Water Change Question

[hoyfoys]

Evening

I've just read a book that suggests not using hot water from the tap for a water change but to add boiled water to cold. I have a combi boiler with a water softener attached. Is it best not to use this water or is this advice meant for people with storage tanks? WOuldn't it be hard to get the temperature right by adding boiled water?

Thanks.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I think this is fairly overstated as an issue. But I could be wrong.


Getting the temp right by boiling wouldn't be that hard at all though. Just get a pot boiling and slowly add it to a large bucket of cold water WITH A THERMOMETER in the bucket. The difference is that it takes longer.

The other option is to use a HUGE pot to warm the water on the stove, and just keep stirring it with a thermometer while it warms. When it reaches near the temp of your tank, just add that into the tank (dechlorinated first, of course).

 

[Caprichoso]

Evening

I've just read a book that suggests not using hot water from the tap for a water change but to add boiled water to cold. I have a combi boiler with a water softener attached. Is it best not to use this water or is this advice meant for people with storage tanks? WOuldn't it be hard to get the temperature right by adding boiled water?

Thanks.

I've used hot tap water for years and have never had an issue. Maybe it depends on where you live. If the pipes are old and corroded, I could see there being a potential issue with lead seeping into the water, maybe something else undesirable as well.

 

[KittyKat]

I used to have chunks of oxidised copper come out of my hot tap: I will usually use only cold water, sometimes sit it in a bucket to let it warm up to room temperature, sometimes add kettle-boiled water and rarely will use the hot tap (in emergencies, now that I live somewhere with newer pipes).

 

[StandbySetting]

On small water changes (25%) Temperature matching simply isn't required, the drop in temperature will be a few degrees at most and will only emulate rain fall.

As for the heavy metals argument, Copper Oxides are insoluble in water so pose no health problems to fish, as for the copper in water argument, a good dechlorinator will reduce heavy metals into non-toxic, insoluble salts.

 

[hoyfoys]

Great, thanks for the info.

One other question. I have hard water, is it worth making it softer? I read in the beginner posts that changing pH is very hard and since this is linked is it something not advised?

Cheers

 

[StandbySetting]

I wouldn't bother changing your water chemistry at the moment, what are you keeping? I've kept most species in hard water, it's just certain species such as Discus and Blue Rams that will really benefit from soft water, adding wood will reduce the PH as it will leech tannins which will create humic acid, but if your KH is high then it is unlikely that it will have much affect.

 

[hoyfoys]

It was my Blue rams I was worried about. I have a few bits of wood in there but wondered if I should try more?

Thanks

 

[Caprichoso]

It was my Blue rams I was worried about. I have a few bits of wood in there but wondered if I should try more?

Thanks

Unless they are wild caught, don't worry about adjusting the pH. They are bred and raised in hard water a lot of the time so they are used to it. My rams are at a pH of 7.7.