Have we become slaves to parameters?

[Carlo]

Then there is the how much water and how often to change debate.

Always a good one too!

Though the most common heard is 10-15% a week, I have always had better luck (Read as stability) with 25% every two weeks. Its also easier to do overall.

I posted the salt manufactures recommendations a few posts up. But who is to say that is not even to often and they are just trying to push more salt? Maybe it should be done more but from complaints from stupid people mixing wrong or not temp adjusting they limit the recommended change to 10-20% a time so people can't screw up to bad at one time.

10% a week/20% biweekly is probably a good starting measure with bigger systems getting by with lesser amounts and Nanos needing more often changes. Then you just gauge the tank and parameters, if nutrients are low, space out the changes more. If nutrients are high, do water changes more often.

That to me seems like a common sense approach and gives everyone a starting point to work from.

Phyl, I can understand the easier part since you only do 1/2 the work biweekly. Do you find the tank changes a little to much when you do weekly changes? Harder to keep constant? Things like Alk/Calcium all over the board? This might tie into what was talked about earlier.

Carlo

 

[pgordemer]

Phyl, I can understand the easier part since you only do 1/2 the work biweekly. Do you find the tank changes a little to much when you do weekly changes? Harder to keep constant? Things like Alk/Calcium all over the board? This might tie into what was talked about earlier.

This PHIL :..

I find it *easier* to make larger amounts of water with stable parameters than small amounts of water more often. Too much salt when making small amounts of water you go over, CA, etc. Since I use RC which comes in at 420CA and 11DKH (Most of the time), there isn't too much that has to be done. I take my time *making* the water. I start about 3 days before I need it). Then throw a few valves, dump the old water. Close the valve, drop a mag 9 in the 34 gallon barrel, dump in 25 gallons and done. 10 minutes tops.

 

[Phyl]

This PHIL :..

Happens to me all the time too, Phil! Probably more often than it happens to YOU! ;D

 

[pgordemer]

This PHIL :..

Happens to me all the time too, Phil! Probably more often than it happens to YOU! ;D

Well actually not. I am not a US citizen and born in England and my birth certificate actually had my name spelled as Phylyp.

 

[Phyl]

Well shut my mouth!

 

[Carlo]

Phylyp <-- gots to remember that one, could come in handy. ;D

Sorry about that PHIL, slip of the tongue/keyboard.

Sidetracked question. You weren't born a US Citizen or still not a US citizen? How old were you when you made the trip across the pond?

Carlo

 

[pgordemer]

Sidetracked question. You weren't born a US Citizen or still not a US citizen? How old were you when you made the trip across the pond?

1964, I was 5 years old. Only became a citizen in 1988 when I got my Flight Examiner Position with the FAA.

 

[KillaGoby]

I would test only for Calcuim, Alk, Mag, and SG in my 29 gallon reef once a week. Whenever I tested for ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates all my levels were at 0. I always felt like it was a waste of a test. Besides, once the tank was up and running for a year the fuge and LR helped keep most levels down and stable. Keep in mind I onlt keep LPS's, Zoos, and Mushrooms. They are less forgiving than SPS's.

 

[Carlo]

Keep in mind I onlt keep LPS's, Zoos, and Mushrooms. They are less forgiving than SPS's.

Did you mean MORE forgiving?

 

[KillaGoby]

Keep in mind I onlt keep LPS's, Zoos, and Mushrooms. They are less forgiving than SPS's.

Did you mean MORE forgiving?

Yes, I did mean MORE. Sorry. lol