Water Changes?

[Gauge]

I keep hearing people talk about tanks in which they do not have to do water changes. What does this require?

My tank is a 42 gallon hex tank with about a 2" live sand bed and about 15-20 pounts of rock. I have a CPR Backpack 2 filter. Should my tank be able to process ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates entirely without water changes?

 

[Alf]

Should my tank be able to process ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates entirely without water changes?

Yes But with out water changes you will need to dose additives all the time for essential elements. I choose water changes. Lees expensive and keeps the tank from becomeing chemicaly dependent. JMO

 

[Gauge]

What kind of additives are you talking about? I, too, would probably choose water changes, but I'm curious. Just wanting to know how it all works.

 

[reefrunner69]

If your going with a reef...You would need to dose CA, buffer for ALK and PH, you would probably also want to dose Iodine, Magnesium, Strontium, and a few others, here is the thing though, for each of those additives...you would also need a test kit for each. You should not add any additive to your tank that you do not test for, some necessary trace elements are very harmfull if dosed above NSW levels

As far as waterchanges...here is a link with some useful info on minumizing the work involved in a waterchange.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=450&highlight=waterchange