Water Changes, Yes or No?

[Joe Rice]

1% per day for me. Continuous water change system.

I've read lots of threads like this and I've yet to read anyone who says they haven't done ANY water changes for 5 years and their tank looks great. Folks who claim to never do them either have only been doing so for a year or just mean they don't do scheduled water changes.

I don't really understand how it would be possible as detrimental substances must be building up in the tank over time. Our export methods (skimmer, refugium, etc.) are great but it seems implausible that they export every single "bad" compound that could build up.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

I believe @robbous ran this way for 5+ years but could be mistaken.

 

[Chris A.]

Almost 4 years no water changes
Run carbon every other week

 

[MichaelJ]

View attachment 195347 Almost 4 years no water changes
Run carbon every other week

What’s the secret?

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

What’s the secret?

Stability and moonshiners

 

[MichaelJ]

Stability and moonshiners

I figured MS was involved

 

[Joe Rice]

View attachment 195347 Almost 4 years no water changes
Run carbon every other week

Impressive!

 

[ifarmer]

I personally haven't done a water change in close to 18 months while running the Reef Moonshiners Method.View attachment 195281

The photo looks amazing when viewing it on my phone

 

[ifarmer]

I believe water change applies to both whether it’s automatic and manual it’s still a water change

 

[salthobby]

I personally haven't done a water change in close to 18 months while running the Reef Moonshiners Method.View attachment 195281

I am trying the Moonshiners been on it since May 22 and I haven't noticed any difference. My tank right now is 8 years old. I already have good colors but figured the Moonshine would give better results. I actually just did a water change to catch a psycho Clownfish and my tank looks better which has been my experience my PE gets better and my whole tank looks better after a water change.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

I am trying the Moonshiners been on it since May 22 and I haven't noticed any difference. My tank right now is 8 years old. I already have good colors but figured the Moonshine would give better results. I actually just did a water change to catch a psycho Clownfish and my tank looks better which has been my experience my PE gets better and my whole tank looks better after a water change.

What size system? I can honestly say that every piece I have in this system has been pretty much from the start and that when buying frags they tend to lose color but not with this method, if that makes sense. Pics?

 

[TheBigDrewsky]

I personally haven't done a water change in close to 18 months while running the Reef Moonshiners Method.View attachment 195281

Now I gotta look up Reef Moonshiners…

 

[TheBigDrewsky]

I was doing AWC. I switched out my old pump and bought a DOS to upgrade the AWC.

I was trying the reefmoonshiners method and I liked it. I just found the AWC much easier because it was set and forget. No manual dosing or testing. And the results are the same for me and the costs are about the same.

I think there are certain things I learned from the reefmoonshiner method about nitrates/phosphate levels and the need to actually have some nitrates in your system, that I will keep doing, just not doing the dosing of everything which is a bit of a pain..

And when you see dongs setup and all he does is water changes you realize simple and steady is the way to go.

I will never do another bucket brigade water change again.

May I ask who “Dong” is”. Pics of tank on here? Thanks!

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Dong @dz6t and sponsor of BRS. Acro Garden.

 

[FishieBusiness]

I did 10% weekly CWC. I dropped it 2 biweekly to save some$$ and didn't notice a difference except I'm my wallet. I had a 90gal mixed reef with high bioload.

 

[MarkSzy]

I have to ask, isn’t the dosing more of a hassle then just doing a water change? Also the testing must be more expensive?

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

I have to ask, isn’t the dosing more of a hassle then just doing a water change? Also the testing must be more expensive?

Not really, I dose manganese, chromium, cobalt, iron, iodine, selenium and rubidium daily, takes all of 30 seconds. I've been meaning to hook the GHL doser up for 4 of them but it's so simple and I like feeling like I'm in a lab, lol. I send out icp tests roughly every 1.5-2 months for $45 and make adjustments according to the results. Sometime I've gone longer, like 6 months at a wack between testing.

 

[JPags]

May I ask who “Dong” is”. Pics of tank on here? Thanks!

If you have not been to Acro Garden, then you need to make the trip. Amazing setup and coral colors on his stuff.

 

[FishieBusiness]

Not really, I dose manganese, chromium, cobalt, iron, iodine, selenium and rubidium daily, takes all of 30 seconds. I've been meaning to hook the GHL doser up for 4 of them but it's so simple and I like feeling like I'm in a lab, lol. I send out icp tests roughly every 1.5-2 months for $45 and make adjustments according to the results. Sometime I've gone longer, like 6 months at a wack between testing.

what was the initial buy in for all the supplies?

 

[TheBigDrewsky]

If you have not been to Acro Garden, then you need to make the trip. Amazing setup and coral colors on his stuff.

I may go broke…spent an hour on BiGGiePauls32 tank build and i want at least half of what he has…. Still need to build a wall in basement to support the joists before any tank goes up… I am learning patience.