2.5 Question

[Asterix]

Hello... Heres a question, If I take a standard 2.5 and make a Nano Corals only...Does this reduce the ammount of water changes nessecary? I am not asking this to get out of water changes or anything, I would still do them even If I didnt have to...Just want to know how it would work...Thanks!

[printerdown01]

IMO.... You should preform the 10% water changes, simply because your corals will use up nutrients in the water, and your LR will still produce ditritus (essentially you still have waste production even in a corals only). You will have less waste (since you do not have fish) but you will also have considerably less water to hold that waste (concentration is higher). However, you might be able to go with 10% bi-weekly water changes (if you use additives, and be very careful with these in a 2.5!!). Does anyone else have a decenting opinion here...?

[fish04]

I have a 2.5 reef, and I can tell you that I do a 25-30% water change every two weeks. If you plan to keep a small reef like this you need to do small water changes often, even without crabs, fish etc.

The water changes are for replenishing trace elements, removing detrius, and removing disolved organic material. Just like a large reef, only the small ones are much more delicate.

HTH Good Luck!

[Basegunner]

If your going to keep snails to help with the algae, you'll definately wanna keep up on the water changes. Those things are real poop machines! I do a 25% weekly, but I've heard alot of people do a 50% bi-weekly.