to water change or not to water change, that is the question.

[Goldberg]

Hello reefers,

Everyone knows the importance of water change, super important part of the hobby. I came across some experienced reefers around who swore to never change water in years.. adding elements or dosing the water and topping up is all they do while maybe using carbon to keep water clear

Im sure the majority here have been for years in the hobby, so do you still water changes same as you done it when you started the tank? and what do you think about the ones who dont do water changes but still running pretty awesome tank?

I heard mostly, some dont want to upset their coral and specially the SPS by doing water changes (afraid they wont like it and shut off), some consider the more it ages the more beneficial bacteria lives and help sustain better parameters so dont want to remove the living bacteria by doing water change.

What do you think about the water change? and size of tank or live stock can determine that decision?

 

[Reefer Matt]

I do water changes. I match the alk and ph before changing on my tanks (have a lot of sps too). I think money and motivation affect if water changes get done. It is becoming increasingly popular to not do them. I don’t think you save much money if constantly testing and dosing things instead. Water changes are the old reliable way to ensure stability of a reef tank. But to each, their own.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I very, very rarely did water changes when I had a 250g DT and a 180g sump/refugium. Everything worked just fine.

But now I have a 40g cube aio tank and without all that extra bio help from a big sump/refugium, I do a 50% water change every couple of months. And it never seems to upset the sps & lps corals which dominate the tank.

 

[fish farmer]

I use water changes as an export method. I suck discoma mushrooms, those ugly plays that came back, that bit of GHA or cyano that popped up.

It is fleshy LPS/zoa/paly dominant system, so cranking the flow to remove waste is a difficult venture. Gravity still exists in my system, so sucking detritus and such from the bottom is necessary. I only replace 4 to 5 gallons every other week so cost isn't an issue.

I run my 29 gallon tank similar to when I started the hobby with a 38 gallon 20+ years ago.

 

[kevgib67]

I do weekly water changes like I did when I started in this hobby in the mid nineties. It’s only 32 gallon so not a big deal or cost. I’m one of those weirdo’s that enjoys doing water changes.

 

[Troylee]

I do hefty water changes every 2 weeks myself.. after my last water change I noticed growth slowed down a little bit so I’m gonna space them apart more but I will continue to do them no matter what! It never hurts to do one but can bite ya if you don’t!

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

I don't do water changes.

The long term math just doesn't add up for me.

If you are only doing water changes you will never be able to export all the nutrients alone nor be able to replace all the trace elements unless you are also dosing or controlling another those parameters another way - then if you're doing that why not just only do that.

 

[jda]

They are likely not telling you the whole story. Most people who say that they never do water changes only don't do them regularly. They still do them when they need to or even in stealthy ways. A water change once a year, a tank upgrade, a gravel vacuum, etc. are all still water changes.

I have never seen a tank that NEVER, like truly, did any water changes after 2-3 years. They can do fine for a while, but eventually stuff does accumulate , or something, and stuff goes downhill. The last person to argue with me about this was 1). a vendor who shipped out 40% of their water volume ever month, and 2). a guy who did 75% water change once a year. In both cases, those are massive amounts of water changes.

Nobody has to change water, but you are going to need to do what water changes do... which is BOTH import and export.

 

[jda]

Oh... if your livestock is upset when you do a water change, then you need to recalibrate how to do this. My corals do not even retract and some of them are out of the water for 3 to 5 minutes.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Some people do them, some people don't. For me, I felt like I haven't needed to do a water change just yet.

 

[Goldberg]

They are likely not telling you the whole story. Most people who say that they never do water changes only don't do them regularly. They still do them when they need to or even in stealthy ways. A water change once a year, a tank upgrade, a gravel vacuum, etc. are all still water changes.

I have never seen a tank that NEVER, like truly, did any water changes after 2-3 years. They can do fine for a while, but eventually stuff does accumulate , or something, and stuff goes downhill. The last person to argue with me about this was 1). a vendor who shipped out 40% of their water volume ever month, and 2). a guy who did 75% water change once a year. In both cases, those are massive amounts of water changes.

Nobody has to change water, but you are going to need to do what water changes do... which is BOTH import and export.

I visited one of the guys who said he never done water change, and never done any supplementations to his tank when i asked him about reef roids or chilis and he has a 90% SPS (store sales guy).. so asked to take a look at his sump setup.. I think i saw all types of corals foods, elements, the roids, the chilies, AB+ and unlimited amounts of elements.. so he must be doing as well water change without feeling. Agree with you.

But it seems every tank is unique, I had a friend who got two tanks one with weekly water change and another one he didn't like and wanted to get rid off but never got a chance, so he run unwanted one for a year without water change was just few fish and some softies. at the end he has done a 75% water change.

 

[MrGisonni]

If my nitrates are on the rise...I do a 10% water change on my mixed reef. If nitrates are dropping, I let things go for a week or two. I dose AFR, so I am pretty confident my trace elements are solid, but in those off weeks I do add a small dose of trace and iodide.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Have tried it both ways in a 180 sps system. IMO, water changes are an insurance policy against the potential buildup of undesirable trace elements and at the same time insures the presence of desirable ones. While unable to provide proof, I feel that my system is healthier when I am doing periodic water changes.