Water Changes And Weather

[LionMom]

We have had sub-zero (F) nights here for the past few consecutive nights. I was wondering if it was safe to do partial water changes in my betta tanks or should I wait a couple days till it warms up some.

Thanks in advance!

 

[pica_nuttalli]

Do you have a 5g bucket or some clean water pitchers? Just fill the container with water, dechlorinate as usual and allow it to sit for a few hours by the tank. At that point, the water will have warmed up to room temperature and should be suitable for water changes. Alternatively, you can use hot water out of the tap to match the temperature of your tanks.

 

[devon_charm]

I would mix hot and cold water until you get the right temperature, treat it with water treatment then add it to your tank. As long as the water is warm there is no harm at all doing water changers in freezing temperatures

 

[Tolak]

I drain my hot water heater all the time doing water changes. Takes about a half hour to reheat. As long as it is a free standing hot water heater under mains pressure it shouldn't be a problem.

A word to the wise; make sure nobody in the house plans on having to use hot water for the half hour it takes to reheat. For some reason my family doesn't understand ice cold showers can be a part of living in a house with many tanks.

 

[LionMom]

Thanks all!!! Will do tank cleaning tomorrow.

 

[LionMom]

I should probably explain why I even asked this question.

Years ago I lost my very first angel fish to Gas Bubble Disease which, I found out, is more common in the winter when there are frigid temps.

From <a href="http/badmanstropicalfish.com/disease.html" target="_blank">http/badmanstropicalfish.com/disease.html</a>

Gas bubble disease


Gas Bubble Disease is caused by a sudden dramatic change in gas pressure in the aquarium. This can happen by changing too much water at one time or by adding cold water to the fish tank. Gas bubbles form in the fins and skin of the fish. The bubbles look like blisters and are very easy to see. The skin will crackle if you run your finger across it. If not treated in time, gas bubbles in the bloodstream will kill the fish. The treatment is to add alot of aeration to the aquarium. Lights should be left off to minimize stress. If you see alot of bubbles that have already popped, consider adding a general antibiotic to guard against secondary infection

Ok, I did NOT add cold water to the tank that time, but mixed it out of the tap like I normally do to match it to the tank temp. Something about the cold, cold temps outside, though, increases the amount of gasses in the water is my understanding.

Just don't want to EVER go through that again!

 

[Honeythorn]

If it's chlorine you're worried about, just always use dechlorinator and BLAST the taps into the bucket . This agitates the water immensely and allows gases to disperse quickly. There's no need to let the water stand for ages if you do this.