Gimmito's 450 gal L-shaped tank

[gimmito]

Great conversation regarding water changes. I recently read a post from a fellow hobbyist and FB friend named Dan Riggle. He's been in the hobby for many years and his corals are considered some of the nicest you will find (short of a Jason Fox or Steve Tyree name tied to it). Dan has tried various methods of carbon dosing, probiotics, etc. and has always comes back to water changes. I want to say he has a roughly 200+ gal reef set up that is primarily SPS dominated. He does large weekly water changes (Instant Ocean) and doses alk, cal, & mag accordingly...that's it.

You can checkout his reef in this months Coral Magazine by the way.

 

[sfsuphysics]

I will concede that doing water changes is probably the most effective (assuming you do a significant amount) and easiest way to remove pollutants. Also you mention SPS dominated and that likely goes a long way. In my 125g softie dominated (and I'm talkin the weedy weeds too ) which had only 4 fish in it, I would do water changes maybe a couple times a year.

Overall if you can be active at getting detritus out before it starts breaking down too much that includes cleaning out your sump you just be going one step better and keeping a clean tank.

 

[gimmito]

Water changes a couple times a year ? Boy, you really don't like doing water changes !

Although, I can see getting away with it in a softie tank and a few fish.

 

[BAYMAC]

The sump? Wipe down the sump? Who does that?!!

C'mon there's gotta be other folks that do !

Best TOTM ever:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/7/aquarium

Zero wipe down for the TOTM article :lol:

 

[sfsuphysics]

The sump? Wipe down the sump? Who does that?!!

C'mon there's gotta be other folks that do !

Best TOTM ever:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/7/aquarium

Zero wipe down for the TOTM article :lol:

There's also another nice article in Reef Hobbyist magazine about his tank.
http://www.reefhobbyistmagazine.com/downloads/pdf/version23.pdf
States in this article 20% water change every 2 months.

In my tank I prepare to do about a 20% change every 3-4 weeks, but by the time I get around to actually doing it, it turns into 5-7 weeks

 

[BAYMAC]

I was only pointing out his sump picture, Mike :lol:

 

[gimmito]

...looks like this build thread is well on it's way to 3,000 posts at this rate.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

As I said before, I do 30% (roughly) water change with natural sea water. I add brightwell pH/alkalinity powder for water change amount. I feed a lot.

If possible I would like to (I don't) have a cheatomorpha refugium to be at least 1/2 the size of the display tank for nitrogen compound and phosphorus compound adsorption.

I test nothing
When I did, it made me crazy!

 

[rygh]

As I said before, I do 30% (roughly) water change with natural sea water. I add brightwell pH/alkalinity powder for water change amount. I feed a lot.

If possible I would like to (I don't) have a cheatomorpha refugium to be at least 1/2 the size of the display tank for nitrogen compound and phosphorus compound adsorption.

I test nothing
When I did, it made me crazy!

How often do you do those 30% changes?

 

[gimmito]

I test nothing
When I did, it made me crazy!

...as Shultz would say "I see nathing !"

 

[denzil]

I'm still game to find out if there's a way to do no water changes. However, if it's straightforward science, that's something I can't really disprove... too much.

 

[gimmito]

I'm still game to find out if there's a way to do no water changes. However, if it's straightforward science, that's something I can't really disprove... too much.

Setup a biosphere !

 

[sfsuphysics]

I'm still game to find out if there's a way to do no water changes. However, if it's straightforward science, that's something I can't really disprove... too much.

Well in a simplistic version you have some sort of "pollutants" entering the tank (fish poop for instance) the number of those goes up as time goes on. So to prevent a critical level of them from building up you need to find a way to remove them. Water changes are one way to reduce the total number, you'll never completely remove unless you change out 100% of the water (not advised), there are other ways to remove stuff from your tank too, methods on how to remove each depend upon what needs to be removed, but much like the water change you can never remove them completely (unless you stop the method at which they get into the tank in the first place.. mini corks?) . Water changes are useful because its a universal method that will remove anything.

 

[gimmito]

I'm still game to find out if there's a way to do no water changes. However, if it's straightforward science, that's something I can't really disprove... too much.

...or you can buy a Eco Aqualizer !

 

[BAYMAC]

Nah... we all know those are bogus, so go with

the Hiatt System couple with Marc Weiss products.

http://www.hdltd.com/

If you have ever heard the pitch from the owner of Hiatt, Snake, you'll understand why I posted this in response to the EA, which BTW does have some advocates that you'd be surprised of.

 

[rygh]

I'm still game to find out if there's a way to do no water changes. However, if it's straightforward science, that's something I can't really disprove... too much.

Truly zero changes ever, is probably so impractical as to be nearly impossible.
Too many small nutrients/elements/contaminants that are hard to test / tweak / remove.

But bringing it way down is certainly possible.

Start a water change alternative thread if it is something you want a discussion on. Could be fun.
Note that the alternatives are not always cheaper, easier, or better. Just different.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

Hey I have one of those out back at the bottom of some box! I don't think I eve used it.
But back to the idea of a no water change closed system. If you have a large population of primary consumers ie macro algae to utilize all available nutrients. The problem is people don't want a tank that big and or of that nature to allow for the process to occur. I am not a scientist. My guess is that a ratio of 3:1 refugium to display. And that will be dependent on the species, size, and population size...food requirements and elemental adsorption.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Start a water change alternative thread if it is something you want a discussion on. Could be fun.
Note that the alternatives are not always cheaper, easier, or better. Just different.

Come on if it wasn't for all of this off-topic type stuff Jim would be nowhere close to celebrating his 2000th post!

 

[Kensington Reefer]

We are so well rounded

 

[scuba71]

I'm still game to find out if there's a way to do no water changes. However, if it's straightforward science, that's something I can't really disprove... too much.

Truly zero changes ever, is probably so impractical as to be nearly impossible.
Too many small nutrients/elements/contaminants that are hard to test / tweak / remove.

But bringing it way down is certainly possible.

Start a water change alternative thread if it is something you want a discussion on. Could be fun.
Note that the alternatives are not always cheaper, easier, or better. Just different.

there was a TOTM not long ago on ReefCentral who did not do any water changes for some time, and when asked how did corals not die on him? He said vinegar dosing. I am trying to find the actual thread... but have not been able to. However, here is a similar article on vinegar dosing.

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/116-vinegar-dosing-methodology-for-the-marine-aquarium