Water Change Question

[kwolfskill]

When I do a water change (I change 10% every week), should I shut down my PH and return pump and remove all 10% of the waste water, then add the new water, or can I leave the pumps on and pull 5% waste, add 5% new, pull 5% waste and add 5% new?

 

[miaheatlvr]

Originally Posted by kwolfskill
When I do a water change (I change 10% every week), should I shut down my PH and return pump and remove all 10% of the waste water, then add the new water, or can I leave the pumps on and pull 5% waste, add 5% new, pull 5% waste and add 5% new?
I do all of mine at one shot, take your 10% out and then put in your 10%, I wouldnt mix the "new water" with the "Changing water". It defeats the purpose.

 

[kwolfskill]

The problem becomes how long my corals and live rock that sit high in the tank are sitting out of the water when I pull all 10% at one time. They are exposed for about 5 minutes and that is what worries me. The easy solution would be to have everything sitting right there so that I can do the change more quickly, but until I can do that...

 

[miaheatlvr]

Originally Posted by kwolfskill
The problem becomes how long my corals and live rock that sit high in the tank are sitting out of the water when I pull all 10% at one time. They are exposed for about 5 minutes and that is what worries me. The easy solution would be to have everything sitting right there so that I can do the change more quickly, but until I can do that...
My Xenia on the high glass and button polyps stay out of the water stay out of the water for about 5 minutes with no problem, making a strong comeback!

 

[nereef]

what kind of corals?

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by kwolfskill
When I do a water change (I change 10% every week), should I shut down my PH and return pump and remove all 10% of the waste water, then add the new water, or can I leave the pumps on and pull 5% waste, add 5% new, pull 5% waste and add 5% new?
I never thought of this; but if my math is right, you would lose very little by doing 2 5% changes vs 1 10% change. Example: 100 gal tank, remove & replace 5 gal.(5%) The 100 gal now in the tank is only 5% new water, so only 5% of the water you remove on the second 5 gal removal will be the new water you just put in. That amounts to just 1qt in a 10 gallon change. This assumes water in tank has been thoroughly mixed, which should just take a few seconds) Or did I miss something?

 

[kwolfskill]

Originally Posted by srfisher17
I never thought of this; but if my math is right, you would lose very little by doing 2 5% changes vs 1 10% change. Example: 100 gal tank, remove & replace 5 gal.(5%) The 100 gal now in the tank is only 5% new water, so only 5% of the water you remove on the second 5 gal removal will be the new water you just put in. That amounts to just 1qt in a 10 gallon change. This assumes water in tank has been thoroughly mixed, which should just take a few seconds) Or did I miss something?
That is kind of what I was thinking. So, is there a real reason to do it all at once, instead of part and part?
As far as the corals, I have mushrooms, zoos, and cloves sitting high that I'm not worried, too much, about, but I also have a photosynthetic gorgonian that ends up out of the water that I do worry about.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by kwolfskill
That is kind of what I was thinking. So, is there a real reason to do it all at once, instead of part and part?
As far as the corals, I have mushrooms, zoos, and cloves sitting high that I'm not worried, too much, about, but I also have a photosynthetic gorgonian that ends up out of the water that I do worry about.
Unless my logic is wrong; there is hardly any edge to doing a 10 % change rather than 2 5% changes. If this makes it easier for you--fine!