Water change

lee williams · 11/28/2014, 04:48 PM

Hi not sure if posting on rite feed but here goes how often do you all do your water change and do u topup with salt mix or with just RO water ?

fifthtoe · 11/28/2014, 05:04 PM

Water changes vary for each person. Some do weekly, and some do none at all. Whatever works for them. Even if nutrients are low, there are trace elements that get depleted and can usually be replenished from regularly scheduled water changes. I have a medium load with fish and a couple corals and I try to do biweekly changes of about 10%.

Top off should be done with freshwater only. As water evaporates, it leaves all the salt behind. Thus increasing salinity. Just think if you took a pot of saltwater and evaporated all the water off. You would be left behind with a pile of salt. Now add more saltwater to that same pot and evaporate all the water. You'll have basically double the salt you had before. Same concept with our fish tanks.

jennmac415 · 11/28/2014, 05:18 PM

And water "changes" are to be done with freshly made saltwater with matching parameters (temp, SG and PH) to what's in your tank, that has been aerated and heated for 24 hours or so.

hoooop54 · 11/28/2014, 05:19 PM

I do 10% every week. Be sure to top off with RO/DI water.

Teenreefer15 · 11/28/2014, 05:24 PM

20% weekly

Mark Bianco · 11/28/2014, 05:54 PM

I / my Littermetter does 179 tiny water changes a day about 3 gl for a 220 gl tank with 100gl sump.

slief · 11/28/2014, 06:02 PM

I do just under 1% (5 gallons) daily automated water changes on my 600 gallon + system.. Right around 25% a month. I do however have a fairly extensive biological filtration approach which plays a large role in nutrient export despite my reasonably heavy fish load and heavy daily feedings.

As mentioned above, top off needs to be done with fresh water. Ideally RODI water. If you were to top off with salt water, your salinity would continually increase. This is because water evaporates but the salt doesn't. You really don't want to use tap water because has all kinds of stuff (metals, chemicals etc) in it that you don't want in your tank. Not only can it cause algae issues and other problems in the short term but the metals in tap water accumulate over time due to evaporation, top off and new mixed water and can build up to lethal levels for the tanks inhabitants.

DavidinGA · 11/28/2014, 10:32 PM

Maybe two water changes a year.

Topoff is Rodi

lee williams · 11/29/2014, 02:47 AM

Thanks would a fortnight water change be ok for a new tank setup and how long would ro water ans salt mix last for ones made ?

formsix · 11/29/2014, 08:52 AM

We aim to change 10% week, but in practice it ends up being more like 15-20% every two weeks.

If stored in an appropriate container, RODI water should last indefinitely. Many mixed salts are fine for extended periods of time as well. I use Instant Ocean and try to keep a 32g Brute can full of mixing and heated saltwater most of the time. There are some salt brands that contain organic materials that you cannot keep mixed for long periods of time, but for sure Instant Ocean is fine. If you post what you use I'm sure someone can let you know if yours is fine as well.

breadfan · 11/29/2014, 03:17 PM

I change 10 gallons per month on my 25 which is 40%. My new system is 135 gallons total and my plan is to change 40 gallons per month which is about 30%.
I could probably get away with less on the new tank because it has a skimmer and an algae turf scrubber where the 25 has nothing but lots of live rock. Of course topping off is done with R.O. water unless I need to adjust salinity.

11/28/2014, 04:48 PM	#1
lee williams Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 7	Water change Hi not sure if posting on rite feed but here goes how often do you all do your water change and do u topup with salt mix or with just RO water ?

11/28/2014, 05:18 PM	#3
jennmac415 premium member "reefmama" Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 1,903	And water "changes" are to be done with freshly made saltwater with matching parameters (temp, SG and PH) to what's in your tank, that has been aerated and heated for 24 hours or so. __________________ Jenni AKA "Reefmama" Current Tank Info: currently just have a 34 gallon.

11/28/2014, 06:02 PM	#7
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	I do just under 1% (5 gallons) daily automated water changes on my 600 gallon + system.. Right around 25% a month. I do however have a fairly extensive biological filtration approach which plays a large role in nutrient export despite my reasonably heavy fish load and heavy daily feedings. As mentioned above, top off needs to be done with fresh water. Ideally RODI water. If you were to top off with salt water, your salinity would continually increase. This is because water evaporates but the salt doesn't. You really don't want to use tap water because has all kinds of stuff (metals, chemicals etc) in it that you don't want in your tank. Not only can it cause algae issues and other problems in the short term but the metals in tap water accumulate over time due to evaporation, top off and new mixed water and can build up to lethal levels for the tanks inhabitants. __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

11/28/2014, 10:32 PM	#8
DavidinGA Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 2,393	Maybe two water changes a year. Topoff is Rodi __________________ Giant money pit, but it's a happy pit ;) Current tank: 6ft 210gal SPS, 3~eBay led boxes, 4~80w T5's, sro3000int, RW20's, Reef Angel, reactors, pumps, rocks, sand, yadda yadda yadda...

11/28/2014, 05:04 PM	#2
fifthtoe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 274	Water changes vary for each person. Some do weekly, and some do none at all. Whatever works for them. Even if nutrients are low, there are trace elements that get depleted and can usually be replenished from regularly scheduled water changes. I have a medium load with fish and a couple corals and I try to do biweekly changes of about 10%. Top off should be done with freshwater only. As water evaporates, it leaves all the salt behind. Thus increasing salinity. Just think if you took a pot of saltwater and evaporated all the water off. You would be left behind with a pile of salt. Now add more saltwater to that same pot and evaporate all the water. You'll have basically double the salt you had before. Same concept with our fish tanks.

11/28/2014, 05:19 PM	#4
hoooop54 reefin up north Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Minnetonka Posts: 246	I do 10% every week. Be sure to top off with RO/DI water.

11/28/2014, 05:24 PM	#5
Teenreefer15 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: New Jersey Posts: 479	20% weekly

11/28/2014, 05:54 PM	#6
Mark Bianco In Memoriam Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Infinity and Beyond Posts: 2,445	I / my Littermetter does 179 tiny water changes a day about 3 gl for a 220 gl tank with 100gl sump.

11/29/2014, 02:47 AM	#9
lee williams Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 7	Thanks would a fortnight water change be ok for a new tank setup and how long would ro water ans salt mix last for ones made ?

11/29/2014, 08:52 AM	#10
formsix Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: St Louis, MO Posts: 341	We aim to change 10% week, but in practice it ends up being more like 15-20% every two weeks. If stored in an appropriate container, RODI water should last indefinitely. Many mixed salts are fine for extended periods of time as well. I use Instant Ocean and try to keep a 32g Brute can full of mixing and heated saltwater most of the time. There are some salt brands that contain organic materials that you cannot keep mixed for long periods of time, but for sure Instant Ocean is fine. If you post what you use I'm sure someone can let you know if yours is fine as well.

11/29/2014, 03:17 PM	#11
breadfan Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 77	I change 10 gallons per month on my 25 which is 40%. My new system is 135 gallons total and my plan is to change 40 gallons per month which is about 30%. I could probably get away with less on the new tank because it has a skimmer and an algae turf scrubber where the 25 has nothing but lots of live rock. Of course topping off is done with R.O. water unless I need to adjust salinity.