Water Changes When Nitrates consistently read zero?

[Eb0la11]

Im just wondering about this topic since Ive been testing my water and I have almost no nitrates whatsoever even after like 3-4 weeks of not changing my water. It seems like my chaeto and DSB seem to be taking care of my Nitrates.

So this makes me wonder - are there any reefers who don't do water changes very often if at all? It seems like dosing, topping off evaporated water etc is enough but has anyone ever run an aquarium for an extended version without adding more fresh salt water?

Im sure some trace elements would eventually go real low, once we dont dose for, but what if we dosed everything? Just trying to have a discussion, Im not going to go and do this, but just wondering if anyone else has?

[TheKid]

What is DSB

[Eb0la11]

Originally Posted by svaningen

What is DSB

Deep Sand Bed

[mark]

I do water changes and rather than stocking/figuring/testing etc of water trace elements to replace, rely on a simple water change.

DSB=deep sand bed

[christyf5]

There are some people who don't do waterchanges and dose everything. I like to think that waterchanges are like a breath of fresh air for the fish.

Life would suck if you were in a room full of people and you couldn't open a window now and then

[Delphinus]

Originally Posted by christyf5

I like to think that waterchanges are like a breath of fresh air for the fish.

+1 - this is in fact a really good analogy!! Even with zero nitrates there is still benefit to water changes - I find no matter how well I might think a tank is looking - I find the day after a water change it always looks better. Always. Even smallish water changes seem to give a tank a lift. One could probably explain it away with things like there is still stuff taken out that should be taken out, that isn't as easily measurable as say nitrate or phosphate - and there is stuff replenished that should be replenished, that isn't as easily measurable as say Ca, Alk, Mg, or K .. some people call it "trace elements" but I think it actually goes beyond that.

Heard this rule of thumb recently called the "two times five equals success" - basically meaning 5% water changes twice per week. Something I might give a try at some point myself (right now I'm on the "10% per week" plan).

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Heard this rule of thumb recently called the "two times five equals success" - basically meaning 5% water changes twice per week. Something I might give a try at some point myself (right now I'm on the "10% per week" plan).

Yeah that was on reefbuilders last week. Ten minute waterchange my arse...