Do you clean your sand bed?

Every week when I do a water change, I mix up the sand bed. My tank is 9 months old. I'm wondering if I should stop this? The sand is only 1 inch in a 75 gallon. My only "problem"is I can't get my PH above 7.6, ever. I would like to add corals real soon. I have a mushroom, but it floats all over and a single cove polyp, that doesn't open, to see how corals will fare in my tank. All other parameters are spot on. I will add that all my rock is DIY rock. Coraline is starting to grow oin the tank and little feather dusters and sponges are growing all over.

Any suggestions?

 

Yes I do clean my sand bed but it is shallow under 1 inch. I clean it about once to every 2 months. I would not advice cleaning SB that are much deeper.

Water changes weekly seems too much in a 75 gallon tank.

Look at your ALK level, Magnesium and Ca as well with regard to the pH level. pH is only as accurate at the buffering capability of the system, hence the ALK value.

Keep a hands out approach to the tank. The more your hands are in it messing with with sand the more problems you will incur IMO.

The growth of Coralline algae and feather dusters is a good sign, a pH of 7.6 is fine for most hardy corals. Sounds like you're chasing the numbers, don't.

Back off on the WCs, you have a fairly large system, not a nano that needs constant adjustments.

 

Thank you! I think you may be right. I had a 10 gal nano for 4 years and did weekly water changes...so, I guess I'm still in that mindset. Total water volume for my 75 gal with 30 gal sump, is close to 90 gallons.

I'll stop weekly water changes...do you think every 2 weeks, or every month? I have 6 fish.

 

Unless you have a tank heavily stocked with messy eating fish and many sensitive corals you need not do WC so often.

I would try every month and see how that goes for at least 3 months.

A 90 gallon systems with a modern filtration system should do just fine with monthly water changes.

 

Sounds good, I'll try it. My fish eat everything I put in. I clean my protein skimmer cup once a month, because it takes so long to get even just half an inch of skimmate. Most of the time when I clean it, it's just the upper part of the neck that needs cleaning and nothing in the cup.

 

I agree with everything Cheryl has told you except the wc's. I have done weekly wc's on tanks for years and never had any issues.The key is to do them properly.
While it may seem like a lot of work there can be significant benefits.
For one all of your levels will remain much more stable and little to no dosing will be required depending on your load.Second; the use of carbon and GFO become less important and I went years without either.Third you are of course removing organics and replacing with clean water.(hopefully;D)
I definitely agree with Cheryl that with all the new fangeled gadgets we have now it is possible to remove organics in other ways.Every system is different.There are many ways to skin a cat,(sorry cat lovers) but IMO simple is better.KISS
I have stopped doing weekly wc's on my 90 since installing an algae turf scrubber but it is softies only.My frag tank still receives weekly love.lol

Your PH problem is probably atmospheric if your other levels check out.Do you run an A.C.? Is there any way of extending the skimmer line(if you have one) to bring in fresh air??
As Cheryl has already stated your PH value is fine as long as it doesn't drop too far at night. If you can, check the PH at different times of the day/night to see how much it swings.

 

2nd this.

 

I do run our air conditioner when its really hot. I have a vary low tech setup. Skimmer, refguge and return. I plan on having a softy, LPS dominated tank.

 

I have always clean my sand even when I was running NNR sand bed but would only go down a inch or so. Cleaning it once a month as stated will be good when doing a WC

 

Alright let me clarify:

I am not a hobbyist that advocates the no water change or less water change theory at all.

Since Saltyclown is having an issue keeping his mushrooms from floating around tank he/she might consider a less hands on approach for a period of time.

The opening post "Any suggestions"?

Huge advocate of replenishing trace or minor elements and removing DOC, but with 6 fish in a 90 gallon systems it hardly seems like it needs to be done weekly.

It's all a moot point when we do not even have a value for the percentage of water changed weekly.

Lastly, I do not think the pH value will be adversely affected by doing fewer water changes. You might want to consider an ATS as a means of raising the pH value.

Just want to clarify, Cheryl believes in water changes. if anyone cares lol.