How often do you do water changes?

[Dnic]

I do a little over a 10% WC once a week, or so.

 

I swear the less I do water changes, the happier everything looks. I do it anyway though.

[danthenewreefman]

for me it seems the more I change my water the faster stuff grows. So i try not to do X per week, and just as big of a change as I can.

[dling]

With a low bioload, good LR and whatever additional water quality control measures you have in place, WCs only serve to replenish nutrients for SPS and LPS corals.

 

If you just have fish and softies, you can get away with no WC just fine. If you have hard corals, you will need to dose trace elements.

 

No biggie.

 

Edit: Should also be noted that bio-filter bacteria live on surfaces in the tank, not in the water column.

Water changes do much more then replenish nutrients.They remove the bad water that has been contaminated from over feeding also the fish waste in the form of ammonia.they serve to remove the nasty stuff that gets in the water just from the cycle of life.

 

 

To clear up a few things, All of my friends have mixed reefs.

 

And I truly believe that by messing with the water so much in the beginning phases (3-5 months) you're equilibrium will be truly dependent on you. By "messing with the water" I mean excessive water changes. I keep seeing people telling noobs on here that more water changes equal better quality water. This is true in the hands of an experienced aquarist with a mature tank. But for Noobs, this can actually be counter-productive. Many different things can go wrong when doing excessive water changes. And by that I mean 20% and up a week.

 

I will also venture out and say that if you have a 5 gallon and below, you will have to do excessive water changes if you plan on keeping more than one fish. But for the majority that is at 20-40 gallons, I see nothing wrong with strengthening your bio-filter. I keep seeing people (including myself at first) adding corals to a 2 month-old tank! Some people can get away with it, but the truth is, you will be a slave to carbon, GFO, and skimmers. And once you add these luxuries, they will out-compete your bio-filter.

 

I'm not saying to do away with water changes. I'm saying cut down to little or no water changes until the tank has matured.

If you are talking about doing wc's during the cycle period I would not recommend it . Will only add to the cycle time. I do a 2 to 3 gallon wc every week. I feel its one of the best and easiest thing I can do for my aquarium .

[augustus007]

I do one gal. per week/ week and a half on 14 gal. biocube. But I have a skimmer as well as low stock.

[Trogdor447]

I do 2 Gallons a week 20 gallon tank so probably 15% after displacement of sand/rock

[Gill Snork]

For the past 3 years, I've changed the water in my 4 year old 29gal only 6 times. Fish and corals are still alive and well. I topped off with tapwater all that time so my algae growth is a bit of a problem, but the tank didn't crash, and it doesn't register ANY nitrates / ammonia. I've been borderline ignoring it.

 

Having said that, I just started changing the water weekly (20%) and my corals are looking better and the algae is starting to get under control.

 

So, can you go without? Probably. Is it ideal? Probably not.