Question about the "Berlin Method" and water chang - Aquarium Advice

Abemas · 03-10-2005, 02:51 PM

I was reading the article on this method of tanking care of your tank (on this site) and I saw that they still recommend you do 25% water changes once a month...isn't this sort of going against the "natural" aspect of the method since the [acronym:6f3425dbab="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:6f3425dbab] is doing most of the work anyways? Also, I was under the impression that you just needed to add new freshwater to make up for evaporation with [acronym:6f3425dbab="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym:6f3425dbab] tanks. Am I way off here?

JPloman · 03-10-2005, 02:59 PM

Well... the reason you need to do the water changes is because the water will become toxic. In nature there are tides that constantly moves the water from one part of the ocean to another. You do not get this in your tank.

I basically use this method but I do 25% water changes once a week. This is because I have been fighting cyno and can not risk not having the water changes.

Yes, you need to add freshwater to make up for evaporation.

RMPD109 · 03-10-2005, 03:12 PM

The water changes also help to replenish depleted trace elemnts that are needed in the setup. Most freshly mixed [acronym:f245e6dd02="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym:f245e6dd02] will have all the elements needed to support the tank without dosing.

midiman · 03-10-2005, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Most freshly mixed [acronym:da6312b38a="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym:da6312b38a] will have all the elements needed to support the tank without dosing.

I assume these elements are present in the salt mix, since most of us seem to use [acronym:da6312b38a="Reverse osmosis"]RO[/acronym:da6312b38a]/[acronym:da6312b38a="Deionization"]DI[/acronym:da6312b38a] water.

Also, nitrates may not be 100% removed by [acronym:da6312b38a="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:da6312b38a] and/or macroalgae, so water changes will be necessary to remove them.

Abemas · 03-10-2005, 03:45 PM

So is 25% a month the rule of thumb here? Even for larger tanks?

tmcpeek · 03-10-2005, 03:56 PM

I have a 225 [acronym:6a8a59734f="Fish only with live rock"]FOWLR[/acronym:6a8a59734f] with 30 gallon sump and 40 gallon refugium. I change out 30 gallons every 2 weeks. So I am at 20 % monthly. Seems to work well for me but all tanks are different so [acronym:6a8a59734f="Your Mileage May Vary"]YMMV[/acronym:6a8a59734f]

Abemas · 03-10-2005, 04:04 PM

Wow thats a lot of water to change out! That sounds like a real pain in the butt. Is there an easy way to go about that big of a water change?

Clown Monarch · 03-10-2005, 04:07 PM

My 125 has been running for 9-10 months. I've done 3 small (15-20 gallon) water changes in that time. The only time the tank doesn't look it's healthiest is after a water change.

I may never change water again.

boardsurfer · 03-10-2005, 08:52 PM

Phyl · 03-10-2005, 09:03 PM

I change out 20g every 2w or there abouts so just under 20% every 2w. We have it down to a science. We fill a garbage can with water, salt, power head and heater. Wait 24-48hrs, use said powerhead to move the water out of the tank and into my sink and then use the same power head to move the water out of my garbage can into the tank. Once a month we use a shop vac to clean out the sump while we're changing out water. It takes about 20m, if that.

03-10-2005, 02:51 PM	#1
Abemas Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: MI Posts: 28	Question about the "Berlin Method" and water chang I was reading the article on this method of tanking care of your tank (on this site) and I saw that they still recommend you do 25% water changes once a month...isn't this sort of going against the "natural" aspect of the method since the [acronym:6f3425dbab="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:6f3425dbab] is doing most of the work anyways? Also, I was under the impression that you just needed to add new freshwater to make up for evaporation with [acronym:6f3425dbab="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym:6f3425dbab] tanks. Am I way off here?

03-10-2005, 03:12 PM	#3
RMPD109 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Rocky Mount VA Posts: 923	The water changes also help to replenish depleted trace elemnts that are needed in the setup. Most freshly mixed [acronym:f245e6dd02="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym:f245e6dd02] will have all the elements needed to support the tank without dosing. __________________ Vote for AquariumAdvice 28gal bowfront 40lbs livesand(bag from [acronym="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym]), 30lbs live rock([acronym="Live rock"]LR[/acronym].com) 2 O. Clowns 1 peppermint shrimp, 5 red leg hermit crabs, 4 mexican turbo snails, 15 nassarius snails ricordea mushroom, candy cane coral, super color polyps, hairy mushrooms bubble coral, hawiian feather duster coralife lunar 2x65, HOT magnum canister 10 Gal refugium(chaeto) & seaclone skimmer

03-10-2005, 04:07 PM	#8
Clown Monarch Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Northwest Indiana Posts: 636 Images: 2	My 125 has been running for 9-10 months. I've done 3 small (15-20 gallon) water changes in that time. The only time the tank doesn't look it's healthiest is after a water change. I may never change water again. __________________ We'll be fighting in the streets with our children at our feet, and the morals that they worshipped will be gone. And the men who spurred us on sit in judgment of all wrong, they decide and the shotgun sings the song. 125 [acronym="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym] 80 lb [acronym="Live rock"]LR[/acronym] 330w [acronym="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym] Euphyllia, Alveopora, Pachyclauvularia (Metallic Green and Daisy), Frogspawn, Torch, Gold Nepthea, Kenya Tree, Galaxea, Pulsing Xenia, various leather (umbrella, toadstool, fingers, devil fingers, lettuce) Maroon Clown/White tip LT anemone, Powder Blue Tang, Female Swallow Angel, SixLine Wrasse, Solar Fairy Wrasse, Firefish, Fathead Anthias, Blue Mandarin, 3 Chromis, 3 Green Gobies

03-10-2005, 08:52 PM	#9
boardsurfer Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 473 Images: 12	__________________ 55gal, Coralife Lunar Aqualight 4x65watt, 2 Maxi-Jet 1200's, Aqua C Remora, Penguin 330 dual bio-wheel(no wheels), 110lbs LR. 50lbs Sand & CC. Berlin Method of filtration. 1 Yellow-tailed Damsel, 1 Yellow Coral Banded Shrimp, 4 Peppermint Shrimp, 20+ Blue-legged & Mexican Red-legged hermits, many snails, corals.

03-10-2005, 09:03 PM	#10
Phyl Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 2,107 Images: 30	I change out 20g every 2w or there abouts so just under 20% every 2w. We have it down to a science. We fill a garbage can with water, salt, power head and heater. Wait 24-48hrs, use said powerhead to move the water out of the tank and into my sink and then use the same power head to move the water out of my garbage can into the tank. Once a month we use a shop vac to clean out the sump while we're changing out water. It takes about 20m, if that. __________________ Phyllis Join the NJ Reef Club Today! Saving the world's reefs one living room at a time! Next meeting: Eric Borneman, Dana Riddle, & Charles Mazel on October 25, 2008

03-10-2005, 02:59 PM	#2
JPloman Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Panama City Beach, FL Posts: 546 Images: 7	Well... the reason you need to do the water changes is because the water will become toxic. In nature there are tides that constantly moves the water from one part of the ocean to another. You do not get this in your tank. I basically use this method but I do 25% water changes once a week. This is because I have been fighting cyno and can not risk not having the water changes. Yes, you need to add freshwater to make up for evaporation.

03-10-2005, 03:45 PM	#5
Abemas Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: MI Posts: 28	So is 25% a month the rule of thumb here? Even for larger tanks?

03-10-2005, 03:56 PM	#6
tmcpeek Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: May 2003 Location: California Posts: 414 Images: 13	I have a 225 [acronym:6a8a59734f="Fish only with live rock"]FOWLR[/acronym:6a8a59734f] with 30 gallon sump and 40 gallon refugium. I change out 30 gallons every 2 weeks. So I am at 20 % monthly. Seems to work well for me but all tanks are different so [acronym:6a8a59734f="Your Mileage May Vary"]YMMV[/acronym:6a8a59734f]

03-10-2005, 04:04 PM	#7
Abemas Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: MI Posts: 28	Wow thats a lot of water to change out! That sounds like a real pain in the butt. Is there an easy way to go about that big of a water change?

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