Water change question/poll for big tanks

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
turbo253;4156629; said:
Ok just tested my water here are the results
Ammonia- total: .2 ppm and free is: .13ppm
nitrite: under .05ppm
nitrate : 30ppm
ph: 8.2

these readings all came from a seachem master kit.
I used to use the api kits but some times they seem to give me funny readings.
plus the seachem kits are much more sensitive and take lower readings. api starts at .25ppm

For filtration I use a 450lbs sand filter powered by a 1.5hp pool pump. Then on the other side of the pool i set up over flows that run into a 60 gal wet dry filter that spills into a 500 gal sump. returning that water to the pool is a pump turning over 6000 gph and a second turning over 4500 gph. Pulling out of my sump are 2 etss down draft skimmers( a 1500 and the 2500) . Its crude but seems to do the trick.lol

I am not surprised that a my ammonia is over .1ppm cause I have been pretty bad about feeding them lately. Its a lot of fun. Plus like deano's system, mine is also pretty young.

As for as water changes go, I normally end up changing between 250-500 gals every 3-4 weeks just from back washing the sand filters. Personally I think big water changes every 2 weeks or so is a waist of money. It doesn't seem to change much in my readings. Plus we are keeping sharks not coral so the trace elements in the water are not that important.
I just try to keep the ph, temp, and salinity stable and keep the o2 levels pretty high.

this seems to be working good for me so I am going to stick with it
Click to expand...
how many gallons total do you have?
 
As needed.
I think I posted this somewhere else this week, but I've seen shark tank nitrates in the multiple hundreds.

API/Seachem and the like are all good tests. If you want to go a step further, Hach is the next jump to look at.
 
Zoodiver;4156718; said:
As needed.
I think I posted this somewhere else this week, but I've seen shark tank nitrates in the multiple hundreds.

API/Seachem and the like are all good tests. If you want to go a step further, Hach is the next jump to look at.
Click to expand...
where do you find the hach brand?
 
Wow, I'm actually surprised about everyone's water change regiment. I change 60 gallons a week (sometimes 2 weeks, but never more than that) and I estimate I have just around 500 gallons total volume. I just never new any better. I've always kept reefs as well, so I just do the same thing with my big tank.
 
Reefs are important to keep up with trace elements and what not.
When it comes to big elsamo or fish only tanks, some of the 'rules' don't apply.

A lot of large land locked aquariums don't even really change water. They'll pull water out, sterilize it and then reuse the same water again.
 
Zoodiver;4157497; said:
A lot of large land locked aquariums don't even really change water. They'll pull water out, sterilize it and then reuse the same water again.
Click to expand...

THAT's gotta be a fun job...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom