http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Fri, 17 Jul 2026 23:13:18 +0000 Mon, 09 Jul 2012 09:31:26 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.03 360 www.utahreefs.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=53149 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/1by1.gif http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/ http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=475721&title=water-changes#475721 Author: Laird
Subject: 53149
Posted: July 09 2012 at 9:31am

I think people are doing way over kill on water changes the majority of the time. Personally my tank does the best with 10 to 15% once a month, and I have a very heavily stocked tank. ]]> Mon, 09 Jul 2012 09:31:26 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=475721&title=water-changes#475721 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=469195&title=water-changes#469195 Author: Akira
Subject: 53149
Posted: May 29 2012 at 1:05am

LMFAO ok so i read the first post ! I sure hope with what i have learned that while im still riding  on the short bus now i can stop being the window licker and assume my correct spot as the guy who only wears the safety helmet ...... Hopefully soon i can remove my protective mask too...wonder if I could ever drive my bus lol]]> Tue, 29 May 2012 01:05:27 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=469195&title=water-changes#469195 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=469194&title=water-changes#469194 Author: Akira
Subject: 53149
Posted: May 29 2012 at 12:59am

This post seems really old for me now but just had a mail so now i reply. Water changes are atleast every 6 weeks lol . still learning but sometimes less is more and knowing what to see in my corals has become the best indicator for me . What a great hobby love this addiction more day by day !!!]]> Tue, 29 May 2012 00:59:13 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=469194&title=water-changes#469194 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=469133&title=water-changes#469133 Author: Soehl
Subject: 53149
Posted: May 28 2012 at 7:25pm

Originally I was doing around 5% every 4 days...  Now I do about 5% every week.  Sunday is water change day!!]]> Mon, 28 May 2012 19:25:31 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=469133&title=water-changes#469133 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=443721&title=water-changes#443721 Author: Akira
Subject: 53149
Posted: December 18 2011 at 5:36pm

Thanks but its all due to all free help and info i get from here, and its appreciated no matter where it comes from even though it can be a little overwhelming at times with so much experience and so many opinions . But its great to hear so many different options that are available.]]> Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:36:04 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=443721&title=water-changes#443721 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=443648&title=water-changes#443648 Author: BillyC
Subject: 53149
Posted: December 17 2011 at 11:38pm

Akira wrote: Oh and as an after thought everything in my tank is bright open and seems to love my attention :), btw Billy i counted 2 new on the dragon !!!!!!!! >----Happy guy

Sweet man glad to hear that! I'm impressed with how fast you're learning and able to maintain a reef. Everyone will tell you something different like disneymania said about water changes. Just do your own experimenting and your corals will tell you if you're doing it right.]]> Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:38:42 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=443648&title=water-changes#443648 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=443646&title=water-changes#443646 Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 53149
Posted: December 17 2011 at 11:09pm

]]> Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:09:53 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=443646&title=water-changes#443646 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=443581&title=water-changes#443581 Author: Akira
Subject: 53149
Posted: December 16 2011 at 11:27pm

Oh and as an after thought everything in my tank is bright open and seems to love my attention :), btw Billy i counted 2 new on the dragon !!!!!!!! >----Happy guy]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 23:27:36 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=443581&title=water-changes#443581 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=443580&title=water-changes#443580 Author: Akira
Subject: 53149
Posted: December 16 2011 at 11:24pm

Ok here is what has been  done . I had a small out break of brown diatom algae, my cleean up crew is small (15 snails 5 hermits 2 emerald crabs ) I have been low on mag always (1160-1230) Ca 400-450  Dkh was at 6.7 dosing i am now at 9.6. So i reduced my lighting time by 2 hrs, refugium on 16 hrs and place some snails on problem area. Turkey baster to improve a few problem spot with settling of what ever floats around. Today after basting very minimal particals floating (not sure of the name ). As of today Ca 400, Dkh 9.6 mag 1260 . I placed a few janitors on some trouble spots and it looks purple and beautiful again. I will make the clean up crew a huge deal now after seeing how effective they are at doing their job !!! And also ty Mark for explaining a few of the parameters to me , i would rather fuge the problem out than try to treat it with chemicals if at all possible . So going to hold off on my first water change till I see signifigant change in my parameters.]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 23:24:22 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=443580&title=water-changes#443580 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=443556&title=water-changes#443556 Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 53149
Posted: December 16 2011 at 7:13pm

I have some free time so I started writing. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop. Hope it's helpful

Depending on how the tank has progressed and how much coral is in the new tank, I don't worry about a water change for 2-3 months. I use lots of algae to eat polllution(the N compounds of Ammonia, Nitrite, & Nitrate). Algae growth is the key to helping a tank grow, mature and stabilize as fast as possible. Coralline Algae, Caulerpa, Chaetomorpha, Sargassum, Dictyota and other algae can make a huge difference in water quality. In the ocean, algae is everywhere in great abundance. It's the basis of life.
Fish just pollute the water.

In a new tank, the biggest need for a water change is to help reduce pollution.
In an older tank, a greater % of the need for a water change is to replace minerals that have been eaten/used by the animals. Coral eat dissolved minerals as they clean the water. Fish just pollute the water.

Fish are usually a very small percentage of the total animal life in a mature tank. Bacteria, worms, sponges and coral are typically the greatest percentage of the total. If we could isolate the bacteria and tiny invertebrate life from a mature 10 gal reef tank and then weigh it on a scale, it would be a surprising amount, probably over 2 pounds.

Since those pounds of organisms are a significant part of the biofiltration and since a new tank has very little of this, there is a greater need for growing algae to eat/reduce pollution. If it is difficult to keep sufficient algae in the system, due to the presence of algae eating fish, then water changes become more important.

If the aquarium system includes a refugium, making the Refugium work at peak capacity is a big help to biofiltration and water quality. A brighter light, more algae and occasional 24/7 lighting is very helpful in working the Refugium to it's fullest. If it is to do as well, a Refugium-less tank needs to have good algae growth and not too many herbivorous fish.

FYI, a great response to a filtration emergency is typically not lots of large water changes, but 24/7 lighting of an extra amount of algae. Chaetomorpha is awesome for this. Certainly a quick water change is a fast way to reduce pollution in an emergency, but the % reduction in pollution is only equal to the % change of water. (10% water change = 10% reduction in N compounds) Algae can significantly reduce pollution in a matter of hours with minimal effort from the hobbyist. Since the reef tank can often handle a temporary increase of pollution, sometimes all it takes is to leave all the lights ON for 48 hours or up to a week in severe cases.

In the end, each reef aquarium is different so each one deserves slightly different maintenance. If you do a search here, this topic has been discusseded hundreds of times. You will also find the tendency for the ~30% that have been in the hobby over 5 years, to do less water changes. These more seasoned hobbyists usually have developed a routine of 10-20% or less water changes every 1-3 months. They have also learned to be mindful of adding Alkalinity and Calcium as needed.

Sometimes the manual routine is handled automatically with a Calcium Reactor and/or nighttime Kalkwasser dosing system.  As pointed out in the Reefkeeping Tips, Alk and Ca are the most important additives. Adequate levels of these two components are critical to the long term health of the reef. Alk should be 8-14 dKH and Ca should be 350-500 ppm.


Edited by Mark Peterson - December 16 2011 at 7:15pm]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:13:40 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53149&PID=443556&title=water-changes#443556