I was just wondering if there is a need to do water changes if the ammonia and nitrite are both 0? I was also wondering if changing 20L in my 180L tank one every 2 weeks is enough, I use sea water. Thanks alot for any help 
Water changes
- Thread starter Oliver
- Start date
First, I hope that it's filtered sea water because there is no telling what you'd introduce with just normal old sea water beasties,pollutants etc. I usually change out about 20% of my tank water on a weekly or bi-weekly basis depending on what's happening in the tank. Remember most of us hobbiest can't possibly duplicate a true natural ocean situation so water changes and good flow are really important.
I just err on the side of caution in most situations .
chris
I just err on the side of caution in most situations .
chris
maxilaria is right on.
Water change is always a good thing. There are literally hundreds, possibly thousands, of chemical pollutants that build up in the system other than nitrogenous waste. Purines, amines, amino acids, nicotene, etc... just to name a few. Carbon removes some of them, but not all.
Nice, clean ocean water is good stuff, I use it b/c I live in Charleston SC right on the ocean. Keep your calcium level checked if you keep corals or want to grow pink algae. Also, as maxilaria said, used filtered sea water.
Here's a rundown on how I treat it, based on what Martin Moe put in his book.
He's a fishery biologist in Florida and is basically one of the coolest aquarists out there.
1) Collect from a swift-flowing place, away from river outlets. MAKE SURE specific gravity is right, you'd be shocked at how it can vary in inshore waters.
2) Filter it as you collect it, with something like dense filter bags or packed filter floss--- this gets a lot of plankton out, which would otherwise die and pollute very quickly.
3) Take home and ZAP it with CHLORINE, but use ONLY the pool chlorine that is 50-60% Calcium hypochlorite. OR you can use pure bleach, like regular old Clorox (ie, no scents or soaps added), will be 50-70% Sodium hypochlorite. Using a pool pH kit (cheap), get the chlorine levels at the maximum level the kit shows, which I think is 5ppm. It won't take much, add only a 1/4 teaspoon at a time of either chemical to an 80 liter bucket.
4) 24 hours later, test chlorine-- if it registers 0, ZAP it again, the chlorine was used up. If it registers anything higher than 0, it's ready for dechlorinating and use. Everything live and dead has been oxidized and the water is safe to use. Use a standard CHEAP dechlorinater to remove ALL of the chlorine (testing with the pool kit). Let it settle for 24 hours with very light aeration (it will get cloudy). Ready for use.
This sounds like a pain, but for basically nothing you get good quality water so long as you avoid boat ramps (oil pollutants) and dirty looking water (other nasties).
Water change is always a good thing. There are literally hundreds, possibly thousands, of chemical pollutants that build up in the system other than nitrogenous waste. Purines, amines, amino acids, nicotene, etc... just to name a few. Carbon removes some of them, but not all.
Nice, clean ocean water is good stuff, I use it b/c I live in Charleston SC right on the ocean. Keep your calcium level checked if you keep corals or want to grow pink algae. Also, as maxilaria said, used filtered sea water.
Here's a rundown on how I treat it, based on what Martin Moe put in his book.
He's a fishery biologist in Florida and is basically one of the coolest aquarists out there.
1) Collect from a swift-flowing place, away from river outlets. MAKE SURE specific gravity is right, you'd be shocked at how it can vary in inshore waters.
2) Filter it as you collect it, with something like dense filter bags or packed filter floss--- this gets a lot of plankton out, which would otherwise die and pollute very quickly.
3) Take home and ZAP it with CHLORINE, but use ONLY the pool chlorine that is 50-60% Calcium hypochlorite. OR you can use pure bleach, like regular old Clorox (ie, no scents or soaps added), will be 50-70% Sodium hypochlorite. Using a pool pH kit (cheap), get the chlorine levels at the maximum level the kit shows, which I think is 5ppm. It won't take much, add only a 1/4 teaspoon at a time of either chemical to an 80 liter bucket.
4) 24 hours later, test chlorine-- if it registers 0, ZAP it again, the chlorine was used up. If it registers anything higher than 0, it's ready for dechlorinating and use. Everything live and dead has been oxidized and the water is safe to use. Use a standard CHEAP dechlorinater to remove ALL of the chlorine (testing with the pool kit). Let it settle for 24 hours with very light aeration (it will get cloudy). Ready for use.
This sounds like a pain, but for basically nothing you get good quality water so long as you avoid boat ramps (oil pollutants) and dirty looking water (other nasties).