Water Changes
- Thread starter eggy5404
- Start date
broomer5
Active Member
You are so right plum70rt
There are some absolutes in our hobby .. but water changes are not one of them.
I figure that newly mixed and well aerated saltwater, made with RO/DI water, is about as good as it gets ... from a balanced tankwater chemistry perspective.
I can't test for everything ..... it's just not practical.
Even with a relatively light bioload, planted refugium and protein skimmer ... I still find it meaningful to do some routine partial water exchanges.
I don't use supplements or additives, except for maintaining pH, calcium, alkalinity ...... so water changes make perfect sense to me. As a matter of fact .. I think the more additives one uses, the greater the chance of over doing it .... and water changes would be even more important. Especially if one isn't testing for everything that they add to the tankwater.
But by no means is it absolutely necessary for everyone.
It's just seems like a good idea for me, and other's that are new to the hobby.
There are some absolutes in our hobby .. but water changes are not one of them.
I figure that newly mixed and well aerated saltwater, made with RO/DI water, is about as good as it gets ... from a balanced tankwater chemistry perspective.
I can't test for everything ..... it's just not practical.
Even with a relatively light bioload, planted refugium and protein skimmer ... I still find it meaningful to do some routine partial water exchanges.
I don't use supplements or additives, except for maintaining pH, calcium, alkalinity ...... so water changes make perfect sense to me. As a matter of fact .. I think the more additives one uses, the greater the chance of over doing it .... and water changes would be even more important. Especially if one isn't testing for everything that they add to the tankwater.
But by no means is it absolutely necessary for everyone.
It's just seems like a good idea for me, and other's that are new to the hobby.
hookedonreefs
Member
For those of you who do not do a water change:
When you add livestock, don't you somehow acclimate the new organism using your current tank water? If so then you have to replenish the water with new saltwater. Thus doing a Very small water change.
Do I have this correct? Or do I acclimate wrong. It just seems a little off.
When I got two new corals and a few inverts, I must have drained 10 gallons doing the acclimation. Given that was aprox. 10%, I didn't do a change that week.
When you add livestock, don't you somehow acclimate the new organism using your current tank water? If so then you have to replenish the water with new saltwater. Thus doing a Very small water change.
Do I have this correct? Or do I acclimate wrong. It just seems a little off.
When I got two new corals and a few inverts, I must have drained 10 gallons doing the acclimation. Given that was aprox. 10%, I didn't do a change that week.
E
elan
Guest
yeah... i guess you are right... when i acclimate, i use a gallon or two per specimin.....
and when i get my QT tank setup, i will probably do another waterchange in order to use a good 40-50 gallons of the main tank water.....so i will have my first major waterchange in a few weeks. since thank is up and running.......
and when i get my QT tank setup, i will probably do another waterchange in order to use a good 40-50 gallons of the main tank water.....so i will have my first major waterchange in a few weeks. since thank is up and running.......
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Originally posted by hookedonreefs
For those of you who do not do a water change:
When you add livestock, don't you somehow acclimate the new organism using your current tank water? If so then you have to replenish the water with new saltwater. Thus doing a Very small water change.
Do I have this correct? Or do I acclimate wrong. It just seems a little off.
When I got two new corals and a few inverts, I must have drained 10 gallons doing the acclimation. Given that was aprox. 10%, I didn't do a change that week.
In an established tank, I only added livestock once every 6 month or so. And when I did only about a half gallon of saltwater was replaced.
So I guess you are correct. Every six month I replace a half gallon on my 55G tank.
E
elan
Guest
bas12547,
sorry about that... i sorta feel like i am to blame for your post getting so off track...
about saltwater and home grade metals...... they are just not compatible. i dont know how good of metal you have for your septic system... but here is a way a diving buddy explained it..
if a piece of metal sticks to a magnet very well... then its more likely to rust in a short period of time.
if the metal isnt magnetic, then it will withstand saltwater much better.
the good metals are usually 2-3 times more expensive
...ask any of your boating buddies..so i doubt they used it for your tank.
but, the amount of freshwater that is diluting the amount of salt shouldnt make it rust noticibally longer.
sorry about that... i sorta feel like i am to blame for your post getting so off track...
about saltwater and home grade metals...... they are just not compatible. i dont know how good of metal you have for your septic system... but here is a way a diving buddy explained it..
if a piece of metal sticks to a magnet very well... then its more likely to rust in a short period of time.
if the metal isnt magnetic, then it will withstand saltwater much better.
the good metals are usually 2-3 times more expensive
...ask any of your boating buddies..so i doubt they used it for your tank.but, the amount of freshwater that is diluting the amount of salt shouldnt make it rust noticibally longer.