Water change schedule for 20g tank

[gmeazy01]

HI everyone,


So I've been doing a weekly water change of 20% which is ~4gallons weekly. However, many people in the hobby have told me that that is too much and probably do 20% every 2 weeks. I like my weekly maintenance but should I make that 10% instead? I have like 15+ LPS corals, 3 fish, 3 snails, urchin, and cleaner shrimp. I don't dose My tank hence I rely so much with my water change to keep a stable water parameter.


So for hobbyist that own a nano tank. what would you advice?


Thanks,

Gmeazy

 

[homer1475]

Up to you really. Some do 10% a week, some do 20% every other, some do more, some do none.

If 20% a week keeps the tank happy, then by all means keep at it.

 

[gmeazy01]

Up to you really. Some do 10% a week, some do 20% every other, some do more, some do none.

If 20% a week keeps the tank happy, then by all means keep at it.

Maybe I wont do this water change on Sunday and check my water parameters to see if anything is looking sketch and decide from that. if calcium or Kh is depleted then I will definitely stay with my weekly water change but if only some then maybe only 10% or do biweekly.


Anyhow thanks!

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

i do five gallons a week in 20 gallon IM nuvo. I have six fish including a copperband and a baby tang (he was picked on in qt and awaits the 200 gallon at some point; personally i like him the 20 gallon). Nitrates are not detected unless i add them on purpose. Last ICP had phosphates at 0.13. it's a mixed tank with modest coral colonies and a refugium and overpowered skimmer. I feed very heavy and subscribe to the heavy feeding model, both for corals and for fish, with strong export mechanism. The water changes are part of that export mechanism. Technically my nutrient levels are lower, but it's not a low nutrient system--if that makes sense.

It really just depends on how you want to run a tank. If you feed light and low fish and coral density, (lots of) water changes aren't a necessary thing IMO.

But i like fat well fed corals and fish and lots of them... water changes seem like a cheap way to add stability over time given my over population of critters.

video:

https://www.reef2reef.com/data/video/1957/1957519-4b129e1f39066ce4f8b5a45815db4be1.mp4

 

[gmeazy01]

i do five gallons a week in 20 gallon IM nuvo. I have six fish including a copperband and a baby tang (he was picked on in qt and awaits the 200 gallon at some point; personally i like him the 20 gallon). Nitrates are not detected unless i add them on purpose. Last ICP had phosphates at 0.13. it's a mixed tank with modest coral colonies and a refugium and overpowered skimmer. I feed very heavy and subscribe to the heavy feeding model, both for corals and for fish, with strong export mechanism. The water changes are part of that export mechanism. Technically my nutrient levels are lower, but it's not a low nutrient system--if that makes sense.

It really just depends on how you want to run a tank. If you feed light and low fish and coral density, (lots of) water changes aren't a necessary thing IMO.

But i like fat well fed corals and fish and lots of them... water changes seem like a cheap way to add stability over time given my over population of critters.

video:

https://www.reef2reef.com/data/video/1957/1957519-4b129e1f39066ce4f8b5a45815db4be1.mp4

Awhh I have a baby yellow tang whos been happy in this tank. lol but hes going to my mom's tank after since thats my other project is build that tank this summer.

Do you dose?

Do you use the back chamber as a refugium? I use it as a refugium using IM chaeto light. I don't have a skimmer thats why I like doing my weekly water change. I feed every 3 days. but sometimes I feed here and there because, I, too, likes them looking fat and healthy.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Awhh I have a baby yellow tang whos been happy in this tank. lol but hes going to my mom's tank after since thats my other project is build that tank this summer.

Little guys are better in little tanks if you ask me! Same the copperband--he's anti-social. lol.

Do you dose?

I seem to be keeping up with alkalinity needs by dosing 3-4 ml's of All for Reef daily. That said, the last ICP was like 7.4 dkh and i use ($33 a bucket!) instant ocean (with a dkh of about 11) so that definitely dose the tank too. I add 5ml of Seachem "reef complete" calcium supplement weekly with the water change (that gets calcium from instant ocean of about 390ppm to over 400ppm). Also add Seachems "reef plus" or whatever its called iodine/amino supplement once a week. Last, does reef roids and live phyto nightly. Maybe 10 ml of the phyto and a pinch of reef roids with frozen and pellet food. I feed more than fish can eat twice a day, new life spectrum pellets, frozen mysis, and black worms that i freeze myself.

I ordered some Brightwell aminos--just to try. I abused my green stag acro and he's has little (seems minor for now) recession on a spot or two--so trying nurse him back to health.

Do you use the back chamber as a refugium? I use it as a refugium using IM chaeto light. I don't have a skimmer thats why I like doing my weekly water change. I feed every 3 days. but sometimes I feed here and there because, I, too, likes them looking fat and healthy.

This tank is a recreation of one i had about 15 year ago, that i really liked. So i went old school (for me) technology on it. lol. It's got a Aqua C Remora skimmer--hangs off the back. Love the skimmer... no maintenance... just dump the cup.

Also have CPR hang on refugium. I grow the red algae, it just seemed to outcompete the chaeto i had in there... Add a couple gallosn of water volume too.

On my ICP i had 0.01 nitrates, so between the corals and red algae, nitrates are not a problem. Phosphates were 0.13 last ICP. I don't really care about the nitrate of phosphate levels if the corals look good. That said, if i see dinos at all (happened once pretty bad and seen their face once after that too), i dose microbacter7 (i kinds just do this as a matter of course now--i think its healthy for the tank) and a couple ml's of nitrate for a couple days to get nitrates to 1-5ppm and then the dino have gone away.

 

[gmeazy01]

Little guys are better in little tanks if you ask me! Same the copperband--he's anti-social. lol.



I seem to be keeping up with alkalinity needs by dosing 3-4 ml's of All for Reef daily. That said, the last ICP was like 7.4 dkh and i use ($33 a bucket!) instant ocean (with a dkh of about 11) so that definitely dose the tank too. I add 5ml of Seachem "reef complete" calcium supplement weekly with the water change (that gets calcium from instant ocean of about 390ppm to over 400ppm). Also add Seachems "reef plus" or whatever its called iodine/amino supplement once a week. Last, does reef roids and live phyto nightly. Maybe 10 ml of the phyto and a pinch of reef roids with frozen and pellet food. I feed more than fish can eat twice a day, new life spectrum pellets, frozen mysis, and black worms that i freeze myself.

I ordered some Brightwell aminos--just to try. I abused my green stag acro and he's has little (seems minor for now) recession on a spot or two--so trying nurse him back to health.



This tank is a recreation of one i had about 15 year ago, that i really liked. So i went old school (for me) technology on it. lol. It's got a Aqua C Remora skimmer--hangs off the back. Love the skimmer... no maintenance... just dump the cup.

Also have CPR hang on refugium. I grow the red algae, it just seemed to outcompete the chaeto i had in there... Add a couple gallosn of water volume too.

On my ICP i had 0.01 nitrates, so between the corals and red algae, nitrates are not a problem. Phosphates were 0.13 last ICP. I don't really care about the nitrate of phosphate levels if the corals look good. That said, if i see dinos at all (happened once pretty bad and seen their face once after that too), i dose microbacter7 (i kinds just do this as a matter of course now--i think its healthy for the tank) and a couple ml's of nitrate for a couple days to get nitrates to 1-5ppm and then the dino have gone away.

Should I dose my tank?

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Should I dose my tank?

Those euphyllia can lower alkalinity. Water changes would keep up likely. But All for Reef by Tropic Marin would be perfect for that tank.

Get a Hanna alkalinity tester and keep alkalinity around 8-10 with water changes and/or All for Reef.

Likely small dose daily all that would be needed

 

[gmeazy01]

Those euphyllia can lower alkalinity. Water changes would keep up likely. But All for Reef by Tropic Marin would be perfect for that tank.

Get a Hanna alkalinity tester and keep alkalinity around 8-10 with water changes and/or All for Reef.

I do test my alkalinity. I have the hanna test kit. My

alkalinity have been going between 8.2-10.3
----I tested it yesterday and boy it went to 11 lol why??
Nitrates: 14PPM
Phosphate cant be read by my hanna test kit. its too high lol. but my trachy loves it
Calcium is kept around 406-425
I want to save up for that trident I am getting tired from individually testing these LOL but don't get me wrong it keeps me up to date with my tank