How to Change the Water in Your Saltwater Aquarium

dir="ltr">Maintaining your saltwater aquarium is the most important thing you can do for your coral. One crucial component of that is changing out your aquarium's water frequently. Over time toxins and waste build up in the water and create an unsuitable environment for your specimens. Although fundamental to coral care, changing out your aquarium’s water can seem like a hassle when you first start out. Here are some tips to help the process go a little more smoothly.

Change Water Regularly

dir="ltr">It is generally accepted in the reef tank hobby that a 10%-20% water replacement weekly is optimal for peak tank performance. A consistent tank is a healthy tank, and replacing this amount of water keeps water conditions steady. More specifically, this regular water replacement keeps nutrients in the water constant and removes excess bacteria, gunk, and waste products. Although you may be able to get away with two weeks in between water replacements, we do not recommend making a habit of it. Keeping a consistent schedule prolongs the life of your aquarium and all marine life inside.

Premix New Water

We advise against adding new water directly into the existing habitat without premixing first. The reason for this is that new water can “shock” the whole ecosystem within your reef tank. Try to match the chemical concentrations within your existing tank with the new saltwater batch you have created. Before adding any water to your tank check the chemical concentrations and adjust until it matches tank conditions. Additionally, make sure to check salinity levels of the water you are adding and mimic tank conditions.

Do Not Use Tap Water

A common mistake among beginners, tap water can never be used in a reef tank environment. The chemicals in our tap water can be dangerous to fish species. It is nearly impossible to completely neutralize chlorine in tap water, eliminating it as an option for tank water. So what should you use? Bottled, deionized freshwater is the best option to fill your reef tank. This water can be purchased at most aquarium stores.

Temperature

Consistency is key for the health of your saltwater aquarium. As most points above have alluded to, we want to keep consistency with everything we add to the tank. Make sure that any water that is added to your reef tank falls well within the optimal temperature range of 78-84 degrees Fahrenheit. Aquatic environments are extremely sensitive to temperature swings, and even one drastic temperature difference can be catastrophic.