Is the recommended water change percentage outdated now that we have better filtration?

[A_Blind_Reefer]

What is it with this hobby and everyone trying to avoid doing water changes?

I can't count the amount of tank crashes that the owner did 1 of two things - no water changes (everything was great) or no water changes then something changed and did an immediate huge water change.

When you start getting notices from the water company that you will start being penalized if you don’t cut your water usage, you start looking at what you can do. It’s not out of a hey let’s jump on the hype train, but more of a responsibility factor. I’ve been in the hobby a very long time. I’ve always done water changes, that’s just what you do. When you take the time to make it fully automated you don’t even think about it.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Pretty much what I am trying to get at. If one is performing the gold standard water change schedule and is sending in samples periodically for ICP with no possibly toxic buildup. Would it be practical to reduce the water change schedule (not necessarily stop it altogether)?

If "everything is going great" why would you change your routine?

 

[LIreefguy]

I have a big system. So doing 100 gallon water changes weekly is a lot of work
When ever I stretch it to 2 weeks with a few months this sps or that spa will die

so I can’t say in everyone case because each tank has a million little differences but for me weekly water changes are worth it

 

[MnFish1]

Another question that has been beat to death over the years, I know….but I haven’t really heard of it keeping up with the times. In previous tanks (pre Rollermat) I was religious about my water change percentages (I started with 10% weekly manually and graduated to 1% a day when I setup my first auto water change system). Now that I’m a few years into my newest tank, I’m contemplating the whole 1% per day auto water change. It’s a high flow, bare bottom, with a Rollermat, skimmer and uv. I never before ran a Rollermat or uv. I’m having to dose nitrate and phosphate daily to keep them in check. I’ve never had to dose those in previous tanks. I know there’s methods of not changing water and adding elements as needed, but that’s not really what I’m getting at. Although, I am having to add in potassium, iodine, and strontium every few months or so. Ruling out element replenishment as a basis for water changes, which at 1% daily/10% weekly/20% bi-weekly really wouldn’t keep up anyway. Is that old tried and true standard outdated with the newer types of filtration available? Is it time to start thinking about cutting that number in half (full well knowing that some additives will be needed to be dosed)? Are we realistically headed towards zero water changes across the board, and not just on the fringe with triton or moonshiners? Anyway, I’m just thinking (a first for me) that I’m just wasting a lot of water for no reason other than it was once written in stone.

IMHO - there is no 'right answer'. It is individual preference, depends on what 'stuff' you're keeping in your tank, what you feed, your stocking density etc etc etc.

My philosophy - is that they are easy to do, do a better job at preventing accumulation of unmeasurable chemicals in the tank overall.

As to the 'recommended percentage' - thats also all over the map.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

If "everything is going great" why would you change your routine?

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. I know. Here in the desert southwest, water restrictions have already started in some areas. If your forced to cut 10% from your previous years usage (or be penalized) you look to what you can trim back. Landscaping, by far, is my biggest usage but I’m already pretty much all low demand, native landscaping with a smart controller. Nothing I can really cut there, except the small patch of grass I have for the dogs, but they love that. I could dip my toothbrush in the toilet to brush my teeth or not shower. I know I can’t be the only reefer facing water restrictions now or in the near future. The thinking was, hey im already dosing a bunch of stuff and I don’t have anything nasty in the water so why not cut my water change schedule in half? I think we probably need to start having this conversation as more and more of us get hit with these restrictions.

 

[Chrisv.]

That’s what gets me thinking….with all the technology out there shouldn’t it be more widely accepted that water is becoming a bit more scarce and keeping water changes to minimum, if it could be done with great success, become the norm?

Most water changes use less water than a shower. There are many ways to save water that I would employ before cutting water changes. But by all means, you do you. For the folks out there who don't believe water changes help...great! I think I will keep up with mine the best I can. In my tank they make a big difference.

 

[BanjoBandito]

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. I know. Here in the desert southwest, water restrictions have already started in some areas. If your forced to cut 10% from your previous years usage (or be penalized) you look to what you can trim back. Landscaping, by far, is my biggest usage but I’m already pretty much all low demand, native landscaping with a smart controller. Nothing I can really cut there, except the small patch of grass I have for the dogs, but they love that. I could dip my toothbrush in the toilet to brush my teeth or not shower. I know I can’t be the only reefer facing water restrictions now or in the near future. The thinking was, hey im already dosing a bunch of stuff and I don’t have anything nasty in the water so why not cut my water change schedule in half? I think we probably need to start having this conversation as more and more of us get hit with these restrictions.

I guess I'm lucky I live in western PA. It rains nearly every day out here. Most of us are river rats at birth, dipped in the Allegheny like achillies to gain our scales of war. lol.

IF....IF....I was exploring a reduction of water changes, I would do it slowly. So if you are changing 20% every week, then I would go to 15% a week and do that for a couple months....then go to 10%......or maybe 20% every two weeks, then do that for a couple months, then go to 15% every two weeks, etc. Whatever your schedule is I would try to elongate it over time. I wouldn't just immediately change the schedule. You could do the same thing with # of days....so instead of a week go to every 8 days, do that for awhile, then go to 9, etc. whatever it is be consistent and thoughtful. Go slow. Watch for changes.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Most water changes use less water than a shower. There are many ways to save water that I would employ before cutting water changes. But by all means, you do you. For the folks out there who don't believe water changes help...great! I think I will keep up with mine the best I can. In my tank they make a big difference.

True the water change volume is minuscule….but if you add up the rodi waste the volume is considerably more. I guess I could recover the rodi waste and figure how to use that for something….

 

[Garf]

There's a lot going on in reef systems we can't test for. When looking at the problems labile DOC can cause, especially the Dissolved Combined Neutral Surgars (DCNS) which isn't removed by GAC or skimmers I don't see how the health of a system can be maintained for the expected life span of the corals and inverts without water changes. And for FWIW, coloration and growth can't be used as indicators of healthy corals.

I grew some slime from the exudates of algae, lol;

B.S. - Page 2

Todays the day I start my Bacterial Scrubber. Gonna be simple to get experiment going; 1) clean skimmer and pump with HCL. 2) rough up screen in form it into a cylinder, to go neatly into the skimmer body. Perhaps heat it to form shape. 3) fix my air pump to the DIY co2 generator and feed...

algaescrubber.net

 

[fish farmer]

True the water change volume is minuscule….but if you add up the rodi waste the volume is considerably more. I guess I could recover the rodi waste and figure how to use that for something….

I do that now, send it to washing machine or for watering plants and I'm in the water heavy north east.

I knew I guy who used to live somewhat off the grid....he liked his Navy showers.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

True but I think it is doing great as it is

I do not doubt that conclusion.

 

[rtparty]

When I stopped the routine water change game, it was cold turkey. Did a 10% water change, sent off an ICP, and started correcting things after I got the results back. Did another water change 3 months later because "that's what you do" and then didn't perform another water change for 9 months. With that water change I cleaned the sump and changed about 5% of my water.

After each water change, nothing magical happened. My tank didn't look better or worse. Corals didn't start growing at a faster rate. Nothing happened. The tank just chugged along growing coral faster than I could get my new tank setup to transfer everything over. Frag racks were over run and corals completely encrusted and grew new skeleton right to the acrylic.

Not a single coral has died in my transfer and many SPS were growing within a week under just a couple blue XHO bars. They are exploding with growth with the halides going now. Zero water changes and the tank is almost 6 weeks old.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Pretty much what I am trying to get at. If one is performing the gold standard water change schedule and is sending in samples periodically for ICP with no possibly toxic buildup. Would it be practical to reduce the water change schedule (not necessarily stop it altogether)?

ICP only addresses inorganic elements, not organic toxins such as are known to be made by many marine organisms we keep.

in any case, it is clear you can have a great tank with or without water changes. The other husbandry methods required may be somewhat different, and there is no evidence which way is best for any given assortment of organisms.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I do that now, send it to washing machine or for watering plants and I'm in the water heavy north east.

I knew I guy who used to live somewhat off the grid....he liked his Navy showers.

Great idea. I’d have to work some magic to do that with a front load washer but I’m sure it can be done

 

[mindme]

Probably not. My tanks look noticeably better for the week or two after a wc. Do yours?

Mine does not, mine looks like it was just off a water change 24/7.

My theory on why people notice their tank looks happy after a water change is because for a short time period the water has all the trace elements the corals wants in it. After they get used up, which is pretty quick, the corals go back to their previous state.

With those trace elements your tank is "awake", and soon as they run out, your tank goes back to sleep.

When you do water changes, you are only replenishing 20% of the trace elements in your water. And that is only the ones the salt mix happens to have.

Thus I dose trace elements full time and I get that "fresh" look 24/7. Unless I do a water change, which screws up my parameters.

 

[MnFish1]

Mine does not, mine looks like it was just off a water change 24/7.

My theory on why people notice their tank looks happy after a water change is because for a short time period the water has all the trace elements the corals wants in it. After they get used up, which is pretty quick, the corals go back to their previous state.

With those trace elements your tank is "awake", and soon as they run out, your tank goes back to sleep.

When you do water changes, you are only replenishing 20% of the trace elements in your water. And that is only the ones the salt mix happens to have.

Thus I dose trace elements full time and I get that "fresh" look 24/7. Unless I do a water change, which screws up my parameters.

I never dose trace elements. I figure most of what the coral etc 'need' is in the varied diet they are fed. Lots of people 'think' (might be confirmation bias) - that in FOWLR tanks - that the fish do better after a water change. I'm not sure I've noticed that.

If I ever decide to do things differently - I would change a small amount of water daily automatically - just no way to do that with where the tank is.

 

[gbroadbridge]

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. I know. Here in the desert southwest, water restrictions have already started in some areas. If your forced to cut 10% from your previous years usage (or be penalized) you look to what you can trim back.

Do they send you to jail, or cut how much food you can buy, or just charge you more?

Pretty sure it's probably just a bit more on the water bill And that is just a small part of the cost of the hobby.

I'm certain that in most households, the amount of water used for an aquarium is dwarfed by the amount used by washing and cooking. And leaky pipes and taps.

I'm not sure it should form part of an argument/discussion for/against water changes.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Mine does not, mine looks like it was just off a water change 24/7.

My theory on why people notice their tank looks happy after a water change is because for a short time period the water has all the trace elements the corals wants in it. After they get used up, which is pretty quick, the corals go back to their previous state.

Do you have a list of "all" the trace elements a marine ecosystem requires Long term?

 

[Garf]

Do you have a list of "all" the trace elements a marine ecosystem requires Long term?

Lol, there is so much that is not known, and maybe unknowable to our tiny human brains.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Do they send you to jail, or cut how much food you can buy, or just charge you more?

Pretty sure it's probably just a bit more on the water bill And that is just a small part of the cost of the hobby.

I'm certain that in most households, the amount of water used for an aquarium is dwarfed by the amount used by washing and cooking. And leaky pipes and taps.

I'm not sure it should form part of an argument/discussion for/against water changes.

No not jail. Fines which for one of my old neighbors in California started at $500, after the first warning, then it escalated to them installing a flow restrictor before the water meter. Now the flow restrictor doesn’t stop him from using too much water, but it severely reduces the flow rate so as to make it so his sprinklers no longer work. He has just now removed all his grass and gone with low demand landscaping on a drip irrigation system and is still over on his usage. I know everything else in the house uses water. I think my rodi wastes a lot more than I realize.