stanlalee
Active Member
I recently read a thread where one suggested large water changes mess up something (cant remember what). I do 50-60% water changes once every 3-4wks (probably closer to 60% if not more since its a 30 gallon and I vacuum out and fill up with three nearly full 5 gallon buckets worth of water per change and have 30lbs of liverock and CC which take up space).
So my results before and after water change (been about 3wks since last change which was the same method. Instant ocean salt, home installed Hydrotech treated RO water. Testing about 5hrs apart. Tank has three fish: damsel, FP clown and LM blenny (about 4" total) and four crustasceans: fire shrimp, sallylightfoot, small green emerald, small hermit crab. Filtration: 30lbs live rock, sea clone 100 protein skimmer and skilter 250 skimmer turned off, used only to circulate water thru activated caron cartridges (yeah I know the two allegedly most suckiest skimmers on the market. I'd buy better but my testing doesn't warrant spending any more money.
nitrate before: <10ppm >5ppm nitrate after: 0ppm (aquarium pharmacuticals)
phospate before: 2ppm phosphate after: 0.5ppm (aquarium pharmacuticals)
pH before: 8.0 pH after: 8.1 (tetra)
dKH before: 15 dKH after: 11 (tetra)
sp gravity 1.023 before and after
few things:
1)why the heck cant I get my phospate level to 0.0 thru water changes, its always between 0.5-2ppm. Is that range acceptable for hardy soft corals?
2) stirring up crush coral causing a nitrate spike is pure myth. I vacuumed the crap out of it (non stop until over half the water in my tank was gone). I never get a lot of dust or cloudyness to begin with because I do it routinely. In fact I've never had a real problem with crushed coral substrate and high nitrates period but thats another topic all together.
anyway back to the question, why should I stop doing large water changes and do smaller more frequent ones? I'd all but hate dragging buckets in my living room and disturbing my tank every week. I do supplement with Kent calcium, stromium and mang (u do the spelling) and iodine routinely so renewing elements shouldn't be a problem I wouldn't think.
So my results before and after water change (been about 3wks since last change which was the same method. Instant ocean salt, home installed Hydrotech treated RO water. Testing about 5hrs apart. Tank has three fish: damsel, FP clown and LM blenny (about 4" total) and four crustasceans: fire shrimp, sallylightfoot, small green emerald, small hermit crab. Filtration: 30lbs live rock, sea clone 100 protein skimmer and skilter 250 skimmer turned off, used only to circulate water thru activated caron cartridges (yeah I know the two allegedly most suckiest skimmers on the market. I'd buy better but my testing doesn't warrant spending any more money.
nitrate before: <10ppm >5ppm nitrate after: 0ppm (aquarium pharmacuticals)
phospate before: 2ppm phosphate after: 0.5ppm (aquarium pharmacuticals)
pH before: 8.0 pH after: 8.1 (tetra)
dKH before: 15 dKH after: 11 (tetra)
sp gravity 1.023 before and after
few things:
1)why the heck cant I get my phospate level to 0.0 thru water changes, its always between 0.5-2ppm. Is that range acceptable for hardy soft corals?
2) stirring up crush coral causing a nitrate spike is pure myth. I vacuumed the crap out of it (non stop until over half the water in my tank was gone). I never get a lot of dust or cloudyness to begin with because I do it routinely. In fact I've never had a real problem with crushed coral substrate and high nitrates period but thats another topic all together.
anyway back to the question, why should I stop doing large water changes and do smaller more frequent ones? I'd all but hate dragging buckets in my living room and disturbing my tank every week. I do supplement with Kent calcium, stromium and mang (u do the spelling) and iodine routinely so renewing elements shouldn't be a problem I wouldn't think.