[Martin]

hi there

am wondering what effects temperature have on fish, when doing waterchanges?
Must I adjust temperature of water going into tank, or can I add tapwater directly? from the cold tap...?

It seems that there is a difference in opinion..at least the places i've seen.......

any thoughts on this?

 

[Rex Grigg]

I just get the water close. I aim for a temperature change of somewhere less than 5-6° F. Unless I want the Corys to spawn then I try and bring the tank temp down from the normal 74-76° to somewhere around 65°.

 

[joan]

So now that I have a larger tank, I'm thinking about making life easier with my water changes and I'm wondering about temps as well. If I get a Python do I adjust temp from the taps to get it closer to tank temp? I don't feel comfortable with a 50% water change straight from the cold tap. My cold water is cold. Is it okay to use the hot water tap to get temps close. I'm always wondering about unknowns from the hot water tank being introduced but, man, I'd like to get a Python and make life easier.

 

[Rex Grigg]

I use a mix of hot water and cold water from the tap. In winter time my cold water temperature can be around 40° F.

 

[shalu]

I also mix hot and cold tap water. I can get the temp close to tank water temp, within couple of degrees after 50% water change.

 

[Spar]

i was experimenting today with temp's going through my python siphon and not knowing what it was, except by feel.

just shove a Coralife (or similar brand) thermometer's probe up into the tubing, and you can monitor the exact temp going through it. Worked like a charm.

hopefully this helps you if you want to set something up similar:

 

[duck]

I Use it straight from the tap but slowly it take's nearly 1-1.5 hour's to fill my 550 liter at 50% WC.
My tap water sit's between 18- 24 deg/Celcius.
I got an outbreak of white spot when i changed the water in under fifteen minutes.

 

[Martin]

the problem is that I've always been told that, here in Denmark anyway, we DO NOT use water from the tap because of metals & other bacteria from the hotwater tank. We have no added chloramine or similar...

Is this a talltale or is it something native to Denmark?

 

[Rex Grigg]

Sounds like a tall tale to me. Leeching metals maybe. Bacteria? If so you have more problems than adding that water to your fish tank.

How are you supposed to treat/prep the water?

 

[Martin]

Sounds like a tall tale to me. Leeching metals maybe. Bacteria? If so you have more problems than adding that water to your fish tank.

How are you supposed to treat/prep the water?

supposed ..well... usually, i've just filled a 10Litre bucket, with approx 8L of cold, and then boiled 1-2 litres, and mixed em in the bucket... that's how I usually do waterchanges...but changing 165L of water like that is kindda ....well... you try it every week...

just strange that it's such a strong manifest here in Denmark..... it might just be leeching metals.... but can they not be harmful?

 

[Rex Grigg]

Well what are the pipes in your house made from? Lead? Copper? Iron? What are the supply system pipes made from?

The key is to flush the hot water line before you start to fill the tank.

 

[cich]

It's not really the pipes that concern me, but the tank itself. I don't think there'd be actual bacteria growing in it (it's chlorinated and quite hot), but it's known that hot water tanks collect a lot of mineral deposits. I've tested water from both the hot and cold taps for TDS, and the water from the hot was indeed higher. I've always heard not to drink from the hot water tank due to this reasoning.

P.S.
I let both the hot and cold samples reach room temperature, and my TDS meter has temperature correction for any remaining differences.