Maintenance - Water Change

Living Oceans

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How to Perform a Water Change in Your Living Oceans Aquarium

A water change is one of the simplest yet most valuable maintenance tasks you can perform. While your Living Oceans Aquarium is designed to remain biologically stable for decades, regular water changes replenish essential trace elements, export excess nutrients, and help maintain the ideal environment for your fish and corals.

We recommend replacing 25–50% of the aquarium water every 8–12 weeks. Combined with routine cleaning, this preventative maintenance helps keep your reef healthy and resilient for the long term.

Why Water Changes Matter

Unlike freshwater aquariums, a reef aquarium relies on a careful balance of minerals and trace elements that are gradually consumed by corals and other marine life.

A scheduled water change restores these elements while reducing dissolved nutrients and organic waste before they become a problem. Preventative maintenance is always easier than correcting water quality issues after they occur.

Prepare Before You Start

Before beginning, switch off the aquarium and protect the surrounding area with towels. If you're troubleshooting an issue or sending water for testing, collect a 50–100 mL sample before disturbing the aquarium.

Clean hands are equally important. Wash away any soaps, lotions or chemicals, and wear aquarium-safe gloves whenever handling equipment or working inside the tank.

Replace Your Filter Media

Every water change is the ideal time to replace the Carbon Filter Media and Phosphate Remover in the top filter basket.

Before installing the new media, rinse both bags thoroughly under tap water to remove fine dust. The lower baskets containing the Bio Media should not be cleaned, as they house the beneficial bacteria responsible for the aquarium's biological filtration.

If you notice bubbling after reinstalling the filter basket, simply push it firmly into place and gently jiggle it to release any trapped air.

Remove the Old Water

Using the siphon supplied in your Maintenance Kit, slowly remove 25–50% of the aquarium's water.

As you siphon, vacuum any accumulated detritus, leftover food or loose algae from the substrate. Removing this organic waste during a water change helps reduce future nutrient build-up without disturbing the biological stability of the aquarium.

Never leave the siphon or pump unattended while operating, as even a well-designed system requires supervision.

Mix Fresh Saltwater Correctly

Fresh saltwater should always be prepared before refilling the aquarium.

Using filtered tap water, add the recommended water conditioner before mixing marine salt thoroughly. Check the salinity with the supplied Hydrometer, aiming for approximately 1.024, and adjust the temperature to around 24°C so it closely matches the aquarium.

Taking a few extra minutes to match temperature and salinity minimises stress on your livestock.

Refill the Aquarium

Slowly pump the new saltwater back into the aquarium until the display reaches the overflow weir.

Once power is restored, check the rear pump chamber and top it up with approximately 3 litres of additional saltwater if required until the Auto Top Off (ATO) sensor is fully submerged. Finally, adjust the circulation nozzle so it directs flow towards the centre of the aquarium rather than the surface, reducing unnecessary splashing and salt creep.

What to Expect Afterwards

Don't be concerned if the aquarium appears cloudy immediately after maintenance. Disturbing the sand bed and water column is normal, and the water usually clears within a few hours.

Similarly, many corals temporarily close after a water change. Given stable water conditions, they typically reopen later that day or over the following couple of days as they readjust.

Make Maintenance Part of Your Routine

Water changes don't need to be complicated. By completing them every 8–12 weeks, replacing your filter media, and using the included Maintenance Kit, you'll provide your reef with the conditions it needs to continue growing for years to come.

Every aquarium owner also has access to the Support Hub, where you'll find detailed Assembly & Training Videos covering water changes, equipment maintenance, and ongoing reef care.