Are massive water changes a thing of the past??

[alton]

I know this thread is moving a little into bio pellets versus water changes but Coral Magazine has several great articles on bio systems. For me doing water changes on my 29 and 40 I do 6 gallons a week for each. For the 300 I do a 50 gallon every month plus A and B suppliments to keep calcium up.

[RayAllen]

Alton 50g isnt bad on a 300g system at all. Im assuming everything is doing good with the supplements added. As mentioned earlier in the thread im changing total 40g a month on my 180g.

Not quite sure how it got on the bio pellet subject. Well i guess the assumption is running bio pellets allows for less water changes. One of those new technologies. Im glad we have several on here using them so that I have a true opinion on rather or not they work.

For now im sticking to the Skimmer, Carbon and fuge method

[Europhyllia]

Well i guess the assumption is running bio pellets allows for less water changes.

I think that would really oversimplify the benefit of water changes. When I do water changes I want to do two things: take stuff I don't want out and put stuff I do want in. I take out much more stuff than just Nitrates and what I put back in with the new water has nothing to do with the pellets. I don't think adding pellets = fewer water changes is a good equation IMO

[StevenSeas]

^^^ Very much in agreement here. the pellets are IMO a great way of keeping nitrates down to keep fish and coral healthier in between regular water changes (and no 1 time a year doesnt count as regular LOL) the lower nitrates helps keep immune systems at tip top and also is a good preventer for algae but not to mean no or less water changes

[RayAllen]

I think that would really oversimplify the benefit of water changes. When I do water changes I want to do two things: take stuff I don't want out and put stuff I do want in. I take out much more stuff than just Nitrates and what I put back in with the new water has nothing to do with the pellets. I don't think adding pellets = fewer water changes is a good equation IMO

I agree with that for sure, Water changes are a must. Many are not as meticulous as others when it comes to maintaining your aquarium.

My assumption was simply taken from the subject of the thread doing smaller water changes and the topic of bio pellets came into the talk.

Fresh or salt- many products have come out through out the years so that hobbiest have to do less maintenance.

With that said I believe water changes are a must. We try to mimic a natural reef, it rains often over our oceans so its only natural for us to constantly take and give in our home aquarium.