So I have zoos, frogspawn, mushrooms, and other beginner level soft corals. I run a really low bioload tank, mostly inverts and tons of pods. My paras is on the money....nitrates 0, phosp 0, cal 420, alk 11,mag 1320, ph 8.3, sal 1.025. My question is, if my tank is stable, do I really need to do water changes? I feel the only reason I do water changes is to replenish elements that have been used up. Can't I just dose instead?

Could you? Yeah. I don't think its the best option. Especially with a nano. The potential for overdosing or just incorrect dosing is always and issue, and in a nano it can lead to a full on crash pretty quick. I am from the school of NO DOSING!11! unless its absolutely critical. Water changes are safer and more natural and cause considerably less shock IME. Not to mention you need to test for everything you add to the water.

I think that dosing is more work with more chances for error personally. If all your parameters are in check and stay that way a biweekly or heck even monthly water change should suffice. What is it about water changes that puts you off?


The chemistry experts will be around in the AM and I would defer to their judgment however.

I'm not against WC but I was just wondering if I could go longer then a week maybe a month. The only reason to do water changes is to lower nitrates and replenish elements, right? But I figure if I have a ton of macro and dose once a week I should be good?

Its not unreasonable to back down to one a month I know some folks who change every 60 days. Shoot for every 30 days and keep an eye on your growth and whatnot and if your displeased with coral growth and health maybe alternate to bi weekly. This is one of those "everybody is different" things but if you aren't adding anything 30 days should be fine.