How often do i do water change?

[raylo3289]

Hi everyone,
I have my reef tank for almost 2 years and recently I'd ask myself if I'm doing everything correct regarding water change. 110 gal total water vol, I started with 5 gal change weekly, then my nitrate stay at 25 ppm. Then last 3 months I started to 15 gal weekly and
my nitrate went to and stay at 5 ppm. Then the question came in to me is that am I pulling a lot of good nutrient and good bacteria out of the tank? What is the best way to do this? 15 gal every 2 weeks? Or 15 gal weekly? Or 10 gal every 2 weeks? Please help!! Thanks!

 

[Fishguy2727]

You are not pulling good stuff out. Effectively all bacteria are ON rocks, sand, etc. If you are using a high quality salt you are actually adding all the important trace elements that are needed.

I usually suggest 10% weekly, more frequently (not larger) if there are ANY issues (extra nitrate or phosphate, algae, stressed fish, anything). Water changes are all that are needed to prevent and treat most problems.

What salt are you using? What water (tap, RO, what)?

 

[carey]

I do a 20g pwc weekly on my 125g reef. I do more like 30% on my freshwater tanks.

i was doing 15g a week on my 55g reef and was keeping nitrates at 0. I was also using a canister filter too, so it's all about maintenance.

 

[Dary421]

Monday morning is my tank maintenance day,..and I do a 15-20 gal wc on my 75 gal

 

[amdninjaboy]

I do 10 gals every 2 weeks.. No problems so far, and nitrates stay at 0, I also have cheato in my sump to help with the nitrates

 

[raylo3289]

DD PRO PLUS is the brand. Btw thank you so much for replying. Do you guy also siphon the sandbed as well? Also I'm planning to add a hang on refugium, do I need to disconnect the refugium to do water change or leave it running?

 

[raylo3289]

RO DI water

 

[Ricksreef]

I do things a little different.I have a 75 gallon with 20 gallon sump.Total actual water volume after rock and equipment displacement is 70 gallons.
I do a 35 gallon water change once a month.But I am draining out of the DT while pumping into the sump from my barrel out in the garage.So it is not an actual 50% change per say. My Overflow drains through a home made container with a layer of filter floss,two media bags of carbon and another layer of filter floss,and the 300 gallon Marineland pro series in sump protein skimmer,plus uv sterilizer.My water is always clear other than normal bubbles from livestock etc.
I have a 165 lbs of live rock in my display tank.I always have o nitrate and phosphate readings.I do test calcium and ph weekly and supplement as needed.
This works great for me with the least amount of work.I do have to add some RO/DI top off daily due to MH's.

You have to see what works best for you and your tank.

 

[raylo3289]

Thx Rick, I wish I know what's best and I thought I was doing everything right. It's been a while most of my acro are RTN, fishes keep disappearing. But all the monti, softies, etc... are doing great. Everything else is at 0. Salt is a 1.025, ph range from 7.9 to 8.1.

 

[Ricksreef]

Thx Rick, I wish I know what's best and I thought I was doing everything right. It's been a while most of my acro are RTN, fishes keep disappearing. But all the monti, softies, etc... are doing great. Everything else is at 0. Salt is a 1.025, ph range from 7.9 to 8.1.

RTN?
What is your calcium at?Also what fish in your tank?

 

[raylo3289]

440. Right now only 1 six line wrasse

 

[Ricksreef]

440. Right now only 1 six line wrasse

How many fish have disappeared?Did you ever see any remains?Sounds like you may have gotten a bad hitchhiker.

 

[raylo3289]

No fish remain at all! But do have a strong clean up crews, consist of 12 snail that stay under the sand bed, 50 drawf blue legs hermit and 20 turbo. In term of hitch hiker having seen anything yet. ( btw how do u trap it)

 

[Ricksreef]

No fish remain at all! But do have a strong clean up crews, consist of 12 snail that stay under the sand bed, 50 drawf blue legs hermit and 20 turbo. In term of hitch hiker having seen anything yet. ( btw how do u trap it)

I will try to explain it,but you might be better off searching aquarium bottle trap on the Internet or YouTube.
Take a soda bottle and cut it around where it starts to narrow to the top.Them reverse the cutoff part and insert it back into the bottle.attach some bait like a piece of shrimp to a pc of rubble rock with a rubber band and put it in the bottle.I always cut a small hole in the bottle and tie some fish line to it so I can easily pull the bottle out of the tank.The idea is the crab or whatever will go through the small opening of the bottle cap to get the food but will have a hard time getting back out.The problem is most of your cleanup crew will go in there
to.
I would try to eyeball whatever it is at night when all the lights have been out for awhile,if you have a small flashlight that you can cover the lens with some red cloth or plastic it wouldn't spook the inhabits as much.

How you ever heard any click or popping sounds at night from the aquarium?Worse case you could have a mantis shrimp but it probably is just a bad crab.

All this assumes you have something like that.I don't know of any other reason why just your fish are apparently dying and not your inverts to.

Hopefully you will receive some other ideas from the experienced members on the forum.

 

[tnice17]

i do 5 gal a week on my 20gal, so thats 20%.

when i clean my canister, it takes another 1.5 gal so i normally do 50% every 2 weeks.

nitrates are 5-20

.

IMO i would just change 10% weekly. if your nitrates stay low than i would say you can prolong your PWC. but im far from an expert so someone correct me if im wrong

 

[raylo3289]

Thx Rick, thank you for the great info. sorry I'd been busy.