H2O Changes

[jlneng]

Hi all,
What is the largest water change that anyone would recomend for a 125G reef with LPS, mushrooms, and zoas, and a few fish, snails, and crabs? I have been doing 32G and having no problems but was curious if changing this much water at a time is risky or if I could go bigger. I use RO/DI water mixed with reef crystals in a garbage can with a MAG 12 for recirc and pump out an a 250W heater. I circulate and heat same for 24 hours before I change the tank water.As a side note, I tried some of the Nutri-Zone seawater marketed in the 4.4G cartons. It did not agree with my corals and my nitrates shot up. My Zoanthids closed up immediately, and my leathers and toadstools acted similiarly.Was wondering if anyone had better luck with the product. Everything returned back to normal after subsequent H20 changes with RO/DI-IO salt mixed water.

 

[Anonymous]

I would stick with the RO/DI water chages. The size you are doing should not ba an issue. The size of the water chage is not that big a deal as long as you match the parameters.

 

[Rob Top]

Match the parameters and go for it. What you don't say is how often you are doing the water change. IMO the frequency is more important than the amount. Of course there are degrees with this as there is with anything. I try to do 10% weekly, my corals love it and since I have started doing this I have seen better color, poylp extention and growth.

 

[Anonymous]

I do 15% or so around once a week, depending on my test results. Sometimes I have gone 2 weeks, sometimes twice in a week.

I think it totally depends on visually inspecting the health of your creatures (fish breathing well, corals extended etc...), testing the basics (pH, trates, alk, calc...) and just knowing how your tank gets along.

If everything is looking good in your tank right now, dont change what you are doing!

 

[Anonymous]

If everything is looking good in your tank right now, dont change what you are doing!

That's such good advice I thought it needed repeating!