[PrairieReef]

I have a 75 gallon now that I do a 1% daily water change on - actually just a gallon a day for simple measure.

I am going to be setting up a 14 gallon biocube to get some live rock out of my sump while I do renovations and to make a temporary home for my maroon clown as I make another attempt with a GBTA here soon.

I'm hoping to just move the biocube to my office once that's all done - here's the deal though.

My plan is to take one of the 1 gallon water change from the home tank and use that to make weekly 5-7% water changes for the biocube (power compacts so likely softy dominated with some LPS).

If I take a gallon of "used" water change from the home tank to the office - will it "keep" for about a week if I don't use it right away?

 

[SaltyBiker]

If you UV treat it i think it would but that is just a thought and opinion of mine. Not positive. Try it out and test the water after a week before putting it in your cube and see what the parameters show.

 

[9secGSXR]

Would using "dirty" water not defeat the point of water changes?

 

[PrairieReef]

Saltybiker - that was my next step, just hang onto a gallon for a week and test it.

9secGSXR - normally yea, but I'm looking at two things. First daily changes, a strong skimmer and a generally low nutrient level in the main tank at home for an LPS heavy tank means that water will be relatively clean for a Biocube softy tank. Second, with so much extra water from the main tank at home (a gallon a day) I can afford to do a relatively large % water changes for the biocube - 50% weekly if needed. My measured nutrients are almost always 0 (had an organic phosphate issue awhile back but that appears resolved for the moment).

 

[9secGSXR]

Great! No prob then as long as you uv it. Sorry. Either I did not completely read/understand your post or missed some details.

 

[SaltyBiker]

To me i think your softies will benifit just fine with it as long as the parameter tests come out well, which i would assume they should.

 

[Geoff]

no. water changes also replenish trace elements. using old water will just keep skewing the trace element levels. it will also increase the nutrient levels. no matter how clean you think your water is, it is still dirtier than the water made fresh.

G~

 

[PrairieReef]

G ~ I agree. Added good stuff - removed bad stuff. No doubt.

Wouldn't recommend it if I was just using the water from a 75 to change water in a 75 or even 55 or 30. On the other hand - the water that was moments ago just fine for a LPS tank when making a 7% change daily or every other day on a nano for soft coral is probably just fine?

On second thought though - by the same token - just doing the 1% change daily on a nano means taking out 2 and 1/2 cups and replacing 2 and 1/2 cups.... probably not worth the annoyance of totting gallons of water back and forth to work I think I might try it though if the tanks were sitting right next to each other.

 

[EMT John]

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