No water change since 9-08

Wow those pictures say alot. I reccomend water changes...sure you can get away with out them, but as you've discovered it's more a cheap fix to laziness, and you get kicked in the butt in the long run. We do a 10% change every Saturday, and haven't had algae since our hair algae during cycling. We've never had to dose supplements with regular water changes, because the calc and mag in the salt is enough for what we've got now. We still test for those, but haven't had to dose yet.

 

I started with the "no water change" thing primarily because I was having trouble stabilizing my parameters with 2 week water changes. I know I have started a "mini" cycle by messing with the sand bed, but I can't figure out where the possible bubble algae is coming from. I haven't added anything to the tank since September.

 

if you don't do water changes or dose everything your coral will die, be it in a month or 10 years.
a few years is nothing in the the lifespan of a true reef or even a sustainible tank for that matter. it may take many years for someone to even figure out there way won't work. to realistically have a tank with out water changes you must test everything you can and dose everything you can, including trace elements. and have some nutrient export device.
there is a reason saltmakers when to the trouble of adding everything to the salt, and making it so expensive.

sorry went on a rant, im just tired of arguing with people that don't do water changes and don't dose.

 

Advice taken. I test, supplement, top-off, and clean the collection cup weekly. I was not trying to kill the tank out of laziness, but to try and stabilize my parameters. Now that I have this algae outbreak, should I do large water changes or keep them small over weeks of time? (110gal tank)

 

i would do 30 gallon one each week until you get the algae undercontrol. i would also look into getting a refugium, it would help with nutrient export and curb the build up of the waste made from the nori, that would spur algae growth.

 

As someone who has a friend who is half-gypsy, but has otherwise 100% german blood, I have sat down, and through much effort determined the future of your tanks if you don't change your water... Old Tank Syndrome. It's not a pretty picture to be sure. But it can be fixed.

Good luck!

(Note: Poster has no oracular powers whatsoever:, but this WILL happen to you if you get lazy. It's an interesting read! For Free Psychic Readings, call Miss Cleo;D, not me!)

 

I have to admit also that I dont do reg water changes, I do them every few months and clean my sand and clean sediment out of crevises. But I do dose a lot. There is no cheap way around it. But when I get my 55g barrels and start making lots of r/o and salt water it will get easier, so I will start doin them reguarly again. Either way you will bite the bullet. Good luck with the cyano. lol