Changes water: are you for or against?
We sit there and mix a batch of salt water for our new 120 gallon tank. Nothing catastrophic happened, our last icp test went fine... But our team intends to perform regular partial fluid changes in our reef tanks, just as humanity has done with our tropical fresh water tanks, and even cool water tanks before that.
The case of water changes in reef tanks
From our position, water changes are convenient with everything that porn bunny will be able to help reduce too high parameters, and also replace parts and buffer. Parameters that have become too low. We suggest vacuuming the substrate at the same time, removing a lot of debris from the sand bed and exporting nutrients at the same time. We firmly believe that water changes are a force for good (assuming the water you supply is good), and freshly mixed salt water, if the rust is produced from a good initial haze and given a good, proven salt mix, will improve overall performance. Water. Conditions of 99% of existing reef aquaria by reducing nitrate and phosphate, pro builders and replacing depleted trace elements.
If we could constantly change the water in our reef aquaria, man it would not be necessary to dose or at least dose less of certain substances and inexpensive equipment such as continuous dosing pumps can facilitate this. And just like in the oceans, our fish and corals will be constantly replenished: the new water will bring them absolutely everything that interests them, while the old, polluted water is diluted and washed away.
An argument aside not changing the fluid in a reef tank
But now, thanks to advances in water testing, we can see exactly which elements are tucked away under favorable conditions or not. And by buying and dosing only those individual items that existed depleted, we can make our original (almost perfect) aquarium water perfect again. Salt is getting more expensive, making salty liquid can be a hassle, and lifting and transporting water is even worse. Besides why remove water that is able to have ideal levels of calcium and magnesium, for example, just to make up for low levels of iodine or cobalt, or to try to lower zinc levels? There are reasons not to waste good water…
Pros and cons of changing aquarium water
Beginner tanks usually suffer from insufficient maintenance. So many nutritional components, but not quite enough components and throughout the result they often suffer from poor coral health. For live fish stores that have maybe a 10 minute interval for amateur marine science training, advising them to do regular partial water changes makes a lot of sense without scaring them away with icp and dosing pumps. And if you never want your hobby to get bogged down in chasing numbers, certainly regular partial vague changes and hardy livestock can be the answer, because water changes help reset your salt water balance in dozens of different ways.The argument for not changing the water, however, is that it's about chasing the numbers, the numbers of natural seawater, because when every parameter is checked and checked at the micro level, your aquarium opens up a solid volume potentials, but not exclusively for previously difficult to grow corals, but also the microbiome of the aquarium, and the overall balance of which, by the way. Add cobalt and vanadium one element per vial, rechecking and dosing as needed, and the customer no longer has to blindly throw away solid amounts of water when all other parameters are in order.
Give your feedback on reef builders facebook page
As with all advanced aspects of reef keeping, people don't choose one method over the other and amusing reef builders can use both methods as at the end of the day success in both cases is to maintain consistently good water.
We want to know who you are. Painted water changer, or "xx years without water changes and bills", a special refrigerator. Join the conversation here on your facebook and instagram tab, tell us who you are and why.
Jeremy gay
Jeremy gay is an author, editor and lifelong fisherman , who has worked in the marine water sector for over 20 years. His experience includes retail, wholesale, publishing, distribution, marketing, livestock production and importation. He loves the biology of marine ecosystems, but also marine equipment and scientific research.