Reduce/Eliminate Water Changes?

Chemi-Pure Elite.

http://www.petdiscounters.com/mc_images/product/detail/chemi_pure_elite_large.jpg

Also, don't forget to top your water off with clean water (ro/di) when water evaporates from it...(i keep a 2.5 gallon of the drinking water with the spout on top of my sump in the cabinet), be careful with how much you feed, have a protein skimmer, have a good "cleaning crew" such as snails, crabs, etc... and most importantly, HAVE FUN!

I think your best bet to eliminate water changes is to use fake fish and corals.

Think if some one locked you and a few roommates into a studio apartment your whole life, without a toliet and never cleaned the garbage and waste out. Besides what the flies and rodents ate, but then again they also will make waste.

I also live in an apartment, I manage to do water changes on my 55g and 65g.

Im from the FW side, but I think I can safely say, there is NO alternative for water changes. Agree completely with j_chicago.

j_chicago said:

I think your best bet to eliminate water changes is to use fake fish and corals.

Think if some one locked you and a few roommates into a studio apartment your whole life, without a toliet and never cleaned the garbage and waste out. Besides what the flies and rodents ate, but then again they also will make waste.

I also live in an apartment, I manage to do water changes on my 55g and 65g.

Click to expand...

My man - that may be a bit strong! But, I agree 1000% percent. If you can't / don't want to do water changes you better not set up the tank!

Sorry, didn't mean to sound harsh, just wanted to put in perspective.

And I know people have been able to get by on little or no changes (there tanks are usually really understocked greatly), but there's no special equiptment or magic potions in a bottle.

j_chicago said:

Sorry, didn't mean to sound harsh, just wanted to put in perspective.

Click to expand...

Again, I agree 1000%. There is definitely no easy way, shortcut, or magic potion in a bottle. Water changes are cool - they clean it all up and reset the tank!

There are people with thriving tanks that don't do water changes.

It is much harder though. And trying to achieve NO water changes is probably over-the-top.

You can extend the time by, as j_chicago, suggests under stocking.

If you can export the waste effectively you can approach your target.

You would need to use a well maintained Turf Mat, or an excellent skimmer, or a large Cheato ball, or a large well maintained fuge, or some or all of the above.

I change about 1/3 of my tanks water every 6 or 8 months. But! I have only a few fish in 165 gallons. I also have narly nitrate levels and haul out arm loads of algae regularly.

Well, if I were going by nutrient levels alone, I would theoretically never have to do water changes. However, water changes are one thing that I attribute my tank's longevity to. It went for over a decade with undetectable nitrate and phosphate levels--both are still zero after the tank crash. Granted, there are other factors involved, such as strong protein skimming, ultra high water motion, moderate fish load, chaetomorpha, and ferric oxide hydroxide. I believe, however, they all go hand-in-hand in keeping a tank as clean as possible and enhancing its longevity and viability. I see water changes as the preventative of what "could" happen. That being said, careful monitoring of water change water goes a long way, as well. It is imperative that its parameters are in the proper ranges, as well. But I digress...

So, for those who don't like to delve into the semantics of the matter, I'll present some practical evidence. Take a look at the number of REALLY nice tanks out there (TOTM material) and how many of them do water changes vs. those tanks that do not do regular water changes. You'll find that the former far outweighs the latter.