Water Changes and Evaporation

[Mikeinthekeys]

Water Changes and Evaporation


I see all these people posting about how much water changes they do, some will change as much as 25%/week or more! But most often than not it is a lower percentage than that on a regular monthly basis. I just see this as a major hassle, nutrients being flushed down the drain, and just a plain waste of water! Performing frequent water changes does have advantages such as cleaner, clearer water, but you must weigh that with the amount of maintenance you are willing to put in and how clear you want your tank. Besides, all those filter feeders need to eat too! I just wanted to answer some questions such as:


Q: Do you really need to do water changes?

A: NO it is not necessary to perform frequent water changes In a mature fish tank. I recommend changing water only when water clarity starts to diminish to an undesirable level.


Q: How often should you perform water changes?

A: Once a year is how often I change about 20% of my water. But you can change it as often as you like!


Q: What type of water do I use?

A: This is where you come in! Reply to this post and tell us where you get your water for water

changes and how you prep it for entry. I am lucky enough to live near the ocean so I just use fresh seawater. The only thing I need to do sometimes is add fresh water with ammonia remover and chlorine remover because the salinity is high.


Q: My tank loses water due to evaporation. Is it good to just top it off with water?

A: Yes, so long as the water has the same parameters as the water in the tank, or will balance out to the proper levels you are trying to achieve.


Thanks for reading! Please respond with what kind of water you use for your water changes and top offs or if you have any questions or comments for me!

 

[Ty Hamatake]

I think all of these answers are anecdotal and differ from person to person. Water changes serve far more purposes than to just add clean water...

Q1. For anyone that isn't dosing, water changes are absolutely necessary. Also, for those that don't have a skimmer or other minimalists (in the biological filtration department) water changes is the only form of reliable nutrient export.

Q2. Again if you aren't dosing, weekly is just fine. I'd like to see a tank's parameters after even a month or two of no water changes and no dosing. Even a relatively low demand tank will eventually utilize major and trace elements below acceptable levels.

Q3. RO/DI and a good salt mix.

Q4. I think the majority tops off with plain freshwater/saturated limewater. Personally I use saturated limewater (so my top off water has nowhere near the same paramters as my tank).

 

[moseley75]

I change 10% weekly with RO/DI water and Aquaforest reef salt. I use clear RO/DI water in my ato reservoir.

 

[Mikeinthekeys]

I think all of these answers are anecdotal and differ from person to person. Water changes serve far more purposes than to just add clean water...

Q1. For anyone that isn't dosing, water changes are absolutely necessary. Also, for those that don't have a skimmer or other minimalists (in the biological filtration department) water changes is the only form of reliable nutrient export.

Q2. Again if you aren't dosing, weekly is just fine. I'd like to see a tank's parameters after even a month or two of no water changes and no dosing. Even a relatively low demand tank will eventually utilize major and trace elements below acceptable levels.

Q3. RO/DI and a good salt mix.

Q4. I think the majority tops off with plain freshwater/saturated limewater. Personally I use saturated limewater (so my top off water has nowhere near the same paramters as my tank).

Thanks Ty! You are absolutely right. Every tank is different and has different nutrient needs. What are you dosing? And how often?

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Thanks Ty! You are absolutely right. Every tank is different and has different nutrient needs. What are you dosing? And how often?

Kalkwasser in my top off water, aminos daily, and some red sea coral colors every once in a while. I stretch my water changes out to once every three to four weeks or I wouldn't bother with dosing the trace. I would like to eventually do away with water changes, but that would require dosers and I have no space or money for dosers at the moment!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I just see this as a major hassle, nutrients being flushed down the drain, and just a plain waste of water! Performing frequent water changes does have advantages such as cleaner, clearer water, but you must weigh that with the amount of maintenance you are willing to put in and how clear you want your tank.

Automatic water changes take almost no effort. I spent less than 5 minutes a month to change 1% daily, spread out over every day and night.

Q: My tank loses water due to evaporation. Is it good to just top it off with water?

A: Yes, so long as the water has the same parameters as the water in the tank, or will balance out to the proper levels you are trying to achieve.
!

The top off water should not have any parameters matching the tank. It should be pure, fresh water.

 

[Water Dog]

Yeah, only top off with pure water. "Parameters" don't evaporate, only water does.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

The common knowledge regarding water quality management across many industries is "dilution is the solution". Personally, I do 8-10% weekly and I've never had a tank crash in over ten years of reef keeping. I keep a brute trash can full of 0 TDS RO/DI water in the garage, mix what saltwater I need and let if circulate for 24 hours. A water change only takes about 10 minutes a week.
Think about this: a protein skimmer only removes approx. 20-40% of dissolved organic compounds from our water. So you're left with 60-80%. I agree with "whatever works for you" approach and am not into strict reefing dogma but I completely disagree that you can state with authority and like it's a fact that "NO it is not necessary to perform frequent water changes In a mature fish tank. I recommend changing water only when water clarity starts to diminish to an undesirable level." I will point out you say "fish tank" and not coral reef tank but this post was made in the coral reef discussion forum. Most reefers I've been around use good quality carbon in a fluidized reactor to effectively and efficiently improve clarity and remove discoloration.

 

[Mikeinthekeys]

Automatic water changes take almost no effort. I spent less than 5 minutes a month to change 1% daily, spread out over every day and night.



The top off water should not have any parameters matching the tank. It should be pure, fresh water.

Thanks Randy,
Thanks for clarifying. What kind of equipment do you use to do your water changes so effortlessly?

My about yearly water changes consist of 2 - 5 gallon buckets, a siphon hose, and a boat trip. Truly a journey that I could not see myself doing every week or even month. My tank is restrained by space and a budget, so that is why I do my water changes this way.

 

[Mikeinthekeys]

The common knowledge regarding water quality management across many industries is "dilution is the solution". Personally, I do 8-10% weekly and I've never had a tank crash in over ten years of reef keeping. I keep a brute trash can full of 0 TDS RO/DI water in the garage, mix what saltwater I need and let if circulate for 24 hours. A water change only takes about 10 minutes a week.
Think about this: a protein skimmer only removes approx. 20-40% of dissolved organic compounds from our water. So you're left with 60-80%. I agree with "whatever works for you" approach and am not into strict reefing dogma but I completely disagree that you can state with authority and like it's a fact that "NO it is not necessary to perform frequent water changes In a mature fish tank. I recommend changing water only when water clarity starts to diminish to an undesirable level." I will point out you say "fish tank" and not coral reef tank but this post was made in the coral reef discussion forum. Most reefers I've been around use good quality carbon in a fluidized reactor to effectively and efficiently improve clarity and remove discoloration.

Thank you for pointing that out BouncingSoul, I guess I am posting in the wrong boards. I just recently started keeping corals after having a saltwater FISH tank for 6 years that has never had a water change, just good filtration, and water top offs every now and then. I can not say the same for coral tanks since I do not have the experience as some of you.

 

[Water Dog]

As you progress in the reefkeeping hobby, you will learn that consistency and stability are key. That is why I really took notice on your 2 water top off comments. Doing water top offs every now and again will not cut it. Most of us use ATOs (Automatic Top Off systems) to consistently provide fresh RODI water as display tank water evaporates. Failure to do so will lead to salinity fluctuations that may be borderline tolerable for fish, but not so much for the sensitive corals we keep.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks Randy,
Thanks for clarifying. What kind of equipment do you use to do your water changes so effortlessly?

My about yearly water changes consist of 2 - 5 gallon buckets, a siphon hose, and a boat trip. Truly a journey that I could not see myself doing every week or even month. My tank is restrained by space and a budget, so that is why I do my water changes this way.

A two head Reef Filler pump on a timer, and a reservoir of two 44 gallon Brute cans plumbed together. So I make 88 gallons of new salt water at a time. The Reef Filler is noisy (in my case I like that as I can tell it is working without going to that part of the basement) so is best suited for a garage or basement, but there are many quiet peristaltic pumps available, which might be better choices for many folks.

 

[Atif]

I do my water change every 3months 10%. sayfin sand and clean the sumb chambers. Every thing is going fine and stable....

 

[enveetie]

The Earth doesn't do water changes, why should we?

BTW, OP, gonna need to see a pic of that tank. I'm just going to say for the record that a post like this is very dangerous and expensive for new reefers to read. There are so many variables regarding what is appropriate and your post sounds very one-size-fits-all. If your tank inhabitants can be summed up in your avatar icon, then you should edit your post that its all YOU need to do to be successful based on your definition of success.

 

[Sealion]

We change 30% every 2 weeks. Since getting into this routine the corals are much happier. It's also a way for me to keep an eye on the tank as a whole to see how it's doing.

 

[Mikeinthekeys]

The Earth doesn't do water changes, why should we?

BTW, OP, gonna need to see a pic of that tank. I'm just going to say for the record that a post like this is very dangerous and expensive for new reefers to read. There are so many variables regarding what is appropriate and your post sounds very one-size-fits-all. If your tank inhabitants can be summed up in your avatar icon, then you should edit your post that its all YOU need to do to be successful based on your definition of success.

Nice, the earth sure doesn't do water changes. Also I feel bad for the people that actually believe everything they read on the internet. Look, every tank is different, each is its own little environment, what one guy says for his tank may not necessarily true for another guys tank. I have pics posted in another post, I will post pictures of updated growth every now and then.

 

[LuisJr80]

So I am new this hobby…I have a 16 gal Biocube and do not have an ATO. I understand that you should only add RODI water back in. Should one turn off the pump system when topping off of the chamber or just add right in with the pump on?

Also, which nano ATO do you guys suggest?

 

[Aqua Man]

Should one turn off the pump system when topping off of the chamber or just add right in with the pump on?

I always leave pumps on to mix the fresh in with the existing salt water, slowly.

Top off is done once a day by me, I have no advice for nano top off. Although I’ve been considering one that is gravity fed.

 

[Glammers]

So I am new this hobby…I have a 16 gal Biocube and do not have an ATO. I understand that you should only add RODI water back in. Should one turn off the pump system when topping off of the chamber or just add right in with the pump on?

Also, which nano ATO do you guys suggest?

That is correct, you should only be adding pure water. For my Waterbox 25 I just top it off twice a day, one in the morning and one at night, leave your pumps on while doing this. I have used ATO in the past but haven't purchased one yet for this tank.

I used the Tunze 3155 in the past and it seemed pretty bulletproof. I will likely purchase this one again when the time comes.