can water changes ever be bad?

timdam · 02/14/2010, 12:45 PM

if i was to do a 10-20% water every two weeks or so, can it do any harm? i mean, even if the water parameters are already good before the change?

iluzhun · 02/14/2010, 12:51 PM

It is my expierence that that is exactly what you want to do. Even if water parameters are great corals leach trace minerals out of the water and bacteria produce nitrate. By doing water changes you help replace the minerals and remove the nitrate. Water changes if done right are not only good but esential to a healthy reef.

syrinx · 02/14/2010, 01:25 PM

The only time I advise to avoid water changes is when a tank is cycling, or when certain algae issues are present. Otherwise I recommend regular changes-I do every two weeks for off site tanks and I do mine at home every couple days(about 8%). The way I have things set up its only about 5 mins a tank so its easy.

kfisc · 02/14/2010, 01:26 PM

They can actually be bad, but in a roundabout way- if your source water is suspect, for example your RO/DI filters really need to be changed, you could actually be raising phosphates in your tank, and thus seeing more algae, cyano, etc.

So water changes are good so long as the water is good.

02/14/2010, 12:45 PM	#1
timdam Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 815	can water changes ever be bad? if i was to do a 10-20% water every two weeks or so, can it do any harm? i mean, even if the water parameters are already good before the change?

02/14/2010, 12:51 PM	#2
iluzhun Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: under a rock Posts: 157	It is my expierence that that is exactly what you want to do. Even if water parameters are great corals leach trace minerals out of the water and bacteria produce nitrate. By doing water changes you help replace the minerals and remove the nitrate. Water changes if done right are not only good but esential to a healthy reef. __________________ The truth only hurts when you hear it from someone else There are times when the only choices you have left are bad ones That's not a unicorn.. It's a donkey with a plunger stuck to it's face Current Tank Info: filled with salt water

02/14/2010, 01:25 PM	#3
syrinx Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: champaign Posts: 3,160	The only time I advise to avoid water changes is when a tank is cycling, or when certain algae issues are present. Otherwise I recommend regular changes-I do every two weeks for off site tanks and I do mine at home every couple days(about 8%). The way I have things set up its only about 5 mins a tank so its easy.

02/14/2010, 01:26 PM	#4
kfisc Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,020	They can actually be bad, but in a roundabout way- if your source water is suspect, for example your RO/DI filters really need to be changed, you could actually be raising phosphates in your tank, and thus seeing more algae, cyano, etc. So water changes are good so long as the water is good.