Water Changes

[CaseyC33]

Apologies in advance if this is the wrong place.

I’ve had a tank up for about two months. I’m a bit overdue on my cadence of 20% or more WC every two weeks. It’s a 13.5 Fluval Evo. I have water prepared for a WC. My question is does it make sense to do a WC if my ammonia is 0 and my nitrates are between 10-20ppm? More importantly, is it possible my API test kit is incorrect? I followed all the nitrate steps to a T.

I’m assuming the answer is no point in WC, perhaps when I add coral later and need to replace elements.

I don’t aggressively feed and certainly don’t overfeed. Is it possible my bioload with two clownfish is just that low, not warranting a WC?

Casey

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

My tanks are all several years old, I still do weekly water changes on all 4 of them.

API is good as a guideline, but not accurate enough to help with decisions, such as "should I dose".

We can only test for 5 or 6 parameters, but there are dozens or possibly hundreds of parameters that we can't test for. Some of these things might be bad and build up until you have a problem later,, such as dissolved organics or types of bad bacterias.

And frankly, the water change on your tank would be so quick and easy it would take less than 10 minutes, it took me longer to type this answer. My opinion only good luck

 

[Boehmtown]

I would water change off of your nutrients in a new tank, instead of a schedule. At 10-20 nitrate, you're sitting good. Do a water change and wait till it builds back to that level, do another water change. I wouldn't go much higher on the nitrate unless you have a specific reason to

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Your tank is cycled no?

Water change is never a bad thing to do. If you feel like a 20% might be too much drop it down to a 10-15%.

Also api kits are known for not being accurate. Get salifert, redsea or Hanna kits

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What is in the tank?

Water changes are something that some people do and some do not.

I do and recommend water changes to add and remove things you do not or cannot measure or cannot export in other ways.

I’d stop measuring ammonia in a 2 month old tank. I’d do regular water cha tea regardless of nitrate levels.

 

[get-salty]

I personally do a biweekly WC bc i want to get the detritus out of the sump.

Most importantly here if you're planning on keeping a reef/saltwater tank, i'd invest in more trusted test kits like Hanna or Salifert.

 

[CaseyC33]

What is in the tank?

Water changes are something that some people do and some do not.

I do and recommend water changes to add and remove things you do not or cannot measure or cannot export in other ways.

I’d stop measuring ammonia in a 2 month old tank. I’d do regular water cha tea regardless of nitrate levels.

Just two clownfish. I am adding a yasha goby and pistol shrimp and then will be done with livestock. I plan to add easier coral as well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Just two clownfish. I am adding a yasha goby and pistol shrimp and then will be done with livestock. I plan to add easier coral as well.

With just fish, I'd still do water changes, but you can de smaller ones than you are now, IMO.