Can I Add Tap Water Direct To My Tank

[RubyJewell]

I have a 225litre tank that I am currently cycling preparatory to adding my first fish (this is day 2, only 26 to go!). My current dilemna is how will I manage my weekly water changes once I start to add stock? My little 40 litre tank is no trouble: a 25% water change is more or less a regular bucket so I just fill one with tap water, add the solution (Prime) and let it dechlorinate whilst syphoning out the comparable amount (I use the old water for my house plants 'cause I reckon all that fish poo must be great fertiliser).

However 25% of 225litres is considerably more than a bucket (>50l), not to mention the problem of getting it up high enough to syphon in! I was wondering if, after I've syphoned off the 25%, can I refill the tank straight from the tap? With hot water to bring it roughly up to the requesite 27C? Then I would add the dechlorinating solution to the tank. Or will my big tank be nice and stable and not need weekly changes? Once my fishless cycle has completed, I plan on having LOTS of little fish as in shoals of glass tetras and cherry barbs and catfish and kuali-loaches and one iridescent blue Betta i.e. maximum fish lengths for the size of tank!

We are on mains pressure so our water does not sit in tanks up in the loft (as is ?still? common in the UK). However the hot water is from a cylinder so ?may contain leached chemicals? In addition to chlorine, fluoride is also added to NZ water.

 

[Tolak]

I add straight from the tap with a hose that goes all the way across the basement to the utility sink. I'm changing out around 300 gallons weekly with all my tanks. There is the usual additives to the municipal water supply here, including flouride.

Get a good dechlorinator that deals with chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, & heavy metals. That will take care of anything added to your water supply. Prime from Seachem is probably your best bet.

 

[RubyJewell]

Whew: that's a relief! I really wasn't looking forward to lugging 10(!) buckets of water around every week! Luckily the laundry is close by and I can run a hose.

Should I get special inert tubing or is a length of garden hose okay?

Wow: 300gallons! Wow! You must have one or two (or three or four!) tanks!

 

[Tolak]

I used garden hose at first, until I found water safe rv hose on sale. The regular hose didn't hurt anything, and I see no difference since switching hoses.

I have 14 tanks running, 400 gallons total. Buckets got old a long time ago.

 

[SamUK]

buckets get boring quickly lol.


i dont have the option of a hose, well i do but the waters from outside and its about 7 degrees.


i jus got a big bin, over 80L i think it is and im jus gonna fill that in the morning or even evening before i wanna do a water change then throw a spare 300w heater i have in there to warm it up.


can syphon or bail it straight in then.