Frequent Water Changes

President Evil · 01/08/2013, 01:34 AM

I noticed some threads saying that people change 5% or 10% of water weekly. Since I live in San Diego, I get NSW from Scripps free.

So would it be a good idea to do more frequent water changes, maybe every 4 or 5 days a 10%er?

I don't have a big tank, but I want to grow some corals so I'm thinking that would help keeping a high water quality at a low cost.

Of course I have testing solutions, but since my nitrates are .10 and my phosphates are .25, I'm looking for an easy and cheap way to bring them down to a more manageble level.

Painted skin · 01/08/2013, 01:41 AM

Yes it would work in your benefit.

maR1o · 01/08/2013, 02:13 AM

agreed, water changes are a good way to keep you parameters in check.

Reefmedic79 · 01/08/2013, 02:15 AM

More frequent water changes will benefit, the only con to the situation is if you find a need to start supplementing the tank with calcium and/or magnesium, if your changing the water out quicker than what your dosing is being utilized by the organisms, then you would be wasting the minerals.

I'm not 100% certain on this, but the NSW probably will have a certain amount of phosphates and nitrates present at all times. So you may never get a 0 reading in those parameters anyhow, due to run off and/or other pollutants.

Where does Scripps get the water? How far out and depth?

BAGGERZ13 · 01/08/2013, 02:35 AM

More frequent water changes is definitely going to benefit you. And since you don't have to pay for it you might as well go ahea and do it.

borderreef · 01/08/2013, 07:57 AM

I agree with BAGGERZ13. Small, more frequent water changes are very beneficial. I wet skim my 135g, and my ato replaces with fsw. I have to check salinity 3-4 times per week to make sure it doesn't rise above 35ppm, and the salt gets a little expensive, but my tank loves it.

BigAl2007 · 01/08/2013, 10:11 AM

I hate to go against the grain here but it depends on your root reason for wanting to do water changes. If you want to get your levels down quickly then you'd want to do a couple of hefty (and safe) water changes. If you're just looking for a long-term maintenance regimen then frequent/small water changes can be of benefit for long term.

One key consideration is to test the NSW to see exactly what you're putting into the tank so you at least have an idea of what you're adding. As mentioned before if the NSW has elevated levels of PO3/PO4 and NO3 then you're up against a wall in trying to lower them while doing frequent/small water changes.

If you're up for some light reading here is an excellent article written by a VERY intelligent fellow aquarist and Dr. (Randy Holmes-Farley has forgotten more than most of us well ever know or understand about our boxes of water)
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

Good luck and update this thread to let us know how your test results turn out.

Reefin' Dude · 01/08/2013, 02:23 PM

i detrital removal is the ultimate goal for water changes (which it should be) then just doing a 1% water change daily would work wonders. though this means a system designed for such a purpose.

G~

Reefin' Dude · 01/08/2013, 02:24 PM

ubiquitous double post.

President Evil · 01/10/2013, 12:54 AM

Just an update, I picked up 10 gals of the scripps NSW, and tested it. The ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are at 0. The PH was 8.0
The calcium was a bit low at 340, and the phosphates was at .10 I didn't do a KH test, because I figured since the calcium was low, I was sure the KH was low also. Nothing that some additives couldn't fix....
One question someone asked, was where and how deep is the water pumped from?
The water is pumped from the bottom of scripps pier about 300 yards from shore at the opening of a deep water canyon.

steve888 · 01/10/2013, 06:28 AM

This is exactly how I do my changes and it's worked for more than a year...first in my 14G BioCube and now in my new tank below. I do a small "micro change" every day (1 gallon) that equates to slightly over 20% per week for the entire tank. Some people might say that's a bit much but everything in my tank seems very healthy, all my parameters are good, and I don't have any major issues with algae.

wooden_reefer · 01/10/2013, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by President Evil

I noticed some threads saying that people change 5% or 10% of water weekly. Since I live in San Diego, I get NSW from Scripps free.

So would it be a good idea to do more frequent water changes, maybe every 4 or 5 days a 10%er?

I don't have a big tank, but I want to grow some corals so I'm thinking that would help keeping a high water quality at a low cost.

Of course I have testing solutions, but since my nitrates are .10 and my phosphates are .25, I'm looking for an easy and cheap way to bring them down to a more manageble level.

Please tell me more about free SW.

Is there a limit?

2x2 · 01/10/2013, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by President Evil

The water is pumped from the bottom of scripps pier about 300 yards from shore at the opening of a deep water canyon.

I kayak fish off that area all the time. That pier is an a great night time bait source for mac's from the kayak but not a good water source, it's just outside the breakers in 25 feet of water. Subject to heavy storm drain run off from La Jolla. I would not use that water in a reef tank.

Sure the deep canyon is not far away, but it not at the end of the pier.

I've heard people pumping water on the back side of Catalina for NSW at LFS in socal

01/08/2013, 01:34 AM	#1
President Evil Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 66	Frequent Water Changes I noticed some threads saying that people change 5% or 10% of water weekly. Since I live in San Diego, I get NSW from Scripps free. So would it be a good idea to do more frequent water changes, maybe every 4 or 5 days a 10%er? I don't have a big tank, but I want to grow some corals so I'm thinking that would help keeping a high water quality at a low cost. Of course I have testing solutions, but since my nitrates are .10 and my phosphates are .25, I'm looking for an easy and cheap way to bring them down to a more manageble level. __________________ 89' 351 whp @ 9 psi 7mgte 550cc, Walbro 400lph, HKS 264 Cams, HKS cam gears, HKS dragger, chrome sawblades.

01/08/2013, 02:15 AM	#4
Reefmedic79 Life and Reef Saver Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Tavares, Florida Posts: 6,202	More frequent water changes will benefit, the only con to the situation is if you find a need to start supplementing the tank with calcium and/or magnesium, if your changing the water out quicker than what your dosing is being utilized by the organisms, then you would be wasting the minerals. I'm not 100% certain on this, but the NSW probably will have a certain amount of phosphates and nitrates present at all times. So you may never get a 0 reading in those parameters anyhow, due to run off and/or other pollutants. Where does Scripps get the water? How far out and depth? __________________ ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>¸. ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> How much deeper would the ocean be if it didn't have sponges? P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sid Current Tank Info: 40 Breeder, 20L Sump, 10G Fuge, JBJ A.T.O, 4" Reef Octopus, DIY Stand & Canopy, RapidLED Dimmable 36 Kit on 3 6" MakersLED Heatsink, MP10es

01/08/2013, 02:35 AM	#5
BAGGERZ13 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Harford County MD Posts: 331	More frequent water changes is definitely going to benefit you. And since you don't have to pay for it you might as well go ahea and do it. __________________ Tank Setup: RSM 130D Current Tank Info: Red Sea Max 130D

01/08/2013, 02:23 PM	#8
Reefin' Dude Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 739	i detrital removal is the ultimate goal for water changes (which it should be) then just doing a 1% water change daily would work wonders. though this means a system designed for such a purpose. G~ __________________ Friends don't let friends use refugiums. Current Tank Info: Not dead yet.

01/08/2013, 02:24 PM	#9
Reefin' Dude Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 739	ubiquitous double post. __________________ Friends don't let friends use refugiums. Current Tank Info: Not dead yet. Last edited by Reefin' Dude; 01/08/2013 at 02:26 PM. Reason: seeing double.

01/08/2013, 01:41 AM	#2
Painted skin Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 679	Yes it would work in your benefit.

01/08/2013, 02:13 AM	#3
maR1o Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 52	agreed, water changes are a good way to keep you parameters in check.

01/08/2013, 07:57 AM	#6
borderreef Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: east brookfield, ma Posts: 572	I agree with BAGGERZ13. Small, more frequent water changes are very beneficial. I wet skim my 135g, and my ato replaces with fsw. I have to check salinity 3-4 times per week to make sure it doesn't rise above 35ppm, and the salt gets a little expensive, but my tank loves it.

01/08/2013, 10:11 AM	#7
BigAl2007 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Waynesville, NC USA Posts: 1,737	I hate to go against the grain here but it depends on your root reason for wanting to do water changes. If you want to get your levels down quickly then you'd want to do a couple of hefty (and safe) water changes. If you're just looking for a long-term maintenance regimen then frequent/small water changes can be of benefit for long term. One key consideration is to test the NSW to see exactly what you're putting into the tank so you at least have an idea of what you're adding. As mentioned before if the NSW has elevated levels of PO3/PO4 and NO3 then you're up against a wall in trying to lower them while doing frequent/small water changes. If you're up for some light reading here is an excellent article written by a VERY intelligent fellow aquarist and Dr. (Randy Holmes-Farley has forgotten more than most of us well ever know or understand about our boxes of water) http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php Good luck and update this thread to let us know how your test results turn out.

01/10/2013, 12:54 AM	#10
President Evil Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 66	Just an update, I picked up 10 gals of the scripps NSW, and tested it. The ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are at 0. The PH was 8.0 The calcium was a bit low at 340, and the phosphates was at .10 I didn't do a KH test, because I figured since the calcium was low, I was sure the KH was low also. Nothing that some additives couldn't fix.... One question someone asked, was where and how deep is the water pumped from? The water is pumped from the bottom of scripps pier about 300 yards from shore at the opening of a deep water canyon. __________________ 89' 351 whp @ 9 psi 7mgte 550cc, Walbro 400lph, HKS 264 Cams, HKS cam gears, HKS dragger, chrome sawblades.

01/10/2013, 06:28 AM	#11
steve888 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 241	This is exactly how I do my changes and it's worked for more than a year...first in my 14G BioCube and now in my new tank below. I do a small "micro change" every day (1 gallon) that equates to slightly over 20% per week for the entire tank. Some people might say that's a bit much but everything in my tank seems very healthy, all my parameters are good, and I don't have any major issues with algae. __________________ 30G Long, Aqua-C Remora HOB Skimmer, Cobalt Aquatics MJ1200, Vortech MP-10, Koralia 240 GPH, Talbot's Damsel, Forktail Blenny, 2 Skunk Cleaner Shrimps, 2 Snails, 2 Hermits