Transitioning to fewer water changes

[TastyScrants]

Hello,

My tank has been running for around 2 years and was recently upgraded from 150L to 250L. The upgrade was a straight up transfer (new sand) and adding the additional 100L water.

I’ve done WCs at 10% weekly for years.

I control my nutrients by carbon dosing and they’re rock steady.

I dose a 2 part which contains trace elements. (Reef zlements)

Can I start to move away from waterchanges?

I feel like I’m just wasting money each week doing water changes because I even dose nitrate into my new water to match what is going into the tank for my SPS.

I’m only really doing them as a preventative measure to dilute any nasties in the background. I feel I could achieve this with quarterly ICP tests.

Does anyone have a similar approach?

I’m thinking maybe move to 10% every 2 weeks and potentially 10% a month if that goes well.

 

[Pistondog]

Hello,

My tank has been running for around 2 years and was recently upgraded from 150L to 250L. The upgrade was a straight up transfer (new sand) and adding the additional 100L water.

I’ve done WCs at 10% weekly for years.

I control my nutrients by carbon dosing and they’re rock steady.

I dose a 2 part which contains trace elements. (Reef zlements)

Can I start to move away from waterchanges?

I feel like I’m just wasting money each week doing water changes because I even dose nitrate into my new water to match what is going into the tank for my SPS.

I’m only really doing them as a preventative measure to dilute any nasties in the background. I feel I could achieve this with quarterly ICP tests.

Does anyone have a similar approach?

I’m thinking maybe move to 10% every 2 weeks and potentially 10% a month if that goes well.

There are some that say only water changes reduce very hydrophilic organic compounds. You might have to step up your gac game and or ozone occasionally.
Try 10% every 2 weeks.
in half

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hello,

My tank has been running for around 2 years and was recently upgraded from 150L to 250L. The upgrade was a straight up transfer (new sand) and adding the additional 100L water.

I’ve done WCs at 10% weekly for years.

I control my nutrients by carbon dosing and they’re rock steady.

I dose a 2 part which contains trace elements. (Reef zlements)

Can I start to move away from waterchanges?

I feel like I’m just wasting money each week doing water changes because I even dose nitrate into my new water to match what is going into the tank for my SPS.

I’m only really doing them as a preventative measure to dilute any nasties in the background. I feel I could achieve this with quarterly ICP tests.

Does anyone have a similar approach?

I’m thinking maybe move to 10% every 2 weeks and potentially 10% a month if that goes well.

I've been doing 10% water changes every two months for the last 2 1/2 years with no ill effects.

Your tank sounds similar to mine.

I do run ozone and do regular GAC changes.

Dosing Aquaforest Components Strong for trace elements.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

You can choose your own involvement. Yes, anyone can reduce water changes, but you have to make other changes according to your tank needs. That means more dosing and more testing. Which in turn could mean more equipment etc. Which equals more operating costs. With water changes you are diluting and replenishing at a %, but it is a consistent thing. You could come up with a % of a water change that keeps all your parameters in line based on your needs/usage.
But in reality, the best thing for the tank is to set up a auto water change system. That way it is the most consistent and you will have the most stable parameters.
To answer your ? it is yes. I agree it is a bit confusing to be "Hey I still have to add nutrients, why am I reducing what I do have by doing a water change?" But there is more to a water change.

When I was there, they didn’t have water or electric. It's crazy you can have a reef tank now... Which stone do you live in?

 

[Paul B]

I change about 30% of my water 4 or 5 times a year and have been doing that for 50 years. No problems yet.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I change about 30% of my water 4 or 5 times a year and have been doing that for 50 years. No problems yet.

Your tank is very well established and you use NSW... Lets keep things in perspective for everyone else. Your tank is a goal that one strives for. Many, very many... are far from that.
But can you imagine if you actually did 20% NSW water changes every 2 weeks and did a ICP test and used a moonshiners system? Probably would explode the engine on a 50yr old motor...
Just sayin...

 

[vlangel]

My tank is mature, (been up since 2016) and I have ornamental macroalgae removing nutrients so I have slowed my water changes to every other week as opposed to every week. So far so good.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hello,

My tank has been running for around 2 years and was recently upgraded from 150L to 250L. The upgrade was a straight up transfer (new sand) and adding the additional 100L water.

I’ve done WCs at 10% weekly for years.

I control my nutrients by carbon dosing and they’re rock steady.

I dose a 2 part which contains trace elements. (Reef zlements)

Can I start to move away from waterchanges?

I feel like I’m just wasting money each week doing water changes because I even dose nitrate into my new water to match what is going into the tank for my SPS.

I’m only really doing them as a preventative measure to dilute any nasties in the background. I feel I could achieve this with quarterly ICP tests.

Does anyone have a similar approach?

I’m thinking maybe move to 10% every 2 weeks and potentially 10% a month if that goes well.

IMO, it's a fine thing to try and see what happens. If the tank does not seem to do as well, you can always restart water changes more often. If things are fine, then the reduction is a success.

I'd take some good pictures of corals and such so you can compare later.