Why are some people anti-waterchanges?

[Rick's Reviews]

Every 2 weeks or max 3 weeks, clean out main filters, surface skimmers, UV , pipes , glass cleaning, I appreciate it afterwards... like a brand new aquriam

 

[Pistondog]

This is erroneous thinking; NO3 and PO4 are not the only toxins building up overtime. FW hobbyists have the benefits of plants to remove NO3 and PO4 [they even have to dose these for high-tech setups], yet they still do waterchanges on a weekly basis to reset nutrient levels, remove DOCs, etc.

Moreover, protein skimmers do not remove all DOCs, etc. Protein skimmers were never a substitute for waterchanges. Just another arsenal in overall water filtration.

Keep in mind that SW fish are N times more expensive than FW species. So why risk their wellbeing over a couple of gallons of SW per week?

The water stability is targeted at coral husbandry, fish are much more forgiving regarding loose parameters, ime.

What you list is mostly true, but many reefers here have great success with no water changes.

 

[shakacuz]

for a 300g tank, doing a 30g water change weekly is extremely tedious. many of those with tanks even larger spend more on water changes than anything else.

i deem it as a necessary “laziness” if the tank has a large water volume. in my case, i do run the moonshiner method with a little 40G. i don’t have the space or ability to have a RODI system, as well as a larger tank so to minimize anything going wrong during a water change i just avoid them, so for me it’s just more convenient.

 

[paintman]

In 18+ years and thousands and thousands of threads I’ve never once seen someone have issues because they performed routine water changes from what I recall.

Not only a pretty bold statement, but also pretty foolish.
There are thousand upon thousands of posts on R2R of people having problems with their tanks even though they do water changes religiously.
Just out of curiousity how many people do you think have dinos because they have bottomed out their nutients bacause they thought waterchanges was the best recourse.

 

[FrugalReefer]

I’m middle of the road when it comes to water changes. Do them if you feel and see that your tank is benefitting from it but if your tank is stable and doing good without them why bother. The last water change I did was in April. If I feel I need to do a water change I’ll drive the 20 minute or so trip to the Scripps Pier here in San Diego to get a fresh batch of water (I use NSW). My tank is doing well though and I’m getting good growth and color with stable parameters and no algae. Why fix something if it ain’t broke.

 

[Raul-7]

Not only a pretty bold statement, but also pretty foolish.
There are thousand upon thousands of posts on R2R of people having problems with their tanks even though they do water changes religiously.
Just out of curiousity how many people do you think have dinos because they have bottomed out their nutients bacause they thought waterchanges was the best recourse.

He's still right though; of course you still need to take into account nutrient uptake, levels, etc. That's upon the user, not the fault of the waterchanges.

But the message he was trying to make was simple - waterchanges do more GOOD than harm and you cannot go wrong with them unless the user does something foolish [like mismatched salinity, huge temperature differences, etc.]

 

[Raul-7]

The water stability is targeted at coral husbandry, fish are much more forgiving regarding loose parameters, ime.

What you list is mostly true, but many reefers here have great success with no water changes.

But when you say success; how do you define it?

I can put my cat in a large crate with a litterbox, food and water - she will live; is that success too?

 

[sc50964]

Regular WC is needed unless you know what to dose & have an efficient nutrient transport system, and those experiences & knowledge are harder to come by.

 

[rtparty]

How does one go about a 100% water change? Not trying to be contradictory,,, just curious.
FWIW, I'm in the camp of believing that regular water changes are useful and not much of a financial burden (for my smallish tank, anyway).

I say 100% but it was like 90-95% since I didn’t want to suck up sand.

Just get the hose close to the sand without sucking up the sand and get as much as you can. I had a six line wrasse (never sold with the breakdown so I put it in until it did sell) and it just hung out at the bottom. On 7.5G tank it wasn’t even 5 gallons of water. So it was quick and easy to drain then refill.

Jake Adams has great articles about his tank he ran this way. It was the inspiration to try it on a setup.

 

[The_Paradox]

I think it’s a misnomer to say anti-water change. I could be wrong but don’t think any of the no water change camp cares one way or another if people change their water. Personally in the last 10 years I have not done any water changes other than what is removed with the occasional vacuuming. Corals seem fine and I have several fish that are 14+ years old. I also do not believe there is really any cost savings when you factor in dosing, pumps, testing, etc. As for being lazy, for me personally it’s not that. I’ve just never been told a good reason to or seen any downside to not.

 

[rtparty]

Not only a pretty bold statement, but also pretty foolish.
There are thousand upon thousands of posts on R2R of people having problems with their tanks even though they do water changes religiously.
Just out of curiousity how many people do you think have dinos because they have bottomed out their nutients bacause they thought waterchanges was the best recourse.

Where in my post did I ever claim someone wouldn’t have issues because they perform water changes?

My words meant what they said. I’ve never seen someone have serious issues from water changes. Water changes are horrible for nutrient control in all reality. 10% a week isn’t bottoming out nutrients. Not enough import is bottoming out nutrients.

 

[Sump Crab]

Regular WC is needed unless you know what to dose & have an efficient nutrient transport system, and those experiences & knowledge are harder to come by.

I agree about the nutrient transport system, mine is a refugium, but dosing is not required for a simple softy/LPS reef. I do not dose and change less than 20 gallons per year in my 65 gallon reef.

 

[DarkReefer]

Whilst I do regular water changes now ( about 50L weekly on my 260ish L tank), I kind of feel like I'm somewhat on the fence about it all.

I think regular water changes do help quite a bit to keep things fresh etc (especially for me), but I can fully understand & appreciate the reefers that have got their systems so dialed in that they can leave them for extended periods without a change. I did try this after starting my tank for the 2nd time, I would go a couple of months or so without a change and things looked good initially.

Unfortunately for me I added something and some of my fish started showing ich/velvet and I had to dose to treat it. It wasn't until I did this that things really went wrong for me and suddenly dinos took over and it was 6+ months of a gross tank & hundreds of dollars of corals lost before I got through it for the most part.
Since then I've purchased my own RODI unit and mix my own mostly weekly rather than use NSW that I was previously storing for extended periods without circulation.

The first time I started my tank I was doing weekly changes also and the tank looked great for months but then something happened/changed (probably my husbandry getting lazier?) and things started looking worse.

So whilst the lazy part of me wants to believe in the no water change method, I'm yet to be successful with it so I just do the regular changes.

 

[shwareefer]

Because...

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

I am speaking for myself only. I am certainly not against WC. I used to do 25% WC weekly, however I now run the Reef Moonshiners program and have not done a WC since March 28, 2023. I do intend to do 1 large WC per year (over 50%) in January in order to reduce any buildup of things that aren't removed by my filtration. I am located in AZ where water supply is quickly becoming an issue so I figure getting away from regular WC with a program that has resulted in healthier corals is a win win and a hedge against possible water shortages and price increases in the future. I was skeptical before starting the program, but the results have been very convincing for me.

People playing the fool, There is no real people left to look after this hobby, they are looking for the quick money via videos etc and honestly I can not fault them
What would you do if you if you ran out of money's

Laziness in a word.

Saying that it is far far cheaper to do a FW water changes. Especially now that salt prices have gone up so much. With two large tanks the amount of salt I have to buy to do regular water changes is a but depressing.

I feel so lazy and foolish...

 

[Subsea]

I think it’s a misnomer to say anti-water change. I could be wrong but don’t think any of the no water change camp cares one way or another if people change their water. Personally in the last 10 years I have not done any water changes other than what is removed with the occasional vacuuming. Corals seem fine and I have several fish that are 14+ years old. I also do not believe there is really any cost savings when you factor in dosing, pumps, testing, etc. As for being lazy, for me personally it’s not that. I’ve just never been told a good reason to or seen any downside to not.

Kudoes to this post.

After 50 years of Reefing, I also don’t change water in the 500G of marine tanks in my home. I am not against water changes, I just don’t see the need for scheduled water changes.

 

[Slocke]

I am speaking for myself only. I am certainly not against WC. I used to do 25% WC weekly, however I now run the Reef Moonshiners program and have not done a WC since March 28, 2023. I do intend to do 1 large WC per year (over 50%) in January in order to reduce any buildup of thing that aren't removed by my filtration. I am located in AZ where water supply is quickly becoming an issue so I figure getting away from regular WC with a program that has resulted in healthier corals is a win win and a hedge against possible water shortages and price increases in the future. I was skeptical before starting the program, but the results have been very convincing for me.






I feel so lazy and foolish...

How do you not have the tank of the month award?!

Honestly though I think most people who don’t do water changes are just being lazy/don’t have the time. Not all. I’m sure there are ways of not doing water changes while still maintaining excellent water quality but i assume they also take a similar amount of work and probably more skill than regular water changes. Water changes IMO are the easiest way to maintain good water when you’re getting into the hobby.

I only do regular water changes on one tank. The other I just use a Refugium and carbon dosing.

 

[Subsea]

I am speaking for myself only. I am certainly not against WC. I used to do 25% WC weekly, however I now run the Reef Moonshiners program and have not done a WC since March 28, 2023. I do intend to do 1 large WC per year (over 50%) in January in order to reduce any buildup of thing that aren't removed by my filtration. I am located in AZ where water supply is quickly becoming an issue so I figure getting away from regular WC with a program that has resulted in healthier corals is a win win and a hedge against possible water shortages and price increases in the future. I was skeptical before starting the program, but the results have been very convincing for me.






I feel so lazy and foolish...

Exceptional display, Bill!

 

[MnFish1]

I am speaking for myself only. I am certainly not against WC. I used to do 25% WC weekly, however I now run the Reef Moonshiners program and have not done a WC since March 28, 2023. I do intend to do 1 large WC per year (over 50%) in January in order to reduce any buildup of things that aren't removed by my filtration. I am located in AZ where water supply is quickly becoming an issue so I figure getting away from regular WC with a program that has resulted in healthier corals is a win win and a hedge against possible water shortages and price increases in the future. I was skeptical before starting the program, but the results have been very convincing for me.






I feel so lazy and foolish...

I think your tank tells the tale quite well - you have an extremely low bio load (of fish) - and you're routinely testing and adding chemicals to your water on a scheduled basis.

To the OP - you can have a great tank with a number of methods, however - if you have a high fish bio load - and want to keep corals as well - its my opinion that routine water changes help more than they hurt.

 

[Digimes]

I am doing 20% changes monthly on my nano tank but my old 180g had a plenum system that ate all the nitrates and my numbers were always low with zero water changes. Not sure I would go that direction today because equipment and everything is so much better now. I really learned to balance the tank and not play with everything.