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Water change on 150 gal tank or more
- Thread starter Aeb1419
- Start date
Wellllllll, know this isn't normal but, as many members will attest, I have a tank thats going somewhere about 9 years without a WC.
Its a 40g cube, RODI topoff, I check salinity once every 3-4 months on a whim, no dosers, no QT.
Saltcreep gets pushed weekly back into tank if I remember to do it while feeding,
Softies are like weeeds, Xenia same, shrooms and the few zoas great, most inhabitnts are 6+ years old.
There are 2 clowns in there I can fry for dinner at this point (and a algae blenny, and a filefish, and a dottyback, a serpent star the size of a plate, etc...
Started a new tank just around a year ago, figured I'd try the same. 30g AIO.
No skimmer, no filter, just CUC, an ATO, and a bunch of fish (with approx 40 pounds of rock).
Year later, rock is COVERED in red algae, yet zoas and softies doing great, all fish doing fabulous.
Tank looks crazy with algae, but I've got so much life in there its ridiculous. And I have a beauty of a mandarin thriving in it for a year.
So, never is my new answer, and I've got 2 tanks ranging from 1 year to 10 and all is amazing.
Just kep the ATO going and supplement as needed.
Its a 40g cube, RODI topoff, I check salinity once every 3-4 months on a whim, no dosers, no QT.
Saltcreep gets pushed weekly back into tank if I remember to do it while feeding,
Softies are like weeeds, Xenia same, shrooms and the few zoas great, most inhabitnts are 6+ years old.
There are 2 clowns in there I can fry for dinner at this point (and a algae blenny, and a filefish, and a dottyback, a serpent star the size of a plate, etc...
Started a new tank just around a year ago, figured I'd try the same. 30g AIO.
No skimmer, no filter, just CUC, an ATO, and a bunch of fish (with approx 40 pounds of rock).
Year later, rock is COVERED in red algae, yet zoas and softies doing great, all fish doing fabulous.
Tank looks crazy with algae, but I've got so much life in there its ridiculous. And I have a beauty of a mandarin thriving in it for a year.
So, never is my new answer, and I've got 2 tanks ranging from 1 year to 10 and all is amazing.
Just kep the ATO going and supplement as needed.
It depends on what live stock you want to grow.
If you want soft corals/zoas then you can get away
With less water change. If you are growing sps or lps
You need to do water changes.
I run a mixed reef and I do water changes every two weeks.
I do 50 gallons on my system. Water changes is the easiest way to get rid of bad stuff in your tank. It’s also a good way to reset alk/cal/mag and minor elements. It’s also really cheap to do water changes
If you have a controller I would do daily auto water changes.
In my last tank I setup the dos to make 5 gallons a day every night. So I did nothing. And I changed 35 gallons of water every week whiles I was sleeping.
If you want soft corals/zoas then you can get away
With less water change. If you are growing sps or lps
You need to do water changes.
I run a mixed reef and I do water changes every two weeks.
I do 50 gallons on my system. Water changes is the easiest way to get rid of bad stuff in your tank. It’s also a good way to reset alk/cal/mag and minor elements. It’s also really cheap to do water changes
If you have a controller I would do daily auto water changes.
In my last tank I setup the dos to make 5 gallons a day every night. So I did nothing. And I changed 35 gallons of water every week whiles I was sleeping.
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Yea it seems like everyone does it differently. I plan to try a mixed reef here.
i have no mixing station or controller of any sort at this time. I would need to change out about 35 gal out. I plan to do it monthly. I know it will get costly but I plan to build this slowly.
Do I have to make sure where I plan to put it, the floor can take the weight? My living room is above the garage so not sure if thats a factor.
i was originally planning a 50 gal but an elos 175 gal tank for $600. I felt like this was a perfect opportunity. I also gotta think about how I am going to transport it over here. About a 2hr drive for me.
Am I in over my head here? Keep in mind up to this point my only experience has been nano tanks. This is a big step up.
Somebody talk some sense into me please
i have no mixing station or controller of any sort at this time. I would need to change out about 35 gal out. I plan to do it monthly. I know it will get costly but I plan to build this slowly.
Do I have to make sure where I plan to put it, the floor can take the weight? My living room is above the garage so not sure if thats a factor.
i was originally planning a 50 gal but an elos 175 gal tank for $600. I felt like this was a perfect opportunity. I also gotta think about how I am going to transport it over here. About a 2hr drive for me.
Am I in over my head here? Keep in mind up to this point my only experience has been nano tanks. This is a big step up.
Somebody talk some sense into me please
Salted
NJRC Member
Sorry, not going to be of any help talking you out of it
. Simple and easy starter mixing station would be a big Brute trash barrel. Toss in a heater and big basic powerhead to mix and done. Betting you'll find that from members here dirt cheap or free. I'm wanting a 180 when I move so when I see threads on "will the floor hold it" I read them. Seems to lean pretty much towards it being no problem, but positioning the tank perpendicular to the joists is preferable. Are you getting the tank advertised on R2R out in Long Beach?
Like everyone else said. If you're keeping softies, you can get away with very little to no water changes. But LPS and SPS are more demanding. If you wish to do no water changes, you could do something like the Reef Moonshiners method where you get ICP tests done and put it into a calculator that'll tell you what you need to dose in minor trace elements as well as where you're sitting with major elements. I've seen a lot of success with it. But you also need good nutrient export methods for it to work since you're going without water changes to remove them.
To be honest I feel big tanks are easier to take care of.
The problem with big tanks is that they come with a big bill.
A 6ft tank will need 3 x led light fixtures that can handle
24x24 spread. So just for lights your taking about a 4 figure price point.
Rocks will also be expensive on a 6ft tank.
You will also need to buy more wavemakers in a big tank.
You will also need a huge skimmer and the one that are rated for that tank size is going to be expensive.
Stocking a 6ft tank is also $$$$ fish, corals are expensive and you will need a lot.
Small nano tanks are a lot cheaper to setup.
One light, one pump, skimmer, small fish and
Small stock list.
I think the best size tank is the 4ft tanks.
90 gallon 120 gallon. These tanks offer enough space to keep almost all fish and it’s not too expensive to setup.
3ft tanks are also a great tank size.
40 breeder. Some time depending on your
Stock you can light it with one or two lights.
You can get the tank cheap. You can use some of the equipment you already own.
Finally I would never put a 6ft tank on a 2nd floor.
Fish tank that size should be in a basement or garage
Or 1st floor family room on slab.
The damage you will do to your floors and sub-floors if your tank leaks its too much.
Bellow is a picture of a tank tear down that I helped with.
This guys 9ft acrylic tank failed and he had salt water all over his floors. He destroyed the family room and had to sell everything. His house is destroyed.
The problem with big tanks is that they come with a big bill.
A 6ft tank will need 3 x led light fixtures that can handle
24x24 spread. So just for lights your taking about a 4 figure price point.
Rocks will also be expensive on a 6ft tank.
You will also need to buy more wavemakers in a big tank.
You will also need a huge skimmer and the one that are rated for that tank size is going to be expensive.
Stocking a 6ft tank is also $$$$ fish, corals are expensive and you will need a lot.
Small nano tanks are a lot cheaper to setup.
One light, one pump, skimmer, small fish and
Small stock list.
I think the best size tank is the 4ft tanks.
90 gallon 120 gallon. These tanks offer enough space to keep almost all fish and it’s not too expensive to setup.
3ft tanks are also a great tank size.
40 breeder. Some time depending on your
Stock you can light it with one or two lights.
You can get the tank cheap. You can use some of the equipment you already own.
Finally I would never put a 6ft tank on a 2nd floor.
Fish tank that size should be in a basement or garage
Or 1st floor family room on slab.
The damage you will do to your floors and sub-floors if your tank leaks its too much.
Bellow is a picture of a tank tear down that I helped with.
This guys 9ft acrylic tank failed and he had salt water all over his floors. He destroyed the family room and had to sell everything. His house is destroyed.
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Yup thats the one. I was 3rd in line and the first two pulled our.Sorry, not going to be of any help talking you out of it
So not sure if this is still considered 2nd floor.
tank will be going in this area.
i understand the price points for everything needed. Im not too concerned with all of that, again I plan to build slowly and try to pick up most things 2nd hand when good prices are available.
my biggest concern is like you mentioned, not damaging my house and the water changes. I cant imagine carrying up tons of buckets to do water changes. Need to make sense of things and maybe drill and creating piping to reach this part of the house.
Attachments
Salted
NJRC Member
I was one of them. So just so you’re aware, as you’re calling it 175g, it’s a145g. He posted a link and dimensions. That’s why I passed. Still a steal for such a high end tank. Congrats.
Ok thats even better then. Less water volume to change out.
Salted
NJRC Member
And 30 less gallons = 250lbs less water weight.
DangerDave
NJRC Member
I’m at about 400 gallons total. I’ve had ATO as high as 20g a day, but average about 5 gallons a day. Right now I’m struggling to keep my nutrients up, so I haven’t had it turned on in weeks.
With Reef Moonshine, Triton, and now dumping Nitrates and phospahtes in our tanks, in a few years I think you will be seeing this hobby getting away from water changes completely. Having said that, I am doing 35 gallons ever 2-3 weeks on a 230 gallon tank. But as soon as I get dosing AFR I am going to stop water changes and see how it goes.
stop reminding me about the bill hahahaha!! my CC loves me but my bank account hates me !! oh, and to answer your question, I do 1.5g a day auto water change on my 200g. LPS setup with a few sps.
Thanks for all the insight. At the bitter end I decided not to get it. I just wasnt willing to make that kind of an investment for a huge tank. Maybe in the future
i did find a good deal on a reefer 250. Really nice guy in queens was selling and I jumped on it. Nice tank. Needs a good cleaning, will be starting a build thread soon. This will be the first time I have a sump. Not sure how all the plumbing will work. If anyone wants to come over to califon to help me let me know. I can offer coffee. I make some mean lattes. Im a intermediate barista, or at least trying to be one. Hahaha
i did find a good deal on a reefer 250. Really nice guy in queens was selling and I jumped on it. Nice tank. Needs a good cleaning, will be starting a build thread soon. This will be the first time I have a sump. Not sure how all the plumbing will work. If anyone wants to come over to califon to help me let me know. I can offer coffee. I make some mean lattes. Im a intermediate barista, or at least trying to be one. Hahaha