Water changes

spit.fire · #1 03-01-2012, 01:42 AM

Is there anyone out there who never does water changes? How are your corals doing?

dc4 · #2 03-01-2012, 02:18 AM

I stopped doing water changes 6 months ago and everything is doing great. I only add ro water to compensate for evaporation. I also over feed but have over 50 snails of different types and run chaeto in my fuge and overflow.

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MarkoD · #3 03-01-2012, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dc4

I stopped doing water changes 6 months ago and everything is doing great. I only add ro water to compensate for evaporation. I also over feed but have over 50 snails of different types and run chaeto in my fuge and overflow.

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Me too. I just use cheato. Corals great

Timbits · #4 03-01-2012, 02:35 AM

Do you guys dose?

Ryan · #5 03-01-2012, 03:19 AM

IMO water changes are essential, especially in small tanks and tanks with a lot of coral.

I think alot of crashes come from people getting lazy and complacent with how their reef is doing so they slack on water changes. Trace elements we dont dose get used up, are not being replaced, and the tank crashes.

Nano · #6 03-01-2012, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkoD

Me too. I just use cheato. Corals great

yeah but the clams are looking ticked. chaeto removes phosphates and nitrates etc. but your corals are removing a lot of the calcium and what not, so doing WC is essential. I am running chaeto in my new tank, but still do a weekly WC only about 10% but its enough to keep everything in check.

Lampshade · #7 03-01-2012, 03:28 AM

I didn't do any for a year, everything was doing great. Undetectable nitrates and phosphates <0.05ppm. I started doing them after I had a crash from carbon, still can't get my nitrates <10ppm. Here's a pic of my tank just before the crash:

sphelps · #8 03-01-2012, 03:30 AM

A tank can be successful without water changes, there is no doubt. However to be successful it requires experience and should be left the more advanced aquarists. It's not something that should be pursued by someone less experienced looking for a easier route.

daniella3d · #9 03-01-2012, 04:46 AM

what about calcium? alkalinity? a tank without water change need to be dosed for these and trace elements.

I sometimes go a month and half without water change and my corals were doing fantastic but I dose every day and I feed my coral with vitamines and amino acids.

Aquattro · #10 03-01-2012, 05:29 AM

Why would anyone NOT do regular water changes??