Water changes

[DarinSchmidt]

but i would still think that it would be based more on your load you have in the tank vs the size of the tank

[Boonjob]

Water changs are rules of thumb at best anyways... it would be too hard to calculate the proper amount of a water change based on stocking alone or what your growing... so basing it on volume is much easier...


Also, by basing it on volume, and not bio load, everything is scaled to match... so you can easily calculate what you want your water to show... for example

your nitrates are 20ppm... doing a 10% water volume change will lower your Nitrates by 2... resulting in the new nitrates being close to 18ppm...

So if your nitrates are 50pp and you want them at or close to 25ppm a 50% water change is needed.

It's alot easier to calculate water changes by volume over Bio load.

[DarinSchmidt]

i guess i just analize mine more then so that im not "wasting" money based on rule of thumbs so i get the best bang for my buck. And now that my coral load has jumped because i have been letting them grow out, i have been doing 30gal/week which is about 10% and with the new additions im putting on, i may have to scale that up to 50.

You can use water volume to determine those values for water changes, but how fast they are made in your tank, which can very, is based on the load. I look more into the load so i know when i need/should do changes. And since my skrubber was on there i never had to worry about A-N-N-P. So Maybe I'll have to ramp up my water changes a bit more even still.

[Boonjob]

Yeah, Bio load is still attached to Volume though

I think the general rule of 10% every week to two weeks still covers most if not all tanks, and yeah some people can go months with good readings(those that they test) but there are always exceptions, and it doesn't mean they are always doing right or wrong either though.

It is interesting to see the variances in the poll from daily to monthly... The question to ask is WHY do you do it that way?

Darin you have stated you do it because of money(not really because of the tanks water parameters or that you think it is right or wrong etc)

Slandis has stated he can't remember always to get to the tank to do one Large change so he is trying to cut them up in to smaller changes so that if he does manage to miss a change or two it won't be as dramatic as a missed large change.

I did it  bi-weekely because I had to, to keep my phosphates in check due to bad rock...Micki has stated this is her reasoning aswell...

This is a good poll/discussion imo

[slandis3]

Mo other reason is because my corals have been getting larger they are consuming more so I want to make sure I can keep up with what they take out.

[DarinSchmidt]

i agree, this is a good discussion. I do mine not based on money but because i feel that it isnt necessary to use all that water and salt, then poor it down the drain. I just like to make sure they they are using the water to its max, "tapering off near the water change) and then change the water, i just hate the thought that im throwing down the drain a bunch of chemicals naturally and added to the water just because my levels in certain aread that i havent noticed to effect any of my corals over the past couple years just to have them at NSW levels. Even with all the polutants that can build up in the water over time, it cant be any worse than NSW with all the carbon filters, "pristine" salt, RO/DI water, etc.

But like Slandis3 mentioned, it depends on what you are using your tank for, what you are growing, etc.

I seen a chart on whats known/been testing in NSW and it seems that with our tanks we are playing too much as the "worried mother" which i dont blame people. It costs some good money for what people have and would hate to see them loose something because of carelessness or whatever the case may be.

The one concern that i have had, is with us dumping the water down the drain or into the ground, is what kind of impact does that have on the environment. I dont think that it's much, if at all, but still something i wonder about with a report i read a few years ago about the salt content in our freshwater supplies rising.

Which is one reason that i liked the fact that the skrubber took care of a lot of the nutrient issues with A-N-N-P and much more, and I'm not sure of what all it helps take care of except for those which have been proven on several websites, and my tank alone can contest to that.

[Sunny]

I did weekly changes at first just to get rid of the diatoms and cyano.  When my 90 was established, we changed every 2 weeks because we thought that's what we were suppose to do.  Now, that I've been reading more about it, I will cut back but keep checking on water parameters and see how it goes.  I don't have any SPS.  I dose the weeks I don't do water changes because that's what Justin (AS) told me to do.  I'm easy that way, just tell me what to do, I'll do it ... lol
This is an interesting topic. 

[DarinSchmidt]

Mo other reason is because my corals have been getting larger they are consuming more so I want to make sure I can keep up with what they take out.

I can agree with that, thats why i was just asking if you had monitored the levels to see how much of what we can measure is being taken out. Could be that you are right on target, or that you could be excessively changing out and goucld go a day here or there without making a trip in the garage to change out some water which will give you a little more free time, allow you to enjoy your tank more so it doesnt seem like a second job, though i like maintenancing my tank... I wasnt saying you were doing anything wrong, i was just wondering.

[Boonjob]

I'm easy that way, just tell me what to do, I'll do it ... lol

You need to come teach my wife

[Sunny]

You need to come teach my wife

If she did everything you said, you would be bored ...

[Boonjob]

on the contrary, The house would look awesome, breakfast/lunch/and dinner would be served, my cars would be well maintained, dogs would be walked, I can go on and on and on and on.... I am getting all excited just thinking of what would be different

So when are you available to teach, and how much do you charge?

[Sunny]

allow you to enjoy your tank more so it doesnt seem like a second job

That's the way I feel sometimes.  That's another reason I want to cut back on water changes,  I'm tired of working on it, I want to just enjoy it.

[Sunny]

on the contrary, The house would look awesome, breakfast/lunch/and dinner would be served, my cars would be well maintained, dogs would be walked, I can go on and on and on and on.... I am getting all excited just thinking of what would be different

So when are you available to teach, and how much do you charge?

lmao .... You crack me up.  If she did everything, you would get lazy and fat, than she would trade you in on a newer model ..

[Boonjob]

I am lazy and fat now... this would just make me happy,lazy and fat... which is way better! and they don't make my model any more... I'm a special order.

[DarinSchmidt]

That's the way I feel sometimes.  That's another reason I want to cut back on water changes,  I'm tired of working on it, I want to just enjoy it.

I could always come and take care of the tank for you It's part of my job.

[Sunny]

I am lazy and fat now... this would just make me happy,lazy and fat... which is way better! and they don't make my model any more... I'm a special order.

Well, if she's not, and you're not, who is walking the poor dog ??

[Boonjob]

You have to walk those things? I thought you only had to feed and water it once a month.   


The point isn't what I do, it's what I wouldn't have to do if you came and taught her your ways! Stop getting off topic! 

[Sunny]

I could always come and take care of the tank for you It's part of my job.

Yea, I can see me telling Bill,  "I know I'm unemployed, but I'm going to hire Darin to take care of the tank".   Think that will fly ?  lol

[DarinSchmidt]

Yea, I can see me telling Bill,  "I know I'm unemployed, but I'm going to hire Darin to take care of the tank".   Think that will fly ?  lol

ha ha ha, yeah, best wait to you resolve that

[slandis3]

I can agree with that, thats why i was just asking if you had monitored the levels to see how much of what we can measure is being taken out. Could be that you are right on target, or that you could be excessively changing out and goucld go a day here or there without making a trip in the garage to change out some water which will give you a little more free time, allow you to enjoy your tank more so it doesnt seem like a second job, though i like maintenancing my tank... I wasnt saying you were doing anything wrong, i was just wondering.

And back to my point, I am watching my calcium and alk levels get lower every week when I am doing weekly water changes. That is why I do daily water changes. to add a little everyday instead of one big jump once a month or how ever often. I will bet I spend less time doing a 5g change than you do a 100g change. it takes less than 5 minutes and will be even faster once I get a pump for my salt mixing container (siphoning it out now).  So I come in dump in 5 gal open out a valve and empty 5g and off to feed my fish. Not really any more work than just feeding them. The other side to this is I don't even have to shut my tank down to do a water change. I have been keeping saltwater tanks for 16 years now. Reef's for 11, I have done it your way and it just doesn't work for me. 

[Sunny]

You have to walk those things? I thought you only had to feed and water it once a month.   


The point isn't what I do, it's what I wouldn't have to do if you came and taught her your ways! Stop getting off topic! 

YOU got me off topic ...  lol    Now go change your water and walk that dog ....

[Ashlar]

Mo other reason is because my corals have been getting larger they are consuming more so I want to make sure I can keep up with what they take out.

And more corals = more coral waste. Folks forget that corals produce waste just like any other animal.

[lazylivin]

I am a proponent of larger less frequent water changes then smaller more frequent water changes. Not to say this approach is the right way just the way I do it. I would however encourage everyone to go play with this calculator to see how effective your water change schedule is.

http://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/EffectiveWaterChange.php

My goal is one 100g water change per month. However I don't have a 100g container so I am only able to do 50g every other week but sometimes only do it once a month. Total water volume is about 250g.

[Boonjob]

neat link Brian... not sure if I agree with the way the figure the effeciency.... but still cool...

slandis, looks like your WC method is rather effective according to their calc

[Sunny]

I am a proponent of larger less frequent water changes then smaller more frequent water changes. Not to say this approach is the right way just the way I do it. I would however encourage everyone to go play with this calculator to see how effective your water change schedule is.

http://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/EffectiveWaterChange.php

My goal is 50g every other week but sometimes only do it once a month. Total water volume is about 250g

It didn't work for me, my little green thing just kept spinning ....