Water changes

[ReefOcean]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

If the smell didn't kill you, sure

And if urine and feces were invisibly merged with this oxygen, then that's good too, right? Water changes are the easiest and simplest form of keeping water quality up. Why would you be that lazy?

Well, i was just adressing the "air" aspect of his analogy. As for bioload, that can be neutralized by other biological/chemical reations. I am not advocating not doing water changes but I beg the question, when waste is negligible and bological processes in the aquarium or efficient, is it acceptable to be lazy on the water changes? Is this a old -he said she said- "requirement" that has been passed around aquarists and ingrained into their heads as "rules"?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by ReefOcean

Well, i was just adressing the "air" aspect of his analogy. As for bioload, that can be neutralized by other biological/chemical reations. I am not advocating not doing water changes but I beg the question, when waste is negligible and bological processes in the aquarium or efficient, is it acceptable to be lazy on the water changes? Is this a old -he said she said- "requirement" that has been passed around aquarists and ingrained into their heads as "rules"?

Sure, I think the less load you have, the longer you can walk that line. But why? Changing water is simple. It's good for the fish. It's good for the corals. It's good all round. So why do we not want to change water?
I maintain it's lazy/cheap. And if so, then this is the wrong hobby.

[ReefOcean]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Sure, I think the less load you have, the longer you can walk that line. But why? Changing water is simple. It's good for the fish. It's good for the corals. It's good all round. So why do we not want to change water?

If all of my perameters are good, how is it more benifical to do frequent water changes. I know it is 'good', but how is it benificial? I am talking about diminished returns here.

I maintain it's lazy/cheap. And if so, then this is the wrong hobby.

Cheapness/laziness might just mean "to do what is required and only required"?

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by ReefOcean

If all of my perameters are good, how is it more benifical to do frequent water changes. I know it is 'good', but how is it benificial? I am talking about diminished returns here.


Cheapness/laziness might just mean "to do what is required and only required"?

What parameters, how you read the ingredients in synthetic salt mix before?

[ReefOcean]

Originally Posted by sphelps

What parameters, how you read the ingredients in synthetic salt mix before?

I can't say i have ever read it, no

[e46er]

Originally Posted by ReefOcean

I can't say i have ever read it, no

You should

[ReefOcean]

Originally Posted by e46er

You should

why

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by ReefOcean

If all of my perameters are good, how is it more benifical to do frequent water changes. I know it is 'good', but how is it benificial? I am talking about diminished returns here.


Cheapness/laziness might just mean "to do what is required and only required"?

Water changes replenish all the elements used by the system. The salt has dozens of components, and you only replace Ca and CaO3, maybe Mg. What about the rest? It's there for a reason. Reefs need strontium, potassium, etc. you don't replace those. While minimal, they're essential (they wouldn't just add it for fun). It also dilutes the DOCs (dissolved organic compounds) that affect the life in the tank.

Again, my question is why not do a water change?

[ReefOcean]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Water changes replenish all the elements used by the system. The salt has dozens of components, and you only replace Ca and CaO3, maybe Mg. What about the rest? It's there for a reason. Reefs need strontium, potassium, etc. you don't replace those. While minimal, they're essential (they wouldn't just add it for fun). It also dilutes the DOCs (dissolved organic compounds) that affect the life in the tank.

Again, my question is why not do a water change?

Fair enough but you can dose them. People dose Calcium right? Almost everybody with SPS...

I didn't do water changes just to see what would happen to my parameters. Just like I used a crappy Chinese LED unit to see if I could grow SPS. To see for myself.

My hypothesis being, that the stringent water change practices people promote are circumstatial and hearsay. I do agree that water changes do have merrit and in most cases required at least once and a while.

You call me lazy, but stocking a system that can't support itself would be considered what?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by ReefOcean

You call me lazy, but stocking a system that can't support itself would be considered what?

I don't understand your question...

The best I can guess is you'd call it a closed system. Which requires keeper intervention. Fish don't feed themselves in the tank, you add food. The tank doesn't heat itself, you add heat. The tank doesn't clean itself, that's your job...