As I sit here contemplating my upcoming 200 or so gallon water change today. I wonder why, do my fish really need this? My tank sits in the 10-20ppm range for nitrates, I skipped a weekly WC a couple weeks ago and the tanks was still only at a solid 20ppm, gotta love those pothos. I think of my plans to expand my system to over a thousand gallons with hydroponic type filtration this summer. If I do acheive zero to ultra low nitrate levels, would my fish be deprived with the absences of water changes?
I have a similar thread that I put forth about five years ago, a planted tank with zero nitrates.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?50003-Water-Changes-Why
Looking at that thread the lack or absence of WCs was more geared towards what the plants needed. But what about the fish? What kind of dissolved solids, hormones or mineral build up is there? How will it effect the fish? I know the "salties" will go months, even years without WCs. But with added filtration such as refugium and protein skimmers what are the salt water fish benefitting from that the fresh water fish don't get without this type filtration?
I have my thoughts and reasons, but would like to hear from others, maybe even changing my opinions. So lets hear it
I have a similar thread that I put forth about five years ago, a planted tank with zero nitrates.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?50003-Water-Changes-Why
Looking at that thread the lack or absence of WCs was more geared towards what the plants needed. But what about the fish? What kind of dissolved solids, hormones or mineral build up is there? How will it effect the fish? I know the "salties" will go months, even years without WCs. But with added filtration such as refugium and protein skimmers what are the salt water fish benefitting from that the fresh water fish don't get without this type filtration?
I have my thoughts and reasons, but would like to hear from others, maybe even changing my opinions. So lets hear it
This usually good for building a foundation of knowledge, but generally only answers the "what" and not the "why". I've been hung up on protein skimmers here as of late, with research you get terms like amino acids and proteins and redux, but what are these terms in relation to my fish? Protein skimmers are generally thought of as not needed with freshwater because of large WCs, but what if without WCs because of Pothos(hydroponics) could this make protein skimmers effective, beneficial or even necessary?