looks at it different. My BioCube 32 I haven't changed water in it for over a month. My red sea I change 20% last night. But My red sea is new and has only been set up for a couple of months. To me if everything is living and you like how everything is growing then keep doing what your doing. I dont believe in just one thing works for everyone the same way. You know what works for you and your tank so do what you do. Now if your having issues and losing coral and/or fish then try changing water more often yes. But it is like talking religion or politics with people. Just try different things and go with it. If you watch Marc with Melev's reef on YouTube he hasn't done a water change in over a year. So just do what your doing and tell others OK and go with what is working. Just my opinion.

 

[ElitePirate]

this is a touchy topic and everyone looks at it different. My BioCube 32 I haven't changed water in it for over a month. My red sea I change 20% last night. But My red sea is new and has only been set up for a couple of months. To me if everything is living and you like how everything is growing then keep doing what your doing. I dont believe in just one thing works for everyone the same way. You know what works for you and your tank so do what you do. Now if your having issues and losing coral and/or fish then try changing water more often yes. But it is like talking religion or politics with people. Just try different things and go with it. If you watch Marc with Melev's reef on YouTube he hasn't done a water change in over a year. So just do what your doing and tell others OK and go with what is working. Just my opinion.

I agree and I really appreciate your feedback. Thank you

 

[mta_morrow]

In my first tank, a 30 gallon, I did 20% wc every 2 weeks and didn’t have to dose anything

The tank thrived.

Now in my 108 gallon, I change 20 gallons every 6-8 weeks and I dose daily.

And the tank is doing great.

Different tanks, different needs.

If what you’re doing is working for you, no need to change!

 

[ElitePirate]

In my first tank, a 30 gallon, I did 20% wc every 2 weeks and didn’t have to dose anything

The tank thrived.

Now in my 108 gallon, I change 20 gallons every 6-8 weeks and I dose daily.

And the tank is doing great.

Different tanks, different needs.

If what you’re doing is working for you, no need to change!

Thank you, you have a very beautiful tank setup. Really enjoyed reading your thread.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

In that small of a tank, it is probably better to just do water changes to keep up with minor trace elements. You only need to dose calcium and Alk if your tank starts consuming more than water changes replenish. I have a 45 gal tank and my mag stays at 1320 ppm with water changes only. Moderately stocked with coral and 5 fish.

 

[WVNed]

What you got told when you posted your nitrates were 100 has nothing to do with what you should do if they are 20 or less and stay that way.

You have to do what your tank needs for the way it is now. It will change over time also. So what you do now may have nothing to do with what you do in 3 months.