why do ppl do water changes all the time.

[bw256s_srt4]

Well its just a question, because I have had one of my 90gals for about 2 years now with only 1 water change and thats when i moved it. It is a all fish tank with about 75lbs of live rock that have been there since I had the tank. I only add water when its need. So im trying to figure out why ppl do water changes all the time. I also have another 90gal that has been running for about 1 and 1/2 months now, that is a reef/coral tank. I have not changed the water yet and everything to still going strong in it. Only had 1 fish die and that was a hippo tang ( only lasted 3 weeks before i found it stuck on my waterjet) I would love some info on this
 
 
Thanks

 

[flower]

Hi,
 
 
I only know about reefs, I also have a 90g.

Nutrients are removed naturally from the system, the corals eat it up. So you either have to dose the tank with buffers or change out the water. Buffers don't work so well and it means you have not created a proper balance, a hard thing to do. A fish tank is a little eco system, if you don't have the balance you have to do something to rectify it..

By replacing the saltwater with a water change you replenish the stuff that has been removed. It also helps to remove nitrates, the end cycle of food, to poop, to ammonia, to nitrite, to nitrate.
If you have a nice sand bed where good bacteria can grow it will revert the nitrates into a harmless gas to be released. If you don't have that good bacteria, the nitrates build up into toxic levels (over 40 kill’s coral and inverts) and need to be removed in a water change.

Fish only tanks can handle a huge amount of nitrates, the fish don't seem to care.

I know a guy who never changes out his water, the tank is a 26 year old reef, soft corals only. He has a balance, he does not buffer his tank water nor change it out. Me... I do water changes.

 

[bw256s_srt4]

Ok thx for the info. I will test the water of my reef tank this weekend and see if anything has changed since the tank has been up. I have had fish and about 10 peices of coral in there for alomost a month now with no issues. I will test it with my kit and then take it to my lfs and what they say.