Water Changes

[allof fish]

My nutrients have been trending low. They get used up fast and constantly have to replenish nitrates and phosphate so they don’t get too low. Try and keep nitrates between 7-10 and phosphate.05-.1 but they tend to be lower. I find that doing water changes will just deplete my nutrients which will make more work for me. The main reason I was doing water changes was to suck up algae as tank is 6 months old and trace element replenishment. Going to add trace elements to 2 part. If I also run carbon and add the trace amounts is this a good excuse for no water changes. Not entirely but let’s say every 1-3 months. Any input on this?

 

[TX_REEF]

you could try less water changes and see if it helps your nutrient levels stabilize, and observe how your inhabitants react over time. You will still want to do occasional water changes, because water changes are the only sure-fire way to reduce contaminants and replenish components that are not readily test-able.

 

[X-37B]

My nutrients have been trending low. They get used up fast and constantly have to replenish nitrates and phosphate so they don’t get too low. Try and keep nitrates between 7-10 and phosphate.05-.1 but they tend to be lower. I find that doing water changes will just deplete my nutrients which will make more work for me. The main reason I was doing water changes was to suck up algae as tank is 6 months old and trace element replenishment. Going to add trace elements to 2 part. If I also run carbon and add the trace amounts is this a good excuse for no water changes. Not entirely but let’s say every 1-3 months. Any input on this?

I have been running 5% a month for awhile now on 4 systems and will never go back to the standard 10% a week.

 

[allof fish]

you could try less water changes and see if it helps your nutrient levels stabilize, and observe how you inhabitants react over time. You will still want to do occasional water changes, because water changes are the only sure-fire way to reduce contaminants and replenish components that are not readily test-able.

I also and going to start doing icp test every month or 2. Currently I’ve being doing wc every 2 weeks about 10-15%. Just don’t want to bottom out my nutrients

 

[allof fish]

I have been running 5% a month for awhile now on 4 systems and will never go back to the standard 10% a week.

I do like that idea. Do you add any trace elements. How do you control nutrients? 5% isn’t hard at all

 

[X-37B]

I do like that idea. Do you add any trace elements. How do you control nutrients? 5% isn’t hard at all

I add trace to my ato.
Po4 is kept between .1-.2. I use p-minus when it gets to .2
No3 is 15-20. I control no3 by running 2 skimmers on my 150.
Other systems have sand and no3 is <5 and po4 is adjusted down if it gets to .2.
Current 150 and 15

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It’s a fine experiment to change or eliminate water change schedules, but I doubt it’s doing much for nutrients one way or the other unless you are doing a lot of changes or a looking at long term trends. Phosphate especially is not hugely impacted by water changes due to rock and sand binding.