Why do you do water changes?

[Echidna09]

I'm interested to see why everybody does water changes. Vote and then if you want post how often you change your water and which choice you picked.

I put only to get medications etc. out of the water because from my experience I have found that a lot of water changes make coral unhappy. I know this is not true in most peoples' tanks because they fill it full of fish and the biological filters are unable to keep up with the bioload, but my tanks are sparsely populated with fish. My corals (mostly the acropora) are happier than they ever have been when it has been 2+ months since a water change than they were when I was changing the water 1-2 times per week.

 

[ss7]

I agree that tanks have potential to appear healthier without a water change for some time, but inevitably it will take a down turn as elements are used up. ORP takes a dive each time I change my water.. but I consistently change it biweekly and have great results.

 

[Hypertek99]

I do water changes cuz i don't use a skimmer or dose. I do it to replace the trace elements. I use to do it once a week but now i'm lazy so i do it once a month.

 

[Reefer Chris]

I do a w/c every other week and notice the corals are always looking there best when it is done. It's more of a precaution than anything...and to help with the trace elements.

 

[FaviaFreak]

water changes are the equivilent of a big breath of fresh spring air, after a long cold dreary winter, for your tank!

 

[Nate82]

i do it to replace the trace elements because i don't dose anything but with my tank being mostly lps and zoas my water changes are bimonthly

 

[fly guy]

to replenish trace elements that I dotn test for. I change 10% a month tops in both my polyp tank and my sps tank

if I didnt have to do that I would never change my water as I dont need to for any other reason. I change 10-20% every month or two

 

[FateX8]

replenish trace elements for me

 

[paintballer768]

Keep everything at good levels, remove dissolved organics. My calcium gets sucked up and my nitrates tend to rise after a week or two, and the w/c keeps it right in check

 

[roshi719]

I have a mixed reef and I believe it helps some with controlling Allelopathics. At least I tell myself it does.

 

[Dihydrogen Monoxide]

Personally I do them to maintain the current status of the tank. It seems if I skip one things seem not do do as well in the short term.

 

[theplatypus]

If nothing else water changes help to keep my flatworm population at a manageable level. :(

 

[igot2gats]

To get rid of dietrus (sp?), and put in fresh water.

 

[oceanparadise1]

WHAT ARE WATER CHANGES??? lol i have had so many good tanks and i might do a water change every 5 months

 

[JF2381]

Habit from my freshwater days. I change 5 gallons every Friday.
I noticed that my LPS are happier after couple of weeks without changing water, but my SPS are happier with the weekly water changes.

 

[cl2ysta1]

I'm interested to see why everybody does water changes. Vote and then if you want post how often you change your water and which choice you picked.

I put only to get medications etc. out of the water because from my experience I have found that a lot of water changes make coral unhappy. I know this is not true in most peoples' tanks because they fill it full of fish and the biological filters are unable to keep up with the bioload, but my tanks are sparsely populated with fish. My corals (mostly the acropora) are happier than they ever have been when it has been 2+ months since a water change than they were when I was changing the water 1-2 times per week.

is this perhaps possibly because you are doing too large of water changes at a time. I've noticed if i do 10% weekly everything is alwyas happy. I however had to add 50% new water when adding a new system on and noticed my sps looked like crap for about two weeks afterward. Too much change at once is bad.

 

[H@rry]

I have a 190 and a 225 SPS tanks. They have been up since 2000. I do a 5 gallon water change every week and the growth and color are very good. I think the main advantage of this regimen is to replace trace elements. The only thing I add to my tanks are the salt from the water changes. I also run calcium reactors on both tanks. My pH stays a little low (7.1 - 7.7) I think because of the reactors but it has never been a problem. Most people look at me with raised eyebrows when I tell them that.

 

[oceanparadise1]

hey if it works dont change

 

[sdietz2469]

h@rry, i too run low on the ph scale about 7.6-7.8....

anyways i do water changes to help remove anything my skimmer isnt pulling out, it also adds trace elements, and i think it helps everything all in all... i do a 10 gal waterchange weekly, and then i do a a 35-45 gal waterchange once a month..... my colors and growth are exponential, and i am very happy with my regimin, but then again i had a buddy have his tank set up for about 2 years, never did a waterchange, until he moved, and the only reason he did was cuz he couldnt take all the water with him...LOL, oh and hs tank looked good, but it was an all softy tank...
shane

 

[treylane]

SPS and softies is a bit of a dicey mix - wc's (and carbon) help everything play nice together, imo.