Changing Water

[Miss Wiggle]

yeah I just run cold water straight in.

if i'm doing a large change i just run wate rin slowly, the heaters will click on and warm it up as it's going in so the temp doesn't drop too badly.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

Unless you have iced water coming out of your faucets, you shouldnt need to heat up the water.

 

[Bblou]

aw man.

I wish I knew this ages ago lol.

A water change has taken me over an hour before now lol.






( a 25% one!)

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Yea, and quite often, I forget to switch off the heater while draining the water... ye'all know what happens next.... Anybody else done this before??

 

[rabbut]

Yea, and quite often, I forget to switch off the heater while draining the water... ye'all know what happens next.... Anybody else done this before??

Yes, a few times. Cracked heater .... Not good, and make you need to get to the LFS in a fair rush in the next few days.....

 

[minxfishy]

Not forgotten to turn it off ....YET!

However, frequently forget to turn it back on, couple hours later wonder why the temp hasnt risen, then go doh!!!!

 

[quaver]

yes I always preheat the water. I'm in favour of doing small water changes on a regular basis, and I'm of the thinking that the water should be more or less the same temperature going in as coming out. Imagine if you were in the bath, and I came along with a bucket of cold water, and poured it over you. You would not be best pleased I'm guessing, but if I came along with a bucket of warm water, you would probably stay another 15 minutes until the skin on your hands went wrinkly. LOL

 

[minxfishy]

Whilst thats true for us humans, fish who live in the wild are used to changes in water temperature, when it rains its cooler and changes in seasons create changes in water temperature. A small drop in their water is not harmful nor do I think they mind it, in fact mine seem to appreciate it and often have great fun swimming in the stream of cooler (not cold) water during a change.

 

[quaver]

yeah, I think thats they key word there minx "cool" water. If you put cold water in, then it will shock the fish (I am guilty of accidentally doing this once or twice... but don't tell anyone), You are totally spot on minx I agree

Holly

 

[andywg]

Careful on anthropomorphising fish. We have different responses to hot and cold because we maintain a roughly constant internal body temperature (we are endothermic) whereas a fish has its body temperature controlled by the environment (with some exceptions such as some sharks).

Not only do some fish utilise colder water for breeding, others hunt across thermoclines, that is they go from one temperature area to one of a markedly different temperature.

I can vouch that putting cold water in will not shock fish as I have been doing it for 3 or 4 years now with no ill effects.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

Yea, and quite often, I forget to switch off the heater while draining the water... ye'all know what happens next.... Anybody else done this before??

Yes, a few times. Cracked heater .... Not good, and make you need to get to the LFS in a fair rush in the next few days.....

Thats why im never buying a glass heater again Visatherm stealths all the way