Water changes - Any point?

[Rumpy Pumpy]

If your scrubber gets your nitrate and phosphate to zero, and if you can dose any trace nutrients that your livestock need using this or similar (http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/ReefPlus.html) is there any benefit in making occasional water changes?

[rygh]

An expert might be able to pull that off with additives/food only.
Especially if you have a calc reactor. That makes it a LOT easier I imagine, since you are dissolving a reef, you are really adding exactly what you need.
But I don't have the reactor, test kits, or experience, so I simply change 10% / month.
Replacing water is easy, and a great safety feature, in case you miss dosing something.
Or just as likely - dose too much of something.
I personally notice my specific gravity slowly inching up, even with just RODI top-off. Likely due to using bottled additives.

[Moe]

I read a wet web media article stating that aquarium water has elements such as aluminium over 200 times greater in concentration than natural sea water. Who knows about the long term effects of all these undetectable (by the average hobbyist) elements. I would love to never do water changes though haha. I think I saw a tank on you tube where the owner never changed the water and said it was "the secret of his success".

[SantaMonica]

This August will be 2 years of no water change for me.

[sklywag]

Strictly top off SM? Excellent.
I did 12 gallons about two months ago only to get water for my nano. Which I haven't done anything to since. Prior to that was Dec.
When I had freshwater I never did water changes. Never heard of water changes until I built my reef.
All my tanks were essentially indoor ponds. Some didn't even have filtration besides the plants.

But if water changes were the point of replentishing. Why then dose? I just got a bottle of Calcium stuff to which I'm nervous about using. Amazing how much I don't know about this hobby as far as water goes. I am running completely on luck I think sometimes.

[Rumpy Pumpy]

This August will be 2 years of no water change for me.


Do you dose anything other than kalk, may I ask?

[SantaMonica]

I add mag or strontium if low, but mag is never low, and I keep forgetting the str.

If you mix a spoon of kalk (pickling lime powder) with your topoff water, not only will it keep your pH high, it will keep your cal and alk up too.