What would you say if...

The only humps that we have to get over are waiting for the nitrate coil to cycle and waiting for the tank to have enough "stuff" for the refugium macros to eat. We could not avoid doing water changes without the skimmer, the nitrate coil and a refugium (in that order). Another important thing that needs mentioning is that we feed sparingly.

 

Too much invested both financially and emotionally not to do regular water exchanges.

It is not too much trouble, and does not cost much.

There are many upon many reports on why it is advantageous and good for your tank to do so.

Eliminates need for frequent testing and using additives to keep things in balance.

You may not "have to"...but eliminates lots of potential hazards. :-/

 

And all that is a perfectly fine method/way of thinking. To each his own I always say ;D

 

I also do not do water changes, If your filtration system is doing it's job then there should be no need. JMO

 

Ok, bought a new test kit today and did full line of water tests, slightly suprised, but not all that much, after all it has been about 2 years since a test or water change, ph high at 8.6, however just added about 4 gallons of topup water mixed with kalk, so that's probably why, calcium high, carbonate hardness high, again not suprising, amonia, nitrite 0, here's where i had a SLIGHT suprise, phosphate and nitrate are up a bit, explaines the algae growth. However i have had 2 large fish die in the last couple weeks, and was feeding a little more to try to save the one that was starving (some type of wrasse, forget the specific type) he would eat but kept getting thinner and finally died. The other was one of my first fish, a flame angel, old age most likely, had him forever. So, im going to cut back on the feeding again and see if the nitrate drops, most fish i have now seem to get fat eating algae, so i might stop feeding completely for a bit.

Noone commented on my lighting though, are 4 t5s enough? all have the fancy reflectors that supposedly direct light around the bulb and down, and i didnt have that on the t12s, but even so, going from 360 watts to 216 bothers me. Thanks for the replies.

 

*edit forgot to mention tested specifig gravity for the first time in ages, 1.021

 

Ummm, can I never do WCs in my BioCube 14g

KIDDING!

 

well, in theory, if you get the right balance and never put anything IN you'd never need to take anything OUT...in theory...hard to find that balance in small tanks though

 

Hey guys, what is a nitrate coil? never heard of that, I must admit.

 

i didnt know what it was either, so i googled and here's the top result:

What Is a Coil Denitrator, and How Does It Work to Eliminate Nitrate in Saltwater Aquariums?