The no water change revolution!

[SteadyC]

I do hybrid, have for a while. I also do 5 gallon water changes once a week on a 110 gallon tank, something around 5% change. Mostly just to clean up, change carbon, or whatever. Dosing wise, I use kalk, little extra carbonate, magnesium, and potassium, these are all automated on dosing pumps. Weekly, I manually add iron, iodine, and Red Sea colors D. Daily I manually add 1ml manganese. Even though some of these are manual, it takes just seconds, every week. By far, this is the lowest amount of manual labor I perform.

Large chaeto patch in sump is main nutrient export, I have a skimmer but on dry skim, and large sand area and live rock in sump for surface area for bacteria, and a couple marinepure blocks. No filter socks, hence the 5 gallon weekly water change.

I have a mixed reef tank, SPS, LPS, softies, gorgonians, and a clam. Everything is growing fast, I have to frag usually 2-3 corals every week to two weeks, and take to lfs.

Everything is stable, I used to have high aluminum, so I removed a number of marinepure blocks, did water changes until back in line. Still have a couple in, but aluminum is in line.

When I moved to this system a couple of years ago, initially on weekends i felt like I was forgetting to do tank stuff, but reality is, I reduced the amount of time spent, automated a lot, and the end result is great.

You can find a nice balance, of stability, thriving tank, and less manual effort, it's very rewarding. Good luck!

 

[phixman]

What are you looking for?

Your tank that you don’t do water changes on, I like to see other peoples tanks to see if I can make improvements . Also, your profile picture ; that tank looks cool .

 

[phixman]

Dosing wise, I use kalk, little extra carbonate, magnesium, and potassium, these are all automated on dosing pumps. Weekly, I manually add iron, iodine, and Red Sea colors D. Daily I manually add 1ml manganese.
/QUOTE]

Maybe this is what I’m missing

 

[action21]

I have a 200 gallon Tank with a 40 gall Trigger Triton 44 sump. I can't help replacing min 20 - 65 gallons each month thru evaporation. Luckily I have ATO and 2 65 gallons containers 1 RODI 1 SALT. Only been in hobby just over 1 year - Triton method from the start. Only real issue is chaeto not growing like I want. Yes I use about a large bucket of Blue Bucket Salt per month $70ish from BRS, Nori, LRS Reef Frenzy, $55 Triton Method 1,2,3a & 3b. Triton test apx quarterly and then additional supplements as recommended.
My only issue with Triton Method is after getting test results I have to spend more $$ to get additional supplements - why don't they just suggest increasing the dose of one of the 4 bottles if "that's all you will need"?

 

[action21]

I have a 200 gallon Tank with a 40 gall Trigger Triton 44 sump. I can't help replacing min 20 - 65 gallons each month thru evaporation. Luckily I have ATO and 2 65 gallons containers 1 RODI 1 SALT. Only been in hobby just over 1 year - Triton method from the start. Only real issue is chaeto not growing like I want. Yes I use about a large bucket of Blue Bucket Salt per month $70ish from BRS, Nori, LRS Reef Frenzy, $55 Triton Method 1,2,3a & 3b. Triton test apx quarterly and then additional supplements as recommended.
My only issue with Triton Method is after getting test results I have to spend more $$ to get additional supplements - why don't they just suggest increasing the dose of one of the 4 bottles if "that's all you will need"?

 

[Oliver d]

Water changes for me no proplem walk 40 m fill buckets and return home but today change 10% water once a month.

 

[DEWreefing]

I have not changed water since I started my take 9 months ago. I run a calcium reactor and everything is fine.

 

[Bpb]

I’m finding myself doing fewer and fewer lately. I still think they’re important but I feed heavy and run a calcium reactor with a heavy demand so I know I’m replenishing most of the good stuff with that alone. I’m sure my colors would improve with more frequent and heavier water changes. The whole ICP testing every few weeks and dosing a dozen separate elements all the time is just too complicated and expensive. The old way is like 95% as effective and almost zero effort comparatively. Sometimes things are new just to be new and different and to have a piece of the market. Not necessarily an improvement. I’ll admit, the automatic alkalinity testers are a cool invention, but I don’t hate alk testing enough to pay that much to automate it

 

[The Big Chill]

I haven't performed a water change in 6 months and my 120g reef aquarium is doing well. I make sure the Calc, Alk and Magnesium are stable and in the right range. I use Kalkwasser in my ATO. I dose Trace Elements weekly. I have 2 protein skimmers (air intakes run to the outside to keep PH in 8.1 to 8.4 range) and a Refugium with Chaeto and Mangroves with red/blue light spectrum for maximum growth. I have 1 MarinePure block and 3 Brightwell NO3 blocks in the Sump. When I test for Phosphates it is usually .02 or .00 ppm. Nitrates always around 0. My tank absolutely beautiful and the fish and corals are always happy.

 

[Murica]

I haven't performed a water change in 6 months and my 120g reef aquarium is doing well. I make sure the Calc, Alk and Magnesium are stable and in the right range. I use Kalkwasser in my ATO. I dose Trace Elements weekly. I have 2 protein skimmers (air intakes run to the outside to keep PH in 8.1 to 8.4 range) and a Refugium with Chaeto and Mangroves with red/blue light spectrum for maximum growth. I have 1 MarinePure block and 3 Brightwell NO3 blocks in the Sump. When I test for Phosphates it is usually .02 or .00 ppm. Nitrates always around 0. My tank absolutely beautiful and the fish and corals are always happy.

How's the tank status? I'm reverting back a little with my next tank build by adding an automatic water changer to do constant but very small changes to replace micro nutrients

 

[DEWreefing]

Nice I have not done a water change in over 1 1/2 years I use a calcium reactor to keep my main 3 stable. Full acropoa tank.

 

[Murica]

Nice I have not done a water change in over 1 1/2 years I use a calcium reactor to keep my main 3 stable. Full acropoa tank.

Do you use triton? How do you dose micro nutrients?

 

[DEWreefing]

Do you use triton? How do you dose micro nutrients?

I use the red sea color program and aminos

 

[pixelhustler]

In a month or so, I'm going to start a hybrid triton method. Basically I'm going to keep calcium and alkalinity stable with kalk, I have a decent skimmer, macro, I'm going to get a carbon and gfo reactor... Etc etc. I'm going to send my water to triton periodically throughout the year, and dose based of those results. May do one or two water changes a year. The only thing I may have to do more often is test.

Anyone else eliminating water changes? I find that more and more people are. If so, please share your results!

I’m wondering how the experiment is going?
I’m doing the same in my 75g: sulfur denitrator for nitrate reduction, a newly built lanthanum reactor for phosphate reduction, and a skimmer for remaining organics.
I haven’t done any major water changes myself for about a year but the yellowing of the water is pretty heavy. What did you do about that? I might have to up my carbon rose or run it in a reactor

 

[Sean Clark]

newly built lanthanum reactor

Do you have pics? How do you have this setup?

 

[pixelhustler]

Do you have pics? How do you have this setup?

I went off a build from reef central. Mine is a dual BRS reactor with 5micron pleated sediment filters. I bought a 1/2” to 1/4” push to connect Tee and I connected a Kamoer X1 wifi pump via the 1/4”. I dose a 10% dilution of Seaklear LaCl, so 1ml of solution dosed into the reactor is .1ml of LaCl. I run really low flow through the ball valve. The first reactor behind the Tee in the picture is just Cuprisorb than I run to remove any heavy metals that might build up over time.
Pleated filters can be cleaned in vinegar. I’m hoping the Tee won’t clog for at least a few months, hence why I used 1/2” tubing for the reactor vs running everything through 1/4”

 

[Sean Clark]

I went off a build from reef central. Mine is a dual BRS reactor with 5micron pleated sediment filters. I bought a 1/2” to 1/4” push to connect Tee and I connected a Kamoer X1 wifi pump via the 1/4”. I dose a 10% dilution of Seaklear LaCl, so 1ml of solution dosed into the reactor is .1ml of LaCl. I run really low flow through the ball valve. The first reactor behind the Tee in the picture is just Cuprisorb than I run to remove any heavy metals that might build up over time.
Pleated filters can be cleaned in vinegar. I’m hoping the Tee won’t clog for at least a few months, hence why I used 1/2” tubing for the reactor vs running everything through 1/4”

Fantastic. I dosed seaklear straight into the sump in the past. This seems like a much more thought out solution.

 

[pixelhustler]

Fantastic. I dosed seaklear straight into the sump in the past. This seems like a much more thought out solution.

Some people dose straight into the tank (melevsreef) without issues do you might be good. I dosed 2ml per 50g into the overflow that went straight into 100micron socks (they recommend 5-10micron max) and a couple of my wrasses were breathing heavily. The theory is that the flocculant can go into their gills and tangs seem to be the most delicate. I think there must be other factors at play since it’s still not common. I just built the reactor as a solution and lowered the dose to .5ml per 50g daily split into 24 hourly doses. Wrasses are doing visibly better but not 100% yet so we’ll see

 

[Murica]

I’m wondering how the experiment is going?
I’m doing the same in my 75g: sulfur denitrator for nitrate reduction, a newly built lanthanum reactor for phosphate reduction, and a skimmer for remaining organics.
I haven’t done any major water changes myself for about a year but the yellowing of the water is pretty heavy. What did you do about that? I might have to up my carbon rose or run it in a reactor

So I’ve since gotten a new house and a new tank, however when I was doing it it worked great. I don’t suggest having sand.. and if you do only a little because it was a constant battle with nutrients.

Having a algae scrubber was priceless and that made the difference. Without it my nitrates were sky rocketing. Other than that just staying up to speed with adding elements it definitely worked out.

 

[pixelhustler]

So I’ve since gotten a new house and a new tank, however when I was doing it it worked great. I don’t suggest having sand.. and if you do only a little because it was a constant battle with nutrients.

Having a algae scrubber was priceless and that made the difference. Without it my nitrates were sky rocketing. Other than that just staying up to speed with adding elements it definitely worked out.

Thanks! How long did you go with little to no water changes? And were you able to keep the water clear or how did you fight yellowing?

 

[Murica]

Thanks! How long did you go with little to no water changes? And were you able to keep the water clear or how did you fight yellowing?

about a year before I had to take everything down. I used carbon a lot but I wish I knew about ozone back then.. I have one now and it’s so easy.

with The new tank I’m back to doing water changes, but the primary reason I am is because it’s much larger of a tank and I don’t have all the equipment I need (algae reactor, calcium reactor, etc). Once I get everything I may go back to zero water changes or maybe not. This is a pretty nutrient heavy tank so for the time being I have to do them. To be honest the success of the no water change tank in my opinion comes down to how much equipment you have and making sure you stay on top of husbandry