Water change schedule

[SheldonC]

Not necessarily a newbie to saltwater, but a newbie to having a larger system (80 gallon Red Sea Reefer 300) - I had originally planned to do 10% water changes every two weeks on the volume of the tank (about 70 gallons after you factor in rock, stuff in the sump, and the tank not being filled to the brim) but since my tank is on the second floor and no easy way to run a hose to and from, I was wondering if a 5% weekly water change was equally as effective? That way I could do the water change in a 5 gallon bucket and significantly simplify my life.

This might be something of "any water change is better than no water change", but would love to get the input of people much smarter and more seasoned than I.

 

[CasperOe]

Ideally, I would tell you to do 10% every week especially on a new tank, but there's no right or wrong here, you will have to tailor your water change schedule to your tank!

How often are you testing your water parameters- and what are you testing for? By staying in tune with your tank, you know better "what you can get away with" and how your tank reacts when you change stuff..

When I sat up my large system at first (120 gallon water volume), I chanced 12 gallons every week, religiously. About a year in, I reduced that to half and upped my testing regime a little.

Now I am two years in, running a full Triton-style setup with a large, well lit refugium. This keeps my nutrients in check very, very well - I have to dose nitrate and phosphate now. I do a 10% water change every month now with intentions of cutting them out completely before summer.

One thing to keep in mind is that water change is not the most effective way to manage "the bad stuff" in your tank water. When you change 10%, 90% still remains.

It really comes down to tailoring your filtration system ie. your output to match the input of nutrition (food for simplicity).

- - - - - -

For simplicity, have you considered whether you can set up any sort of automation? Something what will save you the hassle of carrying buckets up and down?

If I have learned anything about myself as a reefer; I am lazy! If it's not easy, I won't get it done! So my water changes for all four tanks in the house is now automated! Best thing I ever did..

 

[SheldonC]

Ideally, I would tell you to do 10% every week especially on a new tank, but there's no right or wrong here, you will have to tailor your water change schedule to your tank!

How often are you testing your water parameters- and what are you testing for? By staying in tune with your tank, you know better "what you can get away with" and how your tank reacts when you change stuff..

When I sat up my large system at first (120 gallon water volume), I chanced 12 gallons every week, religiously. About a year in, I reduced that to half and upped my testing regime a little.

Now I am two years in, running a full Triton-style setup with a large, well lit refugium. This keeps my nutrients in check very, very well - I have to dose nitrate and phosphate now. I do a 10% water change every month now with intentions of cutting them out completely before summer.

One thing to keep in mind is that water change is not the most effective way to manage "the bad stuff" in your tank water. When you change 10%, 90% still remains.

It really comes down to tailoring your filtration system ie. your output to match the input of nutrition (food for simplicity).

- - - - - -

For simplicity, have you considered whether you can set up any sort of automation? Something what will save you the hassle of carrying buckets up and down?

If I have learned anything about myself as a reefer; I am lazy! If it's not easy, I won't get it done! So my water changes for all four tanks in the house is now automated! Best thing I ever did..

I've very much looked into doing an automated system, but I'm limited by the distance between the furnace room and where the tank is. It's about 12' up, and about 20' horizontally. Sure, I could do it, but it's not as easy as whipping together a Neptune DOS schedule, but that would be the dream.

As for testing, the tank is still cycling and sitting dark, so I haven't tested at all aside from ammonia and nitrate. Once the lights come on and corals go in, I plan to test weekly using Hanna for a while to see where everything sits. Ideally I could do "no water changes" because of my planned fuge to take out my nitrates and then just dose elements I need, but I'm not sure that's actually viable.

 

[CasperOe]

I've very much looked into doing an automated system, but I'm limited by the distance between the furnace room and where the tank is. It's about 12' up, and about 20' horizontally. Sure, I could do it, but it's not as easy as whipping together a Neptune DOS schedule, but that would be the dream.

As for testing, the tank is still cycling and sitting dark, so I haven't tested at all aside from ammonia and nitrate. Once the lights come on and corals go in, I plan to test weekly using Hanna for a while to see where everything sits. Ideally I could do "no water changes" because of my planned fuge to take out my nitrates and then just dose elements I need, but I'm not sure that's actually viable.

I'd start with the "recommended 10% every week" until learning the specific needs of your tank considering your maintenance routines and feeding habbits

At this stage though, i'd say it's too soon to plan on where you can "cut corners" if you haven't started yet.. Get to know your new tank first! And after all, 7 gallons a week isn't really that much! Two buckets at most (depending on the size of bucket )


As for the AWC, minus the holes you'd have to drill and the equipment you'd need to buy, it is exactly that easy ie. whipping up a DOS schedule That's what I use from one end of the house to the other.