Quick Question - 3 Day Water Change - You Doing It?

delfinparis · 09/25/2008, 08:42 PM

I've read a few different places online about reef enthusiasts who swear that most supplements aren't necessary as long as you have the appropriate clean-up crew, live sand, rock, etc., but more importantly, that you do a small 5-10% water change EVERY THREE DAYS.

I'm sure many would disagree with this method, and I'm just curious if anyone abides by this method and can post some results.

The general thought is that RO/DI plus good salt should provide the ideal chemical composition.

Anyone actively doing this?

sassafrass · 09/25/2008, 09:49 PM

That depends alot on what your tank inhabitants are and how many.For example you couldn't keep a tank full of SPS without supplimenting Alk and calcium. With a low bio-load softy tank no problem.

Flipper62 · 09/25/2008, 11:19 PM

If you use RO/DI water .....and a good salt mix, you should not have to add any sups....I use Oceanic natural sea salt mix..I dont need to add any sups

xenon · 09/25/2008, 11:32 PM

A 1% water change per day is better than 10% every 10days!

The more often you do it the better.

Toddrtrex · 09/25/2008, 11:45 PM

I personally haven't tried it, but I highly doubt that it would work for me. There is no way that a 5-10% water change every 3 days would keep up with my cal and alk needs. I don't have a ton of SPS, but the ones I have grow like weeds and suck up that stuff.

pledosophy · 09/26/2008, 12:18 AM

I do a 30% change once a week. I still have to supplement as well.

JME

tmantaylor18 · 09/26/2008, 12:30 AM

I have a job, school, and gf to worry about. I can barely fit in 1 per week. I top-off about 20 gallons a week though which I think helps a lot.

zambavi · 09/26/2008, 12:37 AM

I do a quick 1 gallon change in my 29 cube almost every day. I have the system down and I can do in in about 3 minutes. I just siphon a gallon out of the front into a milk carton and then poor another gallon back into the sump with another milk carton I keep in my Saltwater Brute. The Saltwater brute has a powerhead and a heater in it that keeps it ready for the change. Make or buy new saltwater every two to three weeks. I have some LPS in the tank so I still dose occasionally with Little Fishies Part A and B but I am finding it less and less necessary.

jimgldn · 09/26/2008, 05:48 AM

I do 15% weekly.

tquick · 09/26/2008, 06:14 AM

Old school myth if you change small increments of water you are doing nothing more than topping some missing nutrients off and leaveing almost all the bad particules in your tanks as they dillute in water changed being done in small increments. Where if you pull 10-20 percent or more you are pulling a larger amount and have more of the particules removed and the good stuff back in. I persnonnaly try to do 20% water change per every 2 weeks. I have a large bio load with lots of fish. Nitrates never detected and everything opens wide up the following day. A sure sign my parameters are wack is my xenia start to look funny which reminds me to do water change. Doing it every 3 days cant hurt but i cant see much benefeit verus larger water change every 2 weeks. JMHO

09/25/2008, 08:42 PM	#1
delfinparis Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 93	Quick Question - 3 Day Water Change - You Doing It? I've read a few different places online about reef enthusiasts who swear that most supplements aren't necessary as long as you have the appropriate clean-up crew, live sand, rock, etc., but more importantly, that you do a small 5-10% water change EVERY THREE DAYS. I'm sure many would disagree with this method, and I'm just curious if anyone abides by this method and can post some results. The general thought is that RO/DI plus good salt should provide the ideal chemical composition. Anyone actively doing this?

09/25/2008, 11:19 PM	#3
Flipper62 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Naperville, Il. Business Owner, President & CEO Posts: 3,045	If you use RO/DI water .....and a good salt mix, you should not have to add any sups....I use Oceanic natural sea salt mix..I dont need to add any sups __________________ If todays automobile had followed the same development as the computer, A Rolls Royce would cost $100.00. It would get a million miles per gallon, but it would explode once a year killing everyone inside." Current Tanks... 90 gal Reef... My awesome Office BioCube....( 180 was on hold ..no time ) ... The 180 gal has been sold...Yay..yay..yay. Hobby Experience: 19 years Reef...22 years FW

09/25/2008, 11:45 PM	#5
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	I personally haven't tried it, but I highly doubt that it would work for me. There is no way that a 5-10% water change every 3 days would keep up with my cal and alk needs. I don't have a ton of SPS, but the ones I have grow like weeds and suck up that stuff. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

09/26/2008, 12:18 AM	#6
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	I do a 30% change once a week. I still have to supplement as well. JME __________________ 120g mixed reef 90g QT

09/26/2008, 12:37 AM	#8
zambavi Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: San Jose, California Area Posts: 276	I do a quick 1 gallon change in my 29 cube almost every day. I have the system down and I can do in in about 3 minutes. I just siphon a gallon out of the front into a milk carton and then poor another gallon back into the sump with another milk carton I keep in my Saltwater Brute. The Saltwater brute has a powerhead and a heater in it that keeps it ready for the change. Make or buy new saltwater every two to three weeks. I have some LPS in the tank so I still dose occasionally with Little Fishies Part A and B but I am finding it less and less necessary. __________________ Jeff

09/25/2008, 09:49 PM	#2
sassafrass Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: capitola ca Posts: 1,729	That depends alot on what your tank inhabitants are and how many.For example you couldn't keep a tank full of SPS without supplimenting Alk and calcium. With a low bio-load softy tank no problem.

09/25/2008, 11:32 PM	#4
xenon Owner of Canada Corals Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mississauga, Canada Posts: 3,148	A 1% water change per day is better than 10% every 10days! The more often you do it the better.

09/26/2008, 12:30 AM	#7
tmantaylor18 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sunnyvale, CA Posts: 4,143	I have a job, school, and gf to worry about. I can barely fit in 1 per week. I top-off about 20 gallons a week though which I think helps a lot.

09/26/2008, 05:48 AM	#9
jimgldn Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 52	I do 15% weekly.

09/26/2008, 06:14 AM	#10
tquick Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Yorktown, VA Posts: 156	Old school myth if you change small increments of water you are doing nothing more than topping some missing nutrients off and leaveing almost all the bad particules in your tanks as they dillute in water changed being done in small increments. Where if you pull 10-20 percent or more you are pulling a larger amount and have more of the particules removed and the good stuff back in. I persnonnaly try to do 20% water change per every 2 weeks. I have a large bio load with lots of fish. Nitrates never detected and everything opens wide up the following day. A sure sign my parameters are wack is my xenia start to look funny which reminds me to do water change. Doing it every 3 days cant hurt but i cant see much benefeit verus larger water change every 2 weeks. JMHO __________________ Being a reefer destroys a reef. Being a good reefer saves one. Share the frags and it comes back to you. Current Tank Info: 55 gallon long with t-5 432 watt 8 bulber and 110 gallon grow out with 2 6 foot vho and 3 250 watt metal halides