1.       Water changes – 10% weekly! Don't be fooled by those who would tell you their tanks are thriving with less-than water changes!  Water changes physically removes unwanted wastes & contaminants & replaces calcium & trace elements your fish & corals deplete during the week.  Water changes, using a high quality salt like Tropic Marin Pro Reef, eliminates the need for additives like Iodine, Calcium, Iron etc.

a.      Do Not mix fresh salt & water & dump directly into your tank!  Freshly mixed saltwater needs to agitate/stir at least 24 hours (one week is best!) before being added to a tank.  Just add a power head to your water container.  Though you can’t see them with the naked eye, some salt crystals take up to 24 hours to completely dissolve.  Also, fresh salt releases gases which need to escape from the water.  These gases can be toxic to your all your livestock.

b.       I recommend using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals salt (used exclusively at AquaCorals).  It has everything needed to maintain a healthy reef system for ALL corals whether soft, LPS or SPS corals.  My parent tank pics are proof of this.

Below is one of my water change rack systems.  This was built for my house 180g system.  This is obviously more capacity than I need for my weekly water change but I've learned through the years it's better if at all possible to give yourself more fresh & saltwater than you need because there will be times when you need to do more than the weekly when battling cyano, algae & you'll want more ready water on hand.  Let's not mention the possibility of a mishap where again, you'd need additional water.  The top 2 totes are RO filtered freshwater which automatically fill using a simple manual float valve (non-electrical).  The floats work just like your toilet water tank float does.  They shut off when the water pushed up against the float.  Both freshwater tubs are used to refill my saltwater tubs & in some cases, a 1/4" RO tubing bulkhead can be installed at the lower part of a tub & used to feed the evaporation float in the sump.  The lower 2 totes are saltwater mixing with a small powerhead pump in each as we can't let salted water just sit.  It needs to be stirring constantly.  Once I empty a saltwater tote I immediately refill it with a freshwater tote from above, add my needed salt & walk away.

Do not worry if you don't have the room etc. to do an elaborate water change system as this one!  Any clean container that will hold your 10% needs plus a little more to keep your stirring powerhead always submersed is enough!  For years I only had a single container with a float valve that refilled my saltwater tote.  I've got alot more to share with you, ideas & pics so be sure to check back as this article is not nearly finished BUT gives you an idea what to shoot for.  :c)