water change

[bek]

OK, time for another stupid "beginner" question. I have had a 30 gallon nano up and running for more than 8 months and have never done a water change (just add more when it evaporates)and I do not have any kind of filter on the tank. I read a lot of your advise saying to change 2-3 gallons a month. How do you add new water???? Doesn't it stir up the sand to add water??? Doesn't the salt level and temperature have to be just right???
Please advise

 

[gesswhosbak]

the way i usually do it is mix up some water to the same SG as your tank, then let it circulate a day or two with a powerhead in the container that its in. I usually do it once a month even if nitrates arent high. The newly mixed water has more of the trace elements you need so replacing some water replinishes those elements. Im sure more info will come.

 

[thomas712]

How do you add new water????
Mix new saltwater like was said for a day or two, aerate if possible. This will allow the salt to dissolve properly, and aerating will assist in keeping the ph of the water stable.
Doesn't it stir up the sand to add water???
Not if you don't dump it in, pour it in slowly.
Doesn't the salt level and temperature have to be just right???
Yes. It helps a great deal to match the temp and salinity of your main tank.
So I take it that your sole means of filtration are sand and rock? Sort of a Berlin method?
Are there any corals in this tank or just fish?
What fish do you have?
Any algea problems?
If possible I would like to see the numbers on your tank for.
ammonia
nitrites
nitrates
phosphates

 

[bek]

Originally posted by Thomas712
Mix new saltwater like was said for a day or two, aerate if possible. This will allow the salt to dissolve properly, and aerating will assist in keeping the ph of the water stable.
Not if you don't dump it in, pour it in slowly.
Yes. It helps a great deal to match the temp and salinity of your main tank.
So I take it that your sole means of filtration are sand and rock? Sort of a Berlin method?
Are there any corals in this tank or just fish?
What fish do you have?
Any algea problems?
If possible I would like to see the numbers on your tank for.
ammonia
nitrites
nitrates
phosphates
I have 2 fish - a purple tank and a coral beauty
I have pollups and mushrooms, feather dusters, a cabbage, a leather, a chile coral , a brittle star and lots of crabs and snails.

 

[bek]

Originally posted by Bek
I have 2 fish - a purple tank and a coral beauty
I have pollups and mushrooms, feather dusters, a cabbage, a leather, a chile coral , a brittle star and lots of crabs and snails.
I do have to clean the glass about once a week with the magnetic cleaner....the only other algea is the brown that grows on the top level of the sand. The snails and crabs seem to keep that in check.

 

[overanalyzer]

yeah I would make sure you use RO/or RO/DI water - aeriate it over night - then add the salt then let it heat up and mix over night. Get the salinity even with what your 30 gallon currently is then use a siphon and siphon out the old water (I'd do 3 -5 gallons normally but in this case I might go as high as ten gallons). Then sit you freshly mixed salt water up so you can siphon it in or pour it in slowly. If you can't siphon (or pump with a powerhead and tubing) then I'd pour it in slowly and try not to point hte in flow @ the sand bed or any corals.

 

[karajay]

30 gal, no filtration with a purple tang and a coral beauty?

 

[trkdoc]

Originally posted by karajay
30 gal, no filtration with a purple tang and a coral beauty?
The tank is beautiful and everything seems healthy and happy with the exception of the crabs eating stuff they shouldn't be eating.....

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by Bek
OK, time for another stupid "beginner" question. I have had a 30 gallon nano up and running for more than 8 months and have never done a water change (just add more when it evaporates)and I do not have any kind of filter on the tank. I read a lot of your advise saying to change 2-3 gallons a month. How do you add new water???? Doesn't it stir up the sand to add water??? Doesn't the salt level and temperature have to be just right???
Please advise
I think you got it right. I have had fw and salt tanks running for years and never do a water change. If you got plenty of plant life then no further filtration is necessary. A little circulation in salt tanks does seem to help though. And you are correct in that when you do a water change it changes everything in the water. To me it is much better to let things balance out and stabilize.

 

[krowleey]

I think you got it right. I have had fw and salt tanks running for years and never do a water change.

your poor fish

 

[overanalyzer]

Originally posted by beaslbob
I think you got it right. I have had fw and salt tanks running for years and never do a water change. If you got plenty of plant life then no further filtration is necessary. A little circulation in salt tanks does seem to help though. And you are correct in that when you do a water change it changes everything in the water. To me it is much better to let things balance out and stabilize.
How long have you had a salt water tank running with no water changes?? just curious ....
A little circulation??? Hmm depends on the critters your keeping - with a seahorse tank yeah less ciruclation is better - most reefs like a somehwat more vigorous water flow ... not crashing waves mind you .... just moderate to heavy water movement....
And yes when you do a waterchange it changes everything in your water - it adds back in trace elements and it removes built up waste that plant life and mechanical filtration alone can not handle ....
BEK Welcome to the boards - and you are goingto have the4 tang police breathingdown your neck .... so I won't comment on your tank inhabitant choices other than to say I hope you have a larger tank for when they mature ....
BUT - I will say - please read all advice and take it with a grain of salt - most people are trying to help you - some will flame you - and some people walk the very razor's edge of controversy. so please remember most of us are here to help you and not push a razor edge philosophy of minimal tank maintence or harass you ....

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by overanalyzer
How long have you had a salt water tank running with no water changes?? just curious ....
...

6 years.

 

[overanalyzer]

Originally posted by beaslbob
6 years.
This one??

 

[thomas712]

If I had a tank like that I would do a water change, give up Turtle Herding and take up Hurtle Terding.
Thomas

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by overanalyzer
This one??

nope. the one was only setup for about 4 months at the time of the picture. Notice how the rocks have no algae on them and the glass had not been cleaned in 6 weeks. Notice the money saved by not using ro/di water and using utility lights. No additives, no dosing just straight tap water. Maintenance was feeding fish, changing filter pads each week and adding about 1/2 g of water each week.
BTW here is the tank today. Refugium added and now I have to add about a gallon of tap water per day. also added another utility fixture of light. total lighting with bulbs is now $20.00.

 

[thomas712]

Looking better

 

[reefnut]

How about some close ups Bob????!!!!

 

[overanalyzer]

Originally posted by beaslbob
BTW here is the tank today. Refugium added and now I have to add about a gallon of tap water per day. also added another utility fixture of light. total lighting with bulbs is now $20.00.
what kind of lights are you using?? How long have you had those corals?? lets see some close ups of that tank ....
you are either a troll or a moron ....

 

[beaslbob]

well hopefully thiswill be about the right size. Picture taken with available light, camera is my old olympus om-2, 800 speed film, shutter1/125 sec f about 1.8. hand held.
lights are two utility fixtures from lowes ($8.00 each) 4 4' tubes (sale on 3300 lumne tubes 2 for $.88)
the finger (left) and button polyps (center) were added bout two months ago. The rest since then.
Still a work in progress because I followed LFS advice before my experience kicked in. It was three months before anyone even mentioned marine plants or macros for instance. But they all wanted to sell $100's of live rock. There is still some algae but it is slowly reducing as plant life is lowering nitrates.
As always I use straight tap water and just replace the water that evaporates. The last waterchange was about 10g back in feb to start my macro algae tank. Adding the refugium added about 10g to the system of new water.

 

[bek]

Originally posted by beaslbob
well hopefully thiswill be about the right size. Picture taken with available light olympus om-2, 800 file, shutter1/125 sec f about 1.8.
lights are two utility fixtures from lowes ($8.00 each) 4 4" tubes (sale on 3300 lumne tubes 2 for $.88)
the finger (left) and button polyps (center) were added bout two months ago. The rest since then.
Still a work in progress because I followed LFS advice before my experience kicked in. It was three months before anyone even mentioned marine plants or macros for instance. But they all wanted to sell $100's of live rock. There is still some algae but it is slowly reducing as plant life is lowering nitrates.
As always I use straight tap water and just replace the water that evaporates. The last waterchange was about 10g back in feb to start my macro algae tank. Adding the refugium added about 10g to the system of new water.

That is a beautiful tank and I must tell you that mine looks just as clear and healthy as that one. I don't have as much "green" plant life but I do have more hard and soft corals.