Water change frequency question

[jdiver]

Is there any difference or benefit from doing several small water changes throughout the week, versus doing one big (10-15%) water change once a week? In other words, would there be any benefit (or harm for that matter) if I changed 2 cups of water per day as opposed to 1 gallon once a week?

[Smokey Joe]

I think theres a benefit to it.  On the one hand you don't remove as many contaminants doing several smaller changes as you do with one large one, but you also keep the tank parameters more constant and don't run as much risk of shocking your system.  Idealy the buildup of contaminants is slow or non-existant so I don't see that as being a problem.

[linty]

There would be the benefit of added stability in terms of your tanks parameters, nutrient levels, trace mineral availability, etc.  

 

The disadvantage (it's not a really big deal)

is that you remove less nutrient build up in doing many little changes as opposed to one big one.  For example changing 5 % a day for 5 days in a 100 gallon tank does not remove as much impurities as a single 25 % water change.

 

Say you had a 100 gallon tank of milk and you were changing the milk with water.  Doing it 5% at a time for 5 days it would go like this.

 

Day 0: 100% milk

Day 1: 95% milk

Day 2 90.25% milk

Day 3 85.74 % milk

Day 4 81.45 % milk

Day 5 77.4 % milk

 

Doing the whole thing in one shot would get you down to 75% milk.

 

Still I think the smaller and more frequent changes would be better for your tank in the end.

[JROC]

Check this recent thread

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic.cgi?...um=1&topic=3635

[jdiver]

Thanks for all the info. My curiosity has been satiated.

[Drysocket]

I'm gonna go put some milk in my tank, too.  

[jdiver]

Which is better, whole milk, 2% milk, or skim milk? I just added skim milk and it made the water cloudy and BoBo the clownfish now has a milk moustache.

[linty]

hahaha okay okay, I admit it was a dumb example  

[SaltyDog]

Sorry, have to add my 2 cents...

 

Don't use Whole, 2% or 1% milk in your tank!!!!!

 

Just use Skim milk... Your skimmer will thank-you.

[SaltyDog]

Sorry... Had to.

 

It's late.