Shaun's 2000 Litre (530 USG) Living Reef & Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build

[SPR1968]

Here’s a picture of a coral up close

 

[SPR1968]

Here’s a short video of the bubble tipped anemone in a ‘tropical storm’. I thought it was getting ready to float away!

Odd creatures aren’t they.

 

[GoVols]

Shaun,
Sorry about your fish and hope your on the upswing.

FWIW:
I dumped the Red Sea cal and mag kits long ago.

(lol)
Still use API for cal / Salifert for crosscheck
Hanna (dkh) Checker for alk
Salifert for mag

Always heard that NYOS was hard to beat for mag.

2una has dropped the Hanna ULR checker for phos / to Elos, and I might follow his lead.

 

[SPR1968]

Here’s a side shot

 

[Brew12]

Here’s a side shot

Great shot! The reflection is amazing!

 

[SPR1968]

Great shot! The reflection is amazing!

Thank you!

Here’s another one from a different angle, the ocean deep.....

 

[fabutahoun]

Amazing photos !

 

[PanchoG]

Here’s a side shot

Awesome picture Shaun!

 

[SPR1968]

Amazing photos !

Awesome picture Shaun!

Thanks guys, the reflection seems to give the pictures a totally different perspective

 

[Crabby48]

Wow what great photos. I like the reflection it really is neat

 

[SPR1968]

Here’s a picture of a green coral

 

[SPR1968]

Its been just over 5 weeks since I last did a water change and Ive been on a monthly schedule of around 18% for about the last year or so. So I filled my 120 litre salt mixing station (home brew bucket!) and turned on the heaters and powerheads ready to add the salt at some point in the next few days. Then I started thinking, and just turned it all off.

I was looking at the water last night and it was absolutely crystal clear, all my parameters are good as confirmed by the recent Triton test, and I'm thinking do I really need to do water changes. I'm pretty sure I will continue to do them but maybe just as and when I feel like it,

With modern protein skimmers to remove nutrients etc., it really makes me wonder if this is really necessary when a system is mature. I can see the benefits with new systems potentially, but older systems it really makes me wonder with the equipment available these days.

I see and read about more and more systems running perfectly fine with zero changes

Without getting into a lengthy debate about the benefits and need for water changes, I'm just wondering what you guys do these days and how often if at all ?​

 

[NY_Caveman]

Its been just over 5 weeks since I last did a water change and Ive been on a monthly schedule of around 18% for about the last year or so. So I filled my 120 litre salt mixing station (home brew bucket!) and turned on the heaters and powerheads ready to add the salt at some point in the next few days. Then I started thinking, and just turned it all off.

I was looking at the water last night and it was absolutely crystal clear, all my parameters are good as confirmed by the recent Triton test, and I'm thinking do I really need to do water changes. I'm pretty sure I will continue to do them but maybe just as and when I feel like it,

With modern protein skimmers to remove nutrients etc., it really makes me wonder if this is really necessary when a system is mature. I can see the benefits with new systems potentially, but older systems it really makes me wonder with the equipment available these days.

I see and read about more and more systems running perfectly fine with zero changes

Without getting into a lengthy debate about the benefits and need for water changes, I'm just wondering what you guys do these days and how often if at all ?​

I do them less as a system ages. On my current, I did weekly. After about 4 months, every two weeks. Probably be to monthly by the end of the first year. I dose Alkalinity and Calcium, and add aminos once a week. Only thing that would concern me are other trace elements, but for a system your size, you probably have that covered some how (do not recall off my head).

When I had a studio apartment in Manhattan on a fifth floor walk up, I used store bought distilled to mix. Needless to say I ended up doing maybe two 20% water changes a year on a system 4-5 years old.

 

[Janci]

I did biweekly water changes of about 15% for the last months to overcome some previous issues and to see how the reef reacted.
Now I will change to 3 weekly water changes as things are stable again.
Maybe in a while it will be reduced to monthly water changes.

I am not sure if this is needed but fresh salt water, from which I am sure that no harmful elements are present, replacing tank water that only runs through a skimmer, UV and filter socks, will for sure not harm the system.
And I like to happy corals after a water change.

 

[SPR1968]

I do them less as a system ages. On my current, I did weekly. After about 4 months, every two weeks. Probably be to monthly by the end of the first year. I dose Alkalinity and Calcium, and add aminos once a week. Only thing that would concern me are other trace elements, but for a system your size, you probably have that covered some how (do not recall off my head).

When I had a studio apartment in Manhattan on a fifth floor walk up, I used store bought distilled to mix. Needless to say I ended up doing maybe two 20% water changes a year on a system 4-5 years old.

I use the Red Sea Coral Colours for the trace elements and basically everything needed is dosed as required, including corals foods etc etc.

I did biweekly water changes of about 15% for the last months to overcome some previous issues and to see how the reef reacted.
Now I will change to 3 weekly water changes as things are stable again.
Maybe in a while it will be reduced to monthly water changes.

I am not sure if this is needed but fresh salt water, from which I am sure that no harmful elements are present, replacing tank water that only runs through a skimmer, UV and filter socks, will for sure not harm the system.
And I like to happy corals after a water change.

There certainly isn't anything wrong with adding good clean water at all Jan, as you say happy corals, and I will no doubt continue with the monthly changes, just because it feels right to put good clean water in. In reality it doesn't take much time with how I do it, its just interesting to see what others do.

 

[mta_morrow]

Thanks Mike

I was trying to think of a way to explain what I was thinking at the time.

I found the following article quite interesting for anyone who hasn’t read it.

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/6/fish

That was a good read! Thanks Shaun.

 

[mta_morrow]

Its been just over 5 weeks since I last did a water change and Ive been on a monthly schedule of around 18% for about the last year or so. So I filled my 120 litre salt mixing station (home brew bucket!) and turned on the heaters and powerheads ready to add the salt at some point in the next few days. Then I started thinking, and just turned it all off.

I was looking at the water last night and it was absolutely crystal clear, all my parameters are good as confirmed by the recent Triton test, and I'm thinking do I really need to do water changes. I'm pretty sure I will continue to do them but maybe just as and when I feel like it,

With modern protein skimmers to remove nutrients etc., it really makes me wonder if this is really necessary when a system is mature. I can see the benefits with new systems potentially, but older systems it really makes me wonder with the equipment available these days.

I see and read about more and more systems running perfectly fine with zero changes

Without getting into a lengthy debate about the benefits and need for water changes, I'm just wondering what you guys do these days and how often if at all ?​

I’m planning on 20% once a month. Started 2 month ago. I’m taking off the last Friday of each month to do it along with a deep clean of 1 piece of equipment at that time as well.

 

[Fudsey]

I am usually every 3-4 weeks 20%. But then I see @FarmerTy 's tank with no water changes and wonder if....

 

[mta_morrow]

I know........ you could go insane making decisions in this hobby.

I’m gonna do my 20% every month this year.

At the end of the year, I would hope to be stocked and done, except for an occasional zoa or something.

Then, reassess the whole maintenance and WC thing.

 

[SPR1968]

I know........ you could go insane making decisions in this hobby.

I’m gonna do my 20% every month this year.

At the end of the year, I would hope to be stocked and done, except for an occasional zoa or something.

Then, reassess the whole maintenance and WC thing.

This is sort of we’re i am now which is the reason I was asking for the thoughts of you guys and different methods.

The water change is useful as it enables me to clean the sump at the same time, but as for the worth of it on a mature system, I am really starting to wonder about this myself with modern filtration.

The article above was a good read wasn’t it, it explains fish behaviour quite well.