Auto water changes and nutrients

[reefstarter]

We all know ( and dread ) that water changes are the single best thing we can do for our tanks . Be it a weekly or bi weekly or monthly thing . Now that we have automatic water change systems the game has changed. Or at least it seems that way . I posted in build threads a picture of my new tank and I’m considering adding a baffle to the sump for a Refugium as main nutrient export. . But if daily water changes are doing a good job maybe go a different route since I’ve always wanted one of those sumps that are clean and organized with no rubble rock and chunks of algae everywhere what has been everyone’s experience with this?

 

[MarkSzy]

Just my two cents but water changes will always cost money where a good properly stocked and maintained refugium will last virtually forever at no to little cost after setup. In fact you might be able to make some money off Cheato.

 

[Aros]

I had both and eventually my cheato wasn’t growing too fast anymore so I took it off line and the tank has been great. Sps looked a little pale while I was doing it too so I could tell my nutrients we’re really low.

 

[dz6t]

Refugium can competes for essential nutrients with coral, for example iodide, potassium, iron, nitrate and phosphate etc. which are essential for coral to keep vibrant color and robust growth.

 

[reefstarter]

Refugium can competes for essential nutrients with coral, for example iodide, potassium, iron, nitrate and phosphate etc. which are essential for coral to keep vibrant color and robust growth.

So you’re saying no fuge just water changes should keep up with nutrients control?

 

[ChrisV]

I'm a little confused -- is the tank already up?

If so, and if you're not having nutrient issues, wouldn't do anything. As Dong points out, macro algae are great at stripping good stuff from your water. That's not to say there is no use for refugia, just a "if it isn't broken, don't fix it."

If it isn't yet set up and you're planning the new system, you could totally build a small space into your sump that COULD act as a fuge if needed...or not.

There are also some fancy turf scrubber/cheato reactor solutions now that could be used if you don't have the sump space.

 

[reefstarter]

I'm a little confused -- is the tank already up?

If so, and if you're not having nutrient issues, wouldn't do anything. As Dong points out, macro algae are great at stripping good stuff from your water. That's not to say there is no use for refugia, just a "if it isn't broken, don't fix it."

If it isn't yet set up and you're planning the new system, you could totally build a small space into your sump that COULD act as a fuge if needed...or not.

There are also some fancy turf scrubber/cheato reactor solutions now that could be used if you don't have the sump space.

Still in planning and equipment acquisition stages . I’m putting this out there because no matter which way you go somewhere somebody will say a fuge is bad or gfo is bad or this is bad no no use this . And thought we’ll maybe water changes alone can do what we need

 

[Aros]

Still in planning and equipment acquisition stages . I’m putting this out there because no matter which way you go somewhere somebody will say a fuge is bad or gfo is bad or this is bad no no use this . And thought we’ll maybe water changes alone can do what we need

automatic water changes with instant ocean is pretty much all I do and my tank is doing very well. Planning this far ahead is difficult to do because you have nothing to test for. Get to know your tank and make changes accordingly. Everyone's tank runs differently and no one way will work for everyone. Just dont do anything too fast or anything you dont understand and youll be fine.

 

[ChrisV]

Still in planning and equipment acquisition stages . I’m putting this out there because no matter which way you go somewhere somebody will say a fuge is bad or gfo is bad or this is bad no no use this . And thought we’ll maybe water changes alone can do what we need

I bet the water changes get you there!

 

[chadfish]

Refugium can competes for essential nutrients with coral, for example iodide, potassium, iron, nitrate and phosphate etc. which are essential for coral to keep vibrant color and robust growth.

Yeah, this happened to me. Almost had a tank crash. I thought maybe bad salt or a contaminant. Reading 0/0 and got dinos. Then I removed chaeto and OMG corals perked back up, bright colors, great growth.

Refugium is an effective tool. Deploy as needed.

 

[reefstarter]

Yeah, this happened to me. Almost had a tank crash. I thought maybe bad salt or a contaminant. Reading 0/0 and got dinos. Then I removed chaeto and OMG corals perked back up, bright colors, great growth.

Refugium is an effective tool. Deploy as needed.

That’s what I’m afraid of . I had a system that had 650 gallons total and was using a 40 breeder as a fuge . It went to zero I think with the bio load I plan to have maybe 6 smaller fish probably one tomini tang to graze water changes and plumb in manifold for a couple reactors when needed and go from there then instead of taking up space in the sump with a fuge put a few biobricks in there

 

[dz6t]

I will skip the bio bricks and use rock rubbles. Those ceramic media is detritus trap and leak aluminum in the water.

 

[Greg Hiller]

> I’m putting this out there because no matter which way you go somewhere somebody will say a fuge is bad or gfo is bad or this is bad no no use this<

Ignore what other people say until you've seen their tanks(s) in person. There are many ways to run a tank, often depends upon what you are trying to do. Some suggest that you first make a list of the types of things you are most interested, and then decide which are compatible, or what you may have to do to deal with each issue that is brought up. For instance:

Lot's of fish - high bioload - need good way of removing nutrients. Lots of ways for this, some cause other issues.

SPS coral dominated tank - need to plan for high calcium and alkalinity requirements - almost certainly will require a calcium reactor.

Highly active fish (Anthias for example) - may require a way to feed multiple times daily.

Certain species of fish (certain Angel or Butterflyfish) - might be okay in a reef tank, but might eat certain species of coral or other inverts which you may have to leave out of tank.

 

[dz6t]

That is very true, I saw Reefstarter’s old tank many years ago before he moved, it was a jaw dropping sps dominated. I guss he is here to judge the pulse of the new trends for his new build.

It is also true that you need to see the tank in person to see if ones opinions have some validity. I believe everyone on this thread saw my systems. There are many ways to skin a feline, some better, some worse. Being a coral farmer, small improvements goes a long way, but may not be showing enough impacts on smaller scales.

 

[Joe Rice]

I recently heard someone say that all the various forms of nutrient export that we do are, in essence, just ways of reducing the amount of water changes we need to do.

Of course, whether or not you can eliminate your refugium, or skimmer or filter sock, etc. depends on how much water you're changing every day.

A few months ago I installed a continuous water change system (link) that changes 2 gallons per day in my 200 gallon system. I have a medium bioload and what I believe most people would consider high nutrient levels (10 ppm N, 0.3 ppm P), so I haven't removed any of my nutrient export mechanisms.

 

[reefstarter]

Been a bit busy ( adding some photos to the build thread) and with work and spring cleaning etc. but here’s what I’ve decided is to plumb in two reactors one for carbon and one for some sort of nutrients removal media as a hammer approach. And adding a baffle to sump before it gets wet for a fuge

 

[Bandit13]

Never done auto water changes but only thing id be worried about is getting lazy with siphoning out detritus since im not in the tank anymore to change water. So would still get wet and have my hands in there to siphon out detritus, so dont see the point for my situation. I made detritus cleanup easier with alternating powerheads, the alternating flow piles up all the detritus in the middle of my tank between a rock valley.

 

[reefstarter]

There is that , I’m going to have a hose from basement mix tanks plumbed behind aquarium. So it will be easy