This is what a sump looks like with no wc in nearly 3 years

[DracoKat]

How do you go that long without WC’s!
I want in Lol.

seriously, I’m all ears.

I feel like the "OMG You MUST do water changes every week!" is too overhyped. I feel like sometimes too much WC is derailing, and I found my corals were unhappy if I did too much. I go by the looks of my corals and fish, if they are happy, growing content, I leave it alone. if they look off, I'll do a WC. My tank is mature at 7 years old, so it's easier to go without WC's.

Of course, this doesn't work for everyone. Every tank is different.

 

[West1]

I understand every tank is different.
I’m trying to gather info on what you have in play to prolong the WC’s.
I can go about 2 week w/out a WC, then some corals start to look unhappy.

 

[dvgyfresh]

I understand every tank is different.
I’m trying to gather info on what you have in play to prolong the WC’s.
I can go about 2 week w/out a WC, then some corals start to look unhappy.

Moonshiners method , I’m on month 2 of no water changes replenish essential elements / kalk and refugium ensures that water changes don’t really do much for me

 

[attiland]

I understand every tank is different.
I’m trying to gather info on what you have in play to prolong the WC’s.
I can go about 2 week w/out a WC, then some corals start to look unhappy.

No water changes works if you are dosing. If not no way you can get away without them

 

[roggy23]

Yuk. I probably should have cleaned it out entirely and replaced sand, but.. live dangerously and I didn’t feel like running out to get sand. This was all under my chaeto. I scooped out as much as I can, it’s all gunk and skimmer mate like stuff. So gross.

So you dose Since no water changes?

 

[DracoKat]

I do dose. Whenever I remember to. lol

 

[West1]

Moonshiners method , I’m on month 2 of no water changes replenish essential elements / kalk and refugium ensures that water changes don’t really do much for me

Moonshiners method , I’m on month 2 of no water changes replenish essential elements / kalk and refugium ensures that water changes don’t really do much for me

I’ve got a fuge, small but growing great.
Do you basically let chaeto manage Po4 & no3?
How does Kalk play a role in prolonged WC’s other than dkh & CA?

No water changes works if you are dosing. If not no way you can get away without them

I’m not following? Dosing what, standard big 3 of dkh, CA & mg? If so, I am dosing along w/ATO.

 

[dvgyfresh]

You do replenish the big 3 but in addition to that dose trace elements , you need to send an icp test out occasionally to see your consumption trends and dose accordingly along and yes my refugium balances phos and nitrate I throw out too much chaeto weekly lol I tested today and actually had 0 phos / 10 nitrate so I took out gfo and fed nori

 

[West1]

What trace elements do you dose?

The only liquid additives I dose besides big 3, is acropower and phyto. Not sure if it helps as I don’t see results, I kinda just manually dose those because others do Lol.

 

[attiland]

I’m not following? Dosing what, standard big 3 of dkh, CA & mg? If so, I am dosing along w/ATO.

yes big 3 and other minerals if needed.

 

[West1]

yes big 3 and other minerals if needed.

What other minerals/trace elements?

 

[DracoKat]

magnesium is another element I dose.

 

[dvgyfresh]

What trace elements do you dose?

The only liquid additives I dose besides big 3, is acropower and phyto. Not sure if it helps as I don’t see results, I kinda just manually dose those because others do Lol.

For me I dose Kent Marine essential elements, magnesium , alk , cal , iodine , potassium. And occasionally phosphate

 

[attiland]

What other minerals/trace elements?

magnesium , alk , cal , iodine , potassium, sometimes nitrate and had a time I had to dose phosphate and silicates too.
I also dose chaeto grow