Water Changes?
- Thread starter plum70rt
- Start date
timsedwards
Active Member
Hi Plum!
I would think 10%, i.e. 20gals or so would be a good idea. Have you any reasons to do the water change, any problems? If not, then 10% is fine.
JMO, see what anyone else thinks!
Tim.
I would think 10%, i.e. 20gals or so would be a good idea. Have you any reasons to do the water change, any problems? If not, then 10% is fine.
JMO, see what anyone else thinks!
Tim.
leigh
Active Member
If I were you I'd ship that big ol' fish tank to the poor grad student I see on message boards from Michigan...(sorry, this is probably getting old for you... 
) seriously though, i'd consider doing monthly 10 gal changes. 20 is just a pain in the butt, but more regularity, ie monthly, would be good for your trace elements. as for collecting actual sea water I haven't a clue--all I know is I wouldn't recommend taking your water from Lake St. Claire ...
) seriously though, i'd consider doing monthly 10 gal changes. 20 is just a pain in the butt, but more regularity, ie monthly, would be good for your trace elements. as for collecting actual sea water I haven't a clue--all I know is I wouldn't recommend taking your water from Lake St. Claire ...
leigh
Active Member
LOL, I'm 24...and hopefully only have another year and a half before I become Leigh, phd, and can go work for nearly minimum wage in some govt research lab somewhere and still exist just above the poverty line...but hey, I love what I do, it's not about $$ but instead about trying to make the world a lil better/safer place, heck you were a police officer, you know what I'm talking about
plum70rt
Active Member
Yes , Ok I see, just to let you know, I planed and looked for almost 2 years before seeing a tank that I wanted, I had a 135 gallon that was never setup because I never would of been happy with it, PHD , Great for you! you will probably get a job in the private sector making big $$$$ and you will have a big 500 gallon in your office, and have it serviced and never have to get you hands wet again
, Ok I see, just to let you know, I planed and looked for almost 2 years before seeing a tank that I wanted, I had a 135 gallon that was never setup because I never would of been happy with it, PHD , Great for you! you will probably get a job in the private sector making big $$$$ and you will have a big 500 gallon in your office, and have it serviced and never have to get you hands wet again
katara
Member
When I first set up my small 55 1.5 years ago I did weekly 15% water changes but since my levels were always fine, I just completely stopped doing water changes all together and only added the additives to my top-offs about every 2 weeks.
It's been about 5 months and everything still seems fine with only one 5 gallon water change(I too was afraid of a big water change shocking everything).I wouldn't go more than 10-15% w/ your tank..you have way too much to lose.
It's been about 5 months and everything still seems fine with only one 5 gallon water change(I too was afraid of a big water change shocking everything).I wouldn't go more than 10-15% w/ your tank..you have way too much to lose.
leigh
Active Member
Originally posted by plum70rt
you will probably get a job in the private sector making big $$$$ and you will have a big 500 gallon in your office, and have it serviced and never have to get you hands wet again
LOL, not my style...but hey, I'm a single girl, I'm still banking on marrying a doctor who can buy me that 1000 gal reef I always wanted
shep
Member
I have never done a water change since tank cycled. Red sea makes trace to top off your tank. The R/O will filter out everthing more or less so if you haven't done it by now I would just add trace and green additives to resupply your tank. I usually dose calcium,iodide, once a week and everything else every two weeks. I have had no problems doing this in 3 years since I said screw water changes and things actually started growing faster.
flydan
Active Member
Hey,
I believe in regular water changes also. I have a 55gal reef with a 10gal refugium and I change one 6 gal bucket every month. You ever open the windows in your house just to air things out? Same thing I think. Nothing terribly wrong with air/water but a little fresh air/water sure is nice.
Dan'l
I believe in regular water changes also. I have a 55gal reef with a 10gal refugium and I change one 6 gal bucket every month. You ever open the windows in your house just to air things out? Same thing I think. Nothing terribly wrong with air/water but a little fresh air/water sure is nice.
Dan'l
chinnyr
Member
I d a 5gal water change only once a month.Sometimes if I add some new rock(already cured ) or something else,I will do two changes in a month.I have seen posts where some people have only sea water in thier tanks.As for putting it in a tank without it,I could'nt tell you.And,for the people who said they had all sea water,I don't know what they had in thier systems.I'm kinda curious as to the answer now too.
) or something else,I will do two changes in a month.I have seen posts where some people have only sea water in thier tanks.As for putting it in a tank without it,I could'nt tell you.And,for the people who said they had all sea water,I don't know what they had in thier systems.I'm kinda curious as to the answer now too.
jim672
Member
plum,
I do regular 10% water changes for the reason you mentioned...you want to make sure you're regularly replacing lost trace elements. It's also a good way to export nitrates.
I don't think there's any choice between ocean water and using RO/DI water and a good salt compound like IO. Can you convince yourself that you're absolutely certain you know absolutely everything that's in that ocean water you're considering? I've told you before that I think your tank is gorgeous. Are you willing to risk any of that beauty to save a couple bucks worth of RO/DI water and salt? I hope not.
chinnyr,
I guess my opinion is if you started your tank with sea/ocean water and kept putting that in it, anything in your tank has got to be used to whatever is in the ocean water.
Jim
I do regular 10% water changes for the reason you mentioned...you want to make sure you're regularly replacing lost trace elements. It's also a good way to export nitrates.
I don't think there's any choice between ocean water and using RO/DI water and a good salt compound like IO. Can you convince yourself that you're absolutely certain you know absolutely everything that's in that ocean water you're considering? I've told you before that I think your tank is gorgeous. Are you willing to risk any of that beauty to save a couple bucks worth of RO/DI water and salt? I hope not.
chinnyr,
I guess my opinion is if you started your tank with sea/ocean water and kept putting that in it, anything in your tank has got to be used to whatever is in the ocean water.
Jim
plum70rt
Active Member
Yes im a little cautious, about the ocean water but I know many any people that use it here in fla, for many years,
there are several aquarium services that change water for people that use this water , Im too chicken , I love my fish and corals so Im mixing up some ro/ di with IO, but my 7 gallon if you seen pics of it is all maintained with Ocean water, and everthing thrives including 2 clams,
about the ocean water but I know many any people that use it here in fla, for many years, there are several aquarium services that change water for people that use this water , Im too chicken
, I love my fish and corals so Im mixing up some ro/ di with IO, but my 7 gallon if you seen pics of it is all maintained with Ocean water, and everthing thrives including 2 clams,
jim672
Member
Your nano, which I have seen pictures of.....is probably proof of what I was trying to explain to chinnyr. I think if animals are used to the "controlled" chemical environment of RO/DI water and a salt mix, they could have real probelms with "stuff" that could be in ocean water. On the other hand, if the animals never knew anything other than ocean water ( like your nano ) then that water will be fine for them.
Not sure that's terribly clear but in any case, I'm glad you're using IO water for your water change!!
Jim
) then that water will be fine for them. Not sure that's terribly clear but in any case, I'm glad you're using IO water for your water change!!
Jim
poiboy
Member
AHHHH must be nice for some to trust the ocean water. Here in southern cali you have to watch out for the oil slicks, red tide and not to mention the crap left behind by the familys who live an hours drive from the beach. That really pisses me off. One day surfing I bumped into a half watermelon, scared
[hr]
out me, thought it was a head. OK I think I'll stop before I say something that will get me in trouble.
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out me, thought it was a head. OK I think I'll stop before I say something that will get me in trouble.