Automatic water changes
- Thread starter jazzsam
- Start date
Countryreefer
Well-Known Member
I use the Apex DOS to run constant water change. It takes the water out of the sump where the drains dump the water from the displays and it adds the new water into the return pump section. I've never had an issue with the fresh water top off and salinity stays perfect. Best thing I've done!
OP
OP
jazzsam
Well-Known Member
Do you need the Apex controller or just the DOS?
Countryreefer
Well-Known Member
You would need an Apex to control it. Like stated above if you want to change a larger volume at once you would have to shut the ato off while the water change is happening.
hurdbird
Well-Known Member
I’ve been doing my AWC’s with a DOS for sometime now and absolutely love it. It’s the way to go. Pull in and out water from different sections of the sump, slowly and you shouldn’t affect your ATO. My ATO isn’t affected. I have a high / low level optical sensor in my sump and low level optical sensors in ATO / AWC containers to kill ATO / AWC if need be as well.
The DOS is super loud. Schedule it to run when you are not around if possible. I am looking into an Ecotech versa to swap mine out.
The DOS is super loud. Schedule it to run when you are not around if possible. I am looking into an Ecotech versa to swap mine out.
OP
OP
jazzsam
Well-Known Member
I wonder also, if people with large systems that I have seen are changing a couple gallons a day does it really do what a water chance does? If so, I can do this manually much easier than buying all this equipment and really only takes seconds to do. Would changing 2 gallons a day from a 400 gallon system even make a difference?
OP
OP
jazzsam
Well-Known Member
That was exactly my thought but I found a few guys online saying that is all they do and it seems super small. Even 5 gallons a day still seems easy to do manually but unsure it will do anything for me.
coralfishreef
Well-Known Member
According to this calculator a daily 2 gallon change for 30 days on a 400 gallon tank = 13.96% new water after 30 days.
www.hamzasreef.com
Effective Water Change Calculator
Aquarium calculator; Estimate the effective water change amount of several combined smaller water changes.
www.hamzasreef.com
dz6t
Acro Garden, BRS Sponsor
Great post.According to this calculator a daily 2 gallon change for 30 days on a 400 gallon tank = 13.96% new water after 30 days.
Effective Water Change Calculator
Aquarium calculator; Estimate the effective water change amount of several combined smaller water changes.
dz6t
Acro Garden, BRS Sponsor
Daily water change is different from continuous water change which pumps in new water when old water is removed at the same rate, same time. Continuous water change further decreases the water change rate than daily water change.
Saltwater continuous water change is used by some public aquariums, coral farms, collection sites and fish nurseries. All of them are connected to the ocean or new water Is vast and inexpensive/free. Also note that the water change rate is normally very high.
Saltwater continuous water change is used by some public aquariums, coral farms, collection sites and fish nurseries. All of them are connected to the ocean or new water Is vast and inexpensive/free. Also note that the water change rate is normally very high.
this is me
I like turtles
I still like the gulp of tank water every now and then. 
dz6t
Acro Garden, BRS Sponsor
Regardless which methods to use, water change is beneficial.
Water change is still the best method to keep a reef tank healthy. The promotions of dosing to replace water change, aka no water change methods, are more beneficial to vendors than reefers.
1. Water change removes many contaminants that generated from coral, such as the chemicals that coral release in the water to deter other coral growth, fish waste etc. There is a difference between nutrients, which coral can utilize for growth, vs contaminants, which is harmful to coral.
Nitrate and phosphate can be tested but not most of the organic contaminants. So the test kits available to us only tell a very small potions of information or none at all about contaminants.
2. The cleanest water we have access to is newly mixed saltwater, provided a good salt is used. This is the best water you can get, as it contains the right amount, or lets say non toxic level of trace elements as well as suitable levels of major elements that required by coral.
Unless you access to a laboratory that can “accurately” test all the trace elements level each time BEFORE and AFTER you dose trace elements, you are running a risk of over dosing trace elements which can be toxic at elevated level.
Also, scientific sturdies are still not sure if most of the trace elements found in coral actually benefit coral. For example, trace elements can be incorporated into coral skeleton and tissue as environmental contaminants.
3. Salt mixes have some of the lowest profit margin if any, especially with free shipping commonly wanted by consumers. But dosing reagents, especially trace elements, have some of the highest profit margins for both retailers and manufacturers.
These are some of the reasons no water change methods are promoted heavily.
Water change is still the best method to keep a reef tank healthy. The promotions of dosing to replace water change, aka no water change methods, are more beneficial to vendors than reefers.
1. Water change removes many contaminants that generated from coral, such as the chemicals that coral release in the water to deter other coral growth, fish waste etc. There is a difference between nutrients, which coral can utilize for growth, vs contaminants, which is harmful to coral.
Nitrate and phosphate can be tested but not most of the organic contaminants. So the test kits available to us only tell a very small potions of information or none at all about contaminants.
2. The cleanest water we have access to is newly mixed saltwater, provided a good salt is used. This is the best water you can get, as it contains the right amount, or lets say non toxic level of trace elements as well as suitable levels of major elements that required by coral.
Unless you access to a laboratory that can “accurately” test all the trace elements level each time BEFORE and AFTER you dose trace elements, you are running a risk of over dosing trace elements which can be toxic at elevated level.
Also, scientific sturdies are still not sure if most of the trace elements found in coral actually benefit coral. For example, trace elements can be incorporated into coral skeleton and tissue as environmental contaminants.
3. Salt mixes have some of the lowest profit margin if any, especially with free shipping commonly wanted by consumers. But dosing reagents, especially trace elements, have some of the highest profit margins for both retailers and manufacturers.
These are some of the reasons no water change methods are promoted heavily.
Last edited:
