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Originally Posted by Carpentersreef
Water changes in in a goldfish bowl are necessary, but there's much more to reefkeeping than that.
Saying that water changes for a reef are necessary is an over-simplification.
We should probably be emphasizing keeping a low bioload to start.
Very important.
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Yeah, a low bioload is very important for not doing frequent water changes. But almost nobody keeps a low bioload once they've been reefkeeping for awhile, so let's be realistic here.
I know the syndrome all too well as I've done it and have observed many other people do it too. Gotta get this coral, and that school of fish to go with that lovely tang I saw at the lfs, oh, and I should upgrade the light so I can keep all these other corals. Pretty soon, your corals have to be fragged because they've grown so much. And the tank is still having water changes for a relatively low biolad tank when strange sh*t starts to happen like cyano all over the place, corals not opening, etc.
If a person does have a calcium reactor, a low bioload and many other positive factors indicating less frequent water changes, that's fine for them. But not many of us have gone so high tech, so frequent, relatively small water changes are vital, imo, ime, ymmv.
Powerheads, mechanical filtration units, skimmers, and any other working part of a reef also needs frequent regular and maintenance. Doing so rids these devices of detritus and they simply run more smoothly. It's kinda like changing the oil in your car. If done infrequently, the car will not run as well and over the long term will suffer from your negligence.
I've got four vry low-tech, high light reefs running now. The three nanos are sub-tropical and the 42 gal hex is tropical. The nanos get a water change and filter/powerhead maintenance one day, then a couple of days later the 42 gets its work over. I like the rhythm of this weekly intimate maintenance contact with our reefs, it's sort of like eating supper EVERY night. The work is never put off until next month. Gawd, next month .... I can't imagine how poor my reefs would look if I let them go that long. And I'd feel really, really guilty about it too.
However, that's just me and that's what works to keep our four reefs in pretty good condition.