Water Changes, Daily or weekly?

[Indo Nano]

Depends on the rate of increase. Large changes will dilute further while smaller more frequent changes will dilute more slowly. Both will eventually find levels they plateau between assuming other variables remain the same. It'll also take more volume in smaller water changes to reach the same dilution rate. I.e. 10 10% water changes results in a 65% dilution whereas 2 50% comes to a 75% and 1 100% is effectively 100% dilution. All these values use the same amount of new water.

 

[cameronh]

Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's was awesome!


I like to take a good look at my tank, after a few seconds of staring at it and observing it I'll know if it needs a changing.

 

[lilmonster]

I use the Sterner pump also, i have it set to change 1-1/4 gallons every day at 2am running off my controller.
it's a lot easier than lugging buckets around, and i find my parameters seem to stay level.

 

[WWIII]

The Randy Holmes Farley article on this subject is a really good read! I feel like if the tank is stable and parameters are in line, daily small water changes work well. On the other hand, if nitrates are out of wack or something else is going on in the tank, larger water changes all at once may have more benefit.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I've been doing bi-weekly water changes for eeevvveeerrrr..... with that said, every system is different.

What works for me, may not work for you. Your mileage may (and will) vary.

 

[BlennyKravitz]

Geneses was my first choice, but I didn't want to run 1/2" tubing back and forth to my garage (already had 1/4" installed), plus the two change tanks would need to be hanging on the wall above the tank. Went with the Stenner and haven't looked back.

Agreed that Genesis is great as long as you are on an exterior wall and can put it all outside. A custom plastic tank company could make a couple gallon reservoirs that could be shallow enough to fit inside drywall though...

 

[Forsaken77]

So I've been doing 25% water change weekly on my 50g custom build. Because of my busy schedule, I was think of just doing daily water changes, if my math is right I could meet the needs of a weeks worth if I did one and a half gallon water change daily.... I just want to ask what R2R community advise would be on this topic, please give me your input. If you do daily water changes please tell me how it works for you. Thanks to those that will help!

That's always an option, but you also have to remember than if you do a water change followed up by another water change, you're going to be removing some of the clean water you just put in. Whereas if you do 1 large one you're just removing dirty water.

You don't ALWAYS have to do it weekly. If you're schedule doesn't permit, then do more on a bi-weekly schedule.

There's nothing written in stone in this hobby, except that accidents and tank failures happen when you're not around.

 

[George113]

I do monthly water changes or sooner if needed. Honestly, my tank is pristine, my parameters are on point, and all my corals and fish are extremely happy and growing. Ive been doing it this way for about 5 months now. May not work for you.

 

[rbraunberger]

Daily via Neptune Apex DOS

 

[alex.mccann99]

I Vodka dose and only do Monthly water changes of about 10%. I feed daily and have 0 nitrates. Vodka dosing is the way to go if you want low maintenance .

 

[SPR1968]

Awesome!

You guys are some serious "Reef"... Sick-O's

Shaun,
Lol, I'm sorry, but I'm tracking you

Freddie

Lol! Your welcome!

 

[RonMidtownStomp]

I have an unbaffled 60 gallon sump on a 240 gallon display tank. I shut down my skimmer, heaters, sump powerhead and return pump via my Apex. I then have a hose that runs to a drain in the garage next to my mixing tank. It's about 15' from the tank to the garage. I throw a pump in the sump and plug it into the hose. I then plug in the pump and drain about 50 gallons out of the sump.

I have a 100 gallon mixing tank (old Truvu scratched up junk tank) in the garage. I don't heat it since that would waste so much power. Once the sump is drained as much as it can be by the pump, I move the pump to the garage. Take the hose out of the sewer drain and plug it into the pump, and pump water from the mixing tank into the sump.

My highly advanced measuring system is that I suction cup the pump onto the tank about half way down for the first water change or throw it on the bottom for the second.

I do skimmer cup and filter socks every 3-4 days and the water change every 4-8.

Total time is about 20 minutes but I only need to be involved for maybe 3-4 minutes.

The system is relatively new and I envision backing it down a bit in the future. At ~$12 a water change, it is about $50/month right now but that and kalk top off is all I need to do at this point for dosing.

I'm running the filter socks, a massive old skimmer, gfo and carbon for export.

 

[RonMidtownStomp]

I forgot a couple of important things. I take the Apex probes out and put them in a tupperware full of tank water before draining the sump. After filling the sump with the fresh mix water, I put the probes back in, set the heaters to auto, and turn back on the powerhead in the sump to heat the water to the right temperature before turning the return pump back on again.

 

[mucky1957]

I have a 240lt tank with a LOT of corals ( mainly sps ) and 16 fish. I used to do weekly 25lt water changes but over time ( thank has been running in its current form for nearly 4 yrs ) I now do a 25lt change every 4 weeks. The tank is fine with stable levels. Nitrate is always between 2 - 5, KH Alk is 8.9, mag/cal is 450/1400 and phos at 0.03. The only dosing I do is a small quantity of NOPOX daily.
I've never understood why people would do daily changes or a number of chnages every week. I can't see any benefit it doing so.

 

[RonMidtownStomp]

A lot of SPS coral in a relatively small tank would be consuming way too much Calcium/Alk/Mag to get by with a 10% water change every 4 weeks and only dose NOPOX. If you say you're running a Calcium reactor, OK, but what you said doesn't make any sense.

 

[Fish Werx]

There is a study Randy did and it's listed on his articles if you haven't seen it on water changes:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

I was just getting ready to post this link. One of the most informative articles on water changes explaining the reasons for water changes and our expectations vs reality of what happens.

 

[mucky1957]

A lot of SPS coral in a relatively small tank would be consuming way too much Calcium/Alk/Mag to get by with a 10% water change every 4 weeks and only dose NOPOX. If you say you're running a Calcium reactor, OK, but what you said doesn't make any sense.

I don't have a sump and there are no reactors running. I can only tell you what I do ( and don't do ). Whether it makes sense or not...it is what it is

 

[mucky1957]

..not sure if this will work..hopefully its a 1 minute video of my tank

 

[SPR1968]

I have a 240lt tank with a LOT of corals ( mainly sps ) and 16 fish. I used to do weekly 25lt water changes but over time ( thank has been running in its current form for nearly 4 yrs ) I now do a 25lt change every 4 weeks. The tank is fine with stable levels. Nitrate is always between 2 - 5, KH Alk is 8.9, mag/cal is 450/1400 and phos at 0.03. The only dosing I do is a small quantity of NOPOX daily.
I've never understood why people would do daily changes or a number of chnages every week. I can't see any benefit it doing so.

Hi Mucky

That's very interesting as I've been wondering about the need for weekly changes if everything is stable with nitrates, phosphate etc especially if it's all controlled with dosers etc to maintain parameters. I'm not against water changes at all and can see the logic but if not necessary why..

I'm new to aquariums of any kind since 2016 so am trying to learn the modern reef keeping methods wherever possible and it's great to see different ways that work for different people rather than the 'though shalt do it this way'.

I do however change around 60 litres each week at the moment.

Stunning tank by the way! Just watched the video..

 

[mucky1957]

hi..thanks for the cmpliment..I love my tank.
What you say is so true..if the levels are fine and everything in the tank is fine then clearly you are doing the 'right' thing.
Just out of interest...if you are doing a 60 lt water change how big is the tank ?