FarmerTy 215 gallon - No Water Change Tank

[FarmerTy]

Hello Maast,

Just wanted to go ahead and start a thread to document my tank on this forum. Not really a build thread as it's already built but I wanted to post some videos of my old tank and my current 215-gallon.

My old 125-gallon system was maintained for almost 3 years with no water changes. Here's an old video of the tank before I shut it down and upgraded to my current 215-gallon.



Here's my current 215-gallon, it's 3 years old but I've been without water changes for the last 2. The video is a little old but I'll update with a newer one in the next month or so. There have been some changes.

[Dkray944]

Looks great. What's your secret for no water changes?

[FarmerTy]

Looks great. What's your secret for no water changes?

I'm not sure there was ever intent to not do water changes. I just listened to my tank and slowly I was able to go further between water changes until I was able to remove them entirely.

I consider myself a lazy reefer. Why do water changes at all if the two goals of water changes, nutrient reduction and replenishment of trace elements, can be achieved via other methods? Sure, I understand there are a myriad of elements that are not being replenished by the CaRX or amino acid dosing but whatever they may be, my old 125-gallon didn't require it for 3 years and my current 215-gallon hasn't required it yet either so far.

Am I delusional to think this might work forever? No, I feel like eventually there might be a trace element that will need to be added to the system... Something I can't test for and don't even realize the importance of until it is depleted... But until then, I'm pretty happy not doing water changes for a few more years. For the interim, I added an annual Triton test to monitor trends over the year. If I am deficient in something or have an over abundance of something else, I'll do a water change or dose if I see any issues with the tank. Otherwise, I'm going to assume that the deficiency or over abundance isn't significant. I just haven't needed to do either yet!

Tank is maintained with a large skimmer, CaRX, biopellets, GFO, and carbon. I dose aminos about 2x/week and feed my fish like there's no tomorrow. I believe in high input of food, high export of wastes. I don't use filter socks, vacuum the sand, or even vacuum out the sump ever. I think the calcium reactor plays a huge role in no water changes. Most can control nutrients very easily by using carbon dosing and GFO but to be able to replenish foundation elements and some important trace elements that you don't really get from 2-part is I think what makes the difference.

I test personally with my Hanna Meters for alk and phosphate. I use Red Sea for everything else, Nitrate, Ca, Mg, Iodine, and Potassium.

[FarmerTy]

Current FTS. I removed the black background and experimenting with a blue gradient going from light blue at the top to dark blue at the bottom.

[FarmerTy]

What I have brewing in my QT. Don't worry, they were actually QT'ed in a tub. I took this video when I put them temporarily in a 30-gallon as I switched the tubs. Two of the achilles are going to friend's tanks.

[FarmerTy]

Colorado Sunburst Anemone dancing.

[FarmerTy]

Here's a more recent video I took of the tank around last October. It's more of a moving FTS.

[Dean]

As good as the video is, it doesn't do justice to how beautiful this tank is in person. Looks awesome Ty!
How are you liking the blue background? I feel like you lose some of the pop of your coral and fish with the blue.

[FarmerTy]

As good as the video is, it doesn't do justice to how beautiful this tank is in person. Looks awesome Ty!
How are you liking the blue background? I feel like you lose some of the pop of your coral and fish with the blue.

Hey Dean! I'm definitely digging the blue. It does lose some of the pop for colors but not terribly. The thing I like the best is the illusion that the tank just keeps going... Like there could be more ocean behind it.

[mistaflicksta]

What lights are you using?

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