Longest length of time between water changes

Sugar Magnolia · 11/20/2008, 04:38 PM

I was just wondering how many of you would fess up to long stretches of time between water changes and filter maintenence. I have gone a few months...I attribute this to LRS. Lazy Reefer Syndrome.

<-------Fresh 5g bucket of saltwater mixing for a change tomorrow.

drauka99 · 11/20/2008, 04:41 PM

witrh a reef - a month

with freshwater - 6 months. That said it was a low bio load tank that had been running for well over 3 years and it was just stable. I did have to add about 2 gallons of water per week for top off.

Gawain1974 · 11/20/2008, 04:53 PM

You don't want to know....over six months during the period preceding my back surgery.

Scuba_Dave · 11/20/2008, 04:53 PM

Water changes?

I add water as it evaporates

Sugar Magnolia · 11/20/2008, 04:55 PM

See, I knew you guys had my back.

wmartino · 11/20/2008, 05:29 PM

I change water on all my tanks every weekend. I find that for me it is less work that way. It only takes me and the wife about 3 hrs to get them all done.

tonyalberda · 11/20/2008, 05:31 PM

NEVER DONE A WATER CHANGE AND THE TANK LOOKS GREAT

snulma1 · 11/20/2008, 05:35 PM

ive gone about 2 months once

gsxr750 · 11/20/2008, 06:32 PM

longest ive gone about 2 weeks

MileHighFish · 11/20/2008, 06:58 PM

Before I moved, my tank zeroed out and I figured I would do a w/c when I saw a increase of nitrates. I did add mag etc to keep up with the demand. I waited 6 months and the No3 was 3 on the pinpoint. At that point I did a w/c just b/c I figured I pushed it long enough. Since I moved the tank 900 miles and had to place a large bio-load immediately into the tank with out it cycling I have dealt with nitrates, so now Iâ€™m doing 10% a week. It has been almost 3 months since the move and Iâ€™m running 10 mg/l.

not_sponsored · 11/20/2008, 07:18 PM

I haven't done a water change in about a year, I do skim about 2 gallons a week though and replace salt through top off water.

LobsterOfJustice · 11/20/2008, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tonyalberda
NEVER DONE A WATER CHANGE AND THE TANK LOOKS GREAT

Hobby Experience: 3 years freshwater. newbie to salt

Jason Donohoe · 11/20/2008, 07:44 PM

I went almost 2 years with only doing top ups with r/o water. The leather corals and the fish did fine. All the inverts kacked and it grew a very very impressive crop of green hair algae. I'm back to water changes every 2 weeks (aprox 25% volume) and have a better looking reef.

crvz · 11/20/2008, 07:46 PM

I'd say probably 2 months? MAYBE, 2 months, probably only like 6 weeks.

afelder · 11/20/2008, 07:48 PM

I did a water change in July.......... of 07

ryan115 · 11/20/2008, 07:51 PM

I think I have done maybe 2 - 3 water changes in the last 2 1/2 years. Tank is still doing great. <1.1 Nitrate on LaMotte and ~0.2 Phosphate on Hanna Meter. Full mixed reef but my fuge is ~25% of tank volume

FloatingFish · 11/20/2008, 08:10 PM

ive gone 4-6 weeks over the summer.

But i try to do 20 gal a week.

Misled · 11/20/2008, 08:24 PM

This is my shop tank. It's been set up for two years and houses my tigertail cuke. Never had a water change and still catches flies better than the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Liquid Hobby · 11/20/2008, 08:36 PM

Went 2 months between WC and my corals suffered. I'm back to weekly 10-20% changes. Takes about 15 minutes.

socalchris · 11/20/2008, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Misled
This is my shop tank. It's been set up for two years and houses my tigertail cuke. Never had a water change and still catches flies better than the Pittsburgh Pirates.

that pic is too funny!!! i guess aiptasia isn't so bad after all

plateboy3293 · 11/20/2008, 09:56 PM

I never really did a water change on purpose
So I would say 9 months
I take out water to fill my qt and to acclimate stuff.
Never had a planned WC.

yrema · 11/21/2008, 01:03 AM

10-15% bi-monthly or when I'm not lazy. Planning to make it 10% weekly.

ok.. longest was almost a year.

Barto · 11/21/2008, 01:07 AM

water change?
why?
they didn't drink all the water I gave them last year!

dkh0331 · 11/21/2008, 05:22 AM

6-7 months.

yrema · 11/21/2008, 05:38 AM

hey sugar, how 'bout a tank pic?

(and a page assist in disguise for...)

11/20/2008, 04:38 PM	#1
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Longest length of time between water changes I was just wondering how many of you would fess up to long stretches of time between water changes and filter maintenence. I have gone a few months...I attribute this to LRS. Lazy Reefer Syndrome. <-------Fresh 5g bucket of saltwater mixing for a change tomorrow.

11/20/2008, 04:41 PM	#2
drauka99 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: at the Beach in Fl Posts: 792	witrh a reef - a month with freshwater - 6 months. That said it was a low bio load tank that had been running for well over 3 years and it was just stable. I did have to add about 2 gallons of water per week for top off. __________________ "Aliie, Eat a Snickers, you're "HANGRY" - me "I sometimes enjoy watching shadow puppet shows" - jpfelix "Bacon is Love." - Fat Man Current Tank Info: 240 Algae Farm System Running

11/20/2008, 04:53 PM	#3
Gawain1974 dc fanboy Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Annick's flaps Posts: 1,212	You don't want to know....over six months during the period preceding my back surgery. __________________ Honey badger don't care!

11/20/2008, 04:55 PM	#5
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	See, I knew you guys had my back. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

11/20/2008, 05:31 PM	#7
tonyalberda Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George BC Posts: 11	g42WG NEVER DONE A WATER CHANGE AND THE TANK LOOKS GREAT

11/20/2008, 04:53 PM	#4
Scuba_Dave EMERTXE YID Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Asylum, South of Boston, MA Posts: 10,362	Water changes? I add water as it evaporates

11/20/2008, 05:29 PM	#6
wmartino Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Castle Rock, CO Posts: 1	I change water on all my tanks every weekend. I find that for me it is less work that way. It only takes me and the wife about 3 hrs to get them all done.

11/20/2008, 05:35 PM	#8
snulma1 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: New York, NY Posts: 2,281	ive gone about 2 months once

11/20/2008, 06:32 PM	#9
gsxr750 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: sunnyvale Posts: 248	longest ive gone about 2 weeks

11/20/2008, 06:58 PM	#10
MileHighFish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NM. Posts: 1,722	Before I moved, my tank zeroed out and I figured I would do a w/c when I saw a increase of nitrates. I did add mag etc to keep up with the demand. I waited 6 months and the No3 was 3 on the pinpoint. At that point I did a w/c just b/c I figured I pushed it long enough. Since I moved the tank 900 miles and had to place a large bio-load immediately into the tank with out it cycling I have dealt with nitrates, so now Iâ€™m doing 10% a week. It has been almost 3 months since the move and Iâ€™m running 10 mg/l. __________________ See "Red House" for pics!! I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. Mitch Hedberg Current Tank Info: Reef tank, 100 gal Lee Mar polished.. 60 sump.. 800 watts mh 20k radium..Ran on "Taiwan HQI Ballast" 330 watt VHO.. 48 watt compacts (dawn/dusk).. sps/lps tank..

11/20/2008, 07:18 PM	#11
not_sponsored Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hiding Posts: 341	I haven't done a water change in about a year, I do skim about 2 gallons a week though and replace salt through top off water.

11/20/2008, 07:44 PM	#13
Jason Donohoe Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Guelph, Ontario, Canada Posts: 638	I went almost 2 years with only doing top ups with r/o water. The leather corals and the fish did fine. All the inverts kacked and it grew a very very impressive crop of green hair algae. I'm back to water changes every 2 weeks (aprox 25% volume) and have a better looking reef. __________________ Jason Current Tank Info: 72 gallon bowfront softie tank

11/20/2008, 07:46 PM	#14
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	I'd say probably 2 months? MAYBE, 2 months, probably only like 6 weeks. __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

11/20/2008, 07:48 PM	#15
afelder Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Tustin, CA Posts: 1,160	I did a water change in July.......... of 07 __________________ Thought For The Day.... "In the Torah it says "love thy neighbor as thy self". The Buddha says there is no "self". So maybe you are off the hook." All animals are created equal some are more equal than others.~Orwell Current Tank Info: NEW 70 gallon rr with a 25 gallon sump Bermuda 3-C that skims rings around a RS80 and 2 koralia 4 & 2 tunze 6045 eheim 1262 return 6x39 watt t-5

11/20/2008, 07:51 PM	#16
ryan115 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Ocean Springs, MS Posts: 753	I think I have done maybe 2 - 3 water changes in the last 2 1/2 years. Tank is still doing great. <1.1 Nitrate on LaMotte and ~0.2 Phosphate on Hanna Meter. Full mixed reef but my fuge is ~25% of tank volume

11/20/2008, 08:10 PM	#17
FloatingFish Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Odell, ILL. Posts: 540	ive gone 4-6 weeks over the summer. But i try to do 20 gal a week. __________________ . Current Tank Info: None

11/20/2008, 08:24 PM	#18
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	This is my shop tank. It's been set up for two years and houses my tigertail cuke. Never had a water change and still catches flies better than the Pittsburgh Pirates. __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

11/20/2008, 08:36 PM	#19
Liquid Hobby Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 810	Went 2 months between WC and my corals suffered. I'm back to weekly 10-20% changes. Takes about 15 minutes. __________________ 120 DT/200 G mixed reef: birthed on Dec 1, 2010 * Neptune Systems controller * 40G Sump + 40G Fuge which gravity feeds into DT * Huge Reef Octopus Skimmer * Calc, GFO and Carbon RXs * 2x250W 20K Radium MH with VHO supplement * 3600 GPH closed loop with OM 4 way * 1700 GPH return

11/20/2008, 09:56 PM	#21
plateboy3293 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hillsborough, New Jersey Posts: 1,038	I never really did a water change on purpose So I would say 9 months I take out water to fill my qt and to acclimate stuff. Never had a planned WC. __________________ Wars come and go but my soldiers stay eternal Current Tank Info: 155 gallon bow

11/21/2008, 01:03 AM	#22
yrema Lounger Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 331	10-15% bi-monthly or when I'm not lazy. Planning to make it 10% weekly. ok.. longest was almost a year. __________________ Warmest Regards, Marty, Amery and Seth :) Current Tank Info: 100gal Low-tech, Low-cost Mixed Reef Last edited by yrema; 11/21/2008 at 01:09 AM.

11/21/2008, 01:07 AM	#23
Barto Alleged Lounge Moron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: BigSkyCountry Posts: 459	water change? why? they didn't drink all the water I gave them last year! __________________ "Outliving our pets is the price we pay for the unconditional love they give us" ~Barto's Mom~ AUGUST 2009 TOTM! Current Tank Info: no more fish tanks, nothing, nada, gone!

11/21/2008, 05:22 AM	#24
dkh0331 Es gibt keinen ersatz Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Close to the edge, down by a river Posts: 3,581	6-7 months. __________________ Just found out that grandpa has a drug addiction. He is addicted to viagra. No one is taking it harder than grandma.

11/21/2008, 05:38 AM	#25
yrema Lounger Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 331	hey sugar, how 'bout a tank pic? (and a page assist in disguise for...) __________________ Warmest Regards, Marty, Amery and Seth :) Current Tank Info: 100gal Low-tech, Low-cost Mixed Reef