Water CHANGES
- Thread starter fishguy56
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lion_crazz
Active Member
Yes, evaporation does not take out all of the debris, fish waste, and things that are taken out during a water change.
reefreak29
Active Member
u need to do water changes to get rid of excess nutrient and to replenish minerals, the skimmer alone does not do this
bkh_sd
Member
You should do a 10% per week water change or 20% every two weeks water change.
In addition you should be putting treated freshwater in every few days or week, enough to replace evaporated water. Do this at least 1 day before you do you weekly water change. 15 gallons seems like a lot of evaporation, so its important to replace this water otherwise your salinity will be changing too much.
In addition you should be putting treated freshwater in every few days or week, enough to replace evaporated water. Do this at least 1 day before you do you weekly water change. 15 gallons seems like a lot of evaporation, so its important to replace this water otherwise your salinity will be changing too much.
X
xrobbx03
Guest
I would do a 10-15% water change weekly. Usually when you add water from evaporation it is only RO/DI water, adding saltwater to make up for evap would raise your SG in your tank which would want to keep as stable as possible. In my 65 I have roughly 4 gallons of top off a week then I do another 8 gallon water change also.
chipmaker
Active Member
Ahhhhhhhh hmmmmmmmmm not according to a dude on USENET's marine reef and fish group. He swears he haas not done a water change in over a year nbow, and only tops off water when needed. Runs no skimmer either and he swears his water is pristine........Of oucrse he is supposedly the inventor of some miracle device that conditions water continually and eliminaates the need for water changes. It even pulls minerals etc out of the water and rejuvinates it so you do not even have to add calcium supplements as allthat stuff is supposedly in that tank but in different configurations and his device rearranges that and makes it perpetually available.
If I can find his write up I'll post it.........Do the eater changes it helps dilute down accumulated wastes.
If I can find his write up I'll post it.........Do the eater changes it helps dilute down accumulated wastes.
fbm
Active Member
Originally Posted by chipmaker
Ahhhhhhhh hmmmmmmmmm not according to a dude on USENET's marine reef and fish group. He swears he haas not done a water change in over a year nbow, and only tops off water when needed. Runs no skimmer either and he swears his water is pristine........Of oucrse he is supposedly the inventor of some miracle device that conditions water continually and eliminaates the need for water changes. It even pulls minerals etc out of the water and rejuvinates it so you do not even have to add calcium supplements as allthat stuff is supposedly in that tank but in different configurations and his device rearranges that and makes it perpetually available.
If I can find his write up I'll post it.........Do the eater changes it helps dilute down accumulated wastes.
Not worth the chance IMO. Safer to do the water changes. And there is a lot of trace minerals that get replaced when you do water changes. What does a bucket of salt costs compared to everything in you tank?
Ahhhhhhhh hmmmmmmmmm not according to a dude on USENET's marine reef and fish group. He swears he haas not done a water change in over a year nbow, and only tops off water when needed. Runs no skimmer either and he swears his water is pristine........Of oucrse he is supposedly the inventor of some miracle device that conditions water continually and eliminaates the need for water changes. It even pulls minerals etc out of the water and rejuvinates it so you do not even have to add calcium supplements as allthat stuff is supposedly in that tank but in different configurations and his device rearranges that and makes it perpetually available.
If I can find his write up I'll post it.........Do the eater changes it helps dilute down accumulated wastes.
Not worth the chance IMO. Safer to do the water changes. And there is a lot of trace minerals that get replaced when you do water changes. What does a bucket of salt costs compared to everything in you tank?
fishguy56
Member
Originally Posted by bkh_sd
You should do a 10% per week water change or 20% every two weeks water change.
In addition you should be putting treated freshwater in every few days or week, enough to replace evaporated water. Do this at least 1 day before you do you weekly water change. 15 gallons seems like a lot of evaporation, so its important to replace this water otherwise your salinity will be changing too much.
My 15 gallons is the total for the week but I add daily always it's 135 reef tank with a 45 sump tank so total of 180 gallons. Now the skimmer is a Turbo Floater and that has to be emptied twice a day it works well. I just hate to do water changes, now I will use a pump with a hose inside the tank to blow the rocks and stir up things with water flow so it is removed from the tank. Thanks for all the helpful input.
TF
You should do a 10% per week water change or 20% every two weeks water change.
In addition you should be putting treated freshwater in every few days or week, enough to replace evaporated water. Do this at least 1 day before you do you weekly water change. 15 gallons seems like a lot of evaporation, so its important to replace this water otherwise your salinity will be changing too much.
My 15 gallons is the total for the week but I add daily always it's 135 reef tank with a 45 sump tank so total of 180 gallons. Now the skimmer is a Turbo Floater and that has to be emptied twice a day it works well. I just hate to do water changes, now I will use a pump with a hose inside the tank to blow the rocks and stir up things with water flow so it is removed from the tank. Thanks for all the helpful input.
TF
fbm
Active Member
You are checking your salinity and adding mostly fresh RO/DI water and not saltwater right?
Not trying to sound obvious but some people just don't realize that if you continue to add saltwater your salinity becomes way to high due to the fact that salt doesn't evaporate. Just the water does.
Not trying to sound obvious but some people just don't realize that if you continue to add saltwater your salinity becomes way to high due to the fact that salt doesn't evaporate. Just the water does.
1journeyman
Active Member
Originally Posted by fishguy56
yes i'm not adding salt water i use walmart water, lol 33 cent a gallon i go through three 5 gallon bottles per week right now. my salt stays at .25-.26 never changes. thanks again
Fishguy, so you don't get confused in the future: Adding water to replace evaporation is called "topping off". Waste and salt do not evaporate (which is why you top off with fresh water). Water changes replace old, dirty, trace element lacking saltwater with mineral rich, clean saltwater.
yes i'm not adding salt water i use walmart water, lol 33 cent a gallon i go through three 5 gallon bottles per week right now. my salt stays at .25-.26 never changes. thanks again
Fishguy, so you don't get confused in the future: Adding water to replace evaporation is called "topping off". Waste and salt do not evaporate (which is why you top off with fresh water). Water changes replace old, dirty, trace element lacking saltwater with mineral rich, clean saltwater.
gwh57
Member
Everyone has an opinion on how much water to change and when. It's like asking what is the best temperature. Everyone will give you a different answer.
I am not a fan of large water changes unless there is a problem. I do 1% per day with an automated system. Lots of people are now going to smaller changes with shorter intervals. Larger water changes mean larger issues with Ph changes, temp, cal, alk and other things. I can show your good research that shows the 1% daily removes and replaces the required elements from the water chemistry.
I am not a fan of large water changes unless there is a problem. I do 1% per day with an automated system. Lots of people are now going to smaller changes with shorter intervals. Larger water changes mean larger issues with Ph changes, temp, cal, alk and other things. I can show your good research that shows the 1% daily removes and replaces the required elements from the water chemistry.
barchtruong
Member
hmm.....changing water daily huh....hmm.... :thinking:
that sure is time consuming.
you really need to slow down and enjoy the aquarium.
once a week is already a pain.
that sure is time consuming.
you really need to slow down and enjoy the aquarium.
once a week is already a pain.
fishguy56
Member
Originally Posted by barchtruong
hmm.....changing water daily huh....hmm.... :thinking:
that sure is time consuming.
you really need to slow down and enjoy the aquarium.
once a week is already a pain.
Yes I have to add water daily and dump the skimmer cup 2-3 times a day I'm wanting to enjoy mine more a bit, doing water changes and mixing salt just ads more to the labor, hopefully it will calm down soon. I went from a 125 w/cainster filters to a 135 reef ready with sump about two months ago and swapping it all has been a job. thanks tf
hmm.....changing water daily huh....hmm.... :thinking:
that sure is time consuming.
you really need to slow down and enjoy the aquarium.
once a week is already a pain.
Yes I have to add water daily and dump the skimmer cup 2-3 times a day I'm wanting to enjoy mine more a bit, doing water changes and mixing salt just ads more to the labor, hopefully it will calm down soon. I went from a 125 w/cainster filters to a 135 reef ready with sump about two months ago and swapping it all has been a job. thanks tf
hatessushi
Active Member
It sure would be nice to have a way to just replace trace elements and everything else needed that a water change brings without actually changing water. Getting rid of nitrates can be done with a DeNitrator reactor.
We have to change water once a week or 2 weeks and fbm said what's the price of salt compared to everything in your tank. Salt is expensive over time and we are constantly changing the salt that doesn't need to be changes. So what's wrong with cleaning the water and replacing needed element then putting that back in the tank? Even a 1% water change everyday will add up the costs of salt.
We have to change water once a week or 2 weeks and fbm said what's the price of salt compared to everything in your tank. Salt is expensive over time and we are constantly changing the salt that doesn't need to be changes. So what's wrong with cleaning the water and replacing needed element then putting that back in the tank? Even a 1% water change everyday will add up the costs of salt.
fishguy56
Member
Originally Posted by HatesSushi
It sure would be nice to have a way to just replace trace elements and everything else needed that a water change brings without actually changing water. Getting rid of nitrates can be done with a DeNitrator reactor.
We have to change water once a week or 2 weeks and fbm said what's the price of salt compared to everything in your tank. Salt is expensive over time and we are constantly changing the salt that doesn't need to be changes. So what's wrong with cleaning the water and replacing needed element then putting that back in the tank? Even a 1% water change everyday will add up the costs of salt.
Yes it can wear you out, I would think me adding 15 gallons a week would ad back the trace minerals also I dose some sometimes. I sture/stire, lol the tank up so the overflows suck it all out. I'm learning but tired, lol
It sure would be nice to have a way to just replace trace elements and everything else needed that a water change brings without actually changing water. Getting rid of nitrates can be done with a DeNitrator reactor.
We have to change water once a week or 2 weeks and fbm said what's the price of salt compared to everything in your tank. Salt is expensive over time and we are constantly changing the salt that doesn't need to be changes. So what's wrong with cleaning the water and replacing needed element then putting that back in the tank? Even a 1% water change everyday will add up the costs of salt.
Yes it can wear you out, I would think me adding 15 gallons a week would ad back the trace minerals also I dose some sometimes. I sture/stire, lol the tank up so the overflows suck it all out. I'm learning but tired, lol