rocknurworld2006
Fish Aficionado
Can you add water from your hot water tap when doing water changes to try and get an even temp for the tank???
Water Changes?
- Thread starter rocknurworld2006
- Start date
Ian H
Fish Herder
nope.
bleepy
New Member
I've done it.. haven't experienced any problems whatsoever.. you're probably not supposed to though because of what might be in the heating system etc (like limescale in the pipes, etc.)
Of course, I don't just dump an entire bucket of hot water in the tank, I mix a very small part per bucket of cold.. it never really increases the temp a lot, but makes it a lot quicker for the heater to get to work. I then add plenty of Tap Safe, Filter Aid and Fish Safe.
Like I said, I've NEVER had a problem, and have been doing this for about 13 years now. But don't blame me if it doesn't work for you..
Of course, I don't just dump an entire bucket of hot water in the tank, I mix a very small part per bucket of cold.. it never really increases the temp a lot, but makes it a lot quicker for the heater to get to work. I then add plenty of Tap Safe, Filter Aid and Fish Safe.
Like I said, I've NEVER had a problem, and have been doing this for about 13 years now. But don't blame me if it doesn't work for you..
Ian H
Fish Herder
I'm not saying im right or wrong at all but when i was younger i was always told that water from the hot tap shouldnt be drank. So if i wanted a pot noodle or something to use the kettle instead of straight from the hot water tap 
something to do with chemicals they add i think.
How big is the tank? some times adding cold water wont affect the fish 1 bit if its a big tank, although if its only something small i wouldnt suggest it!
something to do with chemicals they add i think.
How big is the tank? some times adding cold water wont affect the fish 1 bit if its a big tank, although if its only something small i wouldnt suggest it!
I've got a 15g and a 30g and for water changes I just use the normal cold tap. The temperature only goes down a couple of degrees C, and many of the fish I keep (cories, flagtailed cats, bristlenose...) like the weekly colder snap anyway.
But yes it largely depends on tank size and what fish are in the tank.
But yes it largely depends on tank size and what fish are in the tank.
hot water systems can have large numbers of bacteria in them if the water isn't kept really hot. Also the hot water causes the copper pipes to corode faster and you get high copper readings in the hot water.
Having said that I know people who have used it for years and don't have any problems. Personally I use boiling water or put a spare aquarium heater in the bucket of water over night. The following day the temperatures is the same as the tank and the dechlorinator has had a chance to do its job.
Having said that I know people who have used it for years and don't have any problems. Personally I use boiling water or put a spare aquarium heater in the bucket of water over night. The following day the temperatures is the same as the tank and the dechlorinator has had a chance to do its job.
FYI the effect of dechlorinator is virtually instant.
I've been doing it for years, it depends on your hot water heating & storage setup. If it is kept under pressure, and not continually circulated as in a boiler it should be perfectly safe.
I couldn't imagine boiling the amount of water I would need for the amount of water I change.
I couldn't imagine boiling the amount of water I would need for the amount of water I change.
OP
OP
rocknurworld2006
Fish Aficionado
i have central heating and halways have instant hot water from all taps showers etc! would this be ok then??
If your central heating is a boiler, and your hot water comes off of this boiler system, it probably is not a good idea, as either the boiler constantly recirculates the water, picking up deposits and perhaps metals, or it has an open storage tank in the loft. If it is a separate hot water heating system from the heating unit, and the hot water is stored under pressure, without being recirculated, it is probably ok.
OP
OP
rocknurworld2006
Fish Aficionado
there is a pressure sytem as i dont have a big boiler!
Eviltoon
New Member
Copper problems, that's my big issue...but because our house is old...copper is a problem period. Most test kits don't test for copper so you never really know if you reading are high. I lost a number of fish before one bright guy keyed into the idea of copper and ran a test for me. Hot water heaters can store alot of minerals and sediments that you don't want in your tank. From that point on I filter all water out of my tap...what I do is boil a pot on the stove then add it to my 5 gal bucket...gets the temp to a nice level.
quote name='geo7x' date='Feb 6 2008, 02:08 AM' post='1901160']
FYI the effect of dechlorinator is virtually instant.
[/quote]
I know dechlorinator works "instantly" but it takes time and water movement for it to come in contact with all the chlorine molecules in the water. Filling a bucket with water and adding a couple of drops of dechlorinating agent doesn't necessarily mean it will remove all the chlorine before it goes in the tank. There must be some water movement to circulate the dechlorinator through the water and it must come in contact with all of the chlorine. If this doesn't happen you end up with free chlorine molecules in the tank and these can harm the fish if the fish comes in contact with them.
The idea of leaving the bucket of water overnight with an airstone and heater in, allows the water to warm up and the dechlorinator to mix thoroughly thru the water. The end result being water that is at normal atmospheric pressure without any weird gases in and is the same temp as the tank.
You don't have to leave it overnight, you can leave it for as long as it takes to get the temperature correct. I personally leave overnight so I don't have to sit around watching the temperature rise. I can set up the new water and go shopping, watch Tv or whatever I want. Then the next day I know the water is fine and can do the water changes whenever I get around to it. Just more convenient for me.
FYI the effect of dechlorinator is virtually instant.
[/quote]
I know dechlorinator works "instantly" but it takes time and water movement for it to come in contact with all the chlorine molecules in the water. Filling a bucket with water and adding a couple of drops of dechlorinating agent doesn't necessarily mean it will remove all the chlorine before it goes in the tank. There must be some water movement to circulate the dechlorinator through the water and it must come in contact with all of the chlorine. If this doesn't happen you end up with free chlorine molecules in the tank and these can harm the fish if the fish comes in contact with them.
The idea of leaving the bucket of water overnight with an airstone and heater in, allows the water to warm up and the dechlorinator to mix thoroughly thru the water. The end result being water that is at normal atmospheric pressure without any weird gases in and is the same temp as the tank.
You don't have to leave it overnight, you can leave it for as long as it takes to get the temperature correct. I personally leave overnight so I don't have to sit around watching the temperature rise. I can set up the new water and go shopping, watch Tv or whatever I want. Then the next day I know the water is fine and can do the water changes whenever I get around to it. Just more convenient for me.
[/quote]
I know dechlorinator works "instantly" but it takes time and water movement for it to come in contact with all the chlorine molecules in the water. Filling a bucket with water and adding a couple of drops of dechlorinating agent doesn't necessarily mean it will remove all the chlorine before it goes in the tank. There must be some water movement to circulate the dechlorinator through the water and it must come in contact with all of the chlorine. If this doesn't happen you end up with free chlorine molecules in the tank and these can harm the fish if the fish comes in contact with them.
The idea of leaving the bucket of water overnight with an airstone and heater in, allows the water to warm up and the dechlorinator to mix thoroughly thru the water. The end result being water that is at normal atmospheric pressure without any weird gases in and is the same temp as the tank.
You don't have to leave it overnight, you can leave it for as long as it takes to get the temperature correct. I personally leave overnight so I don't have to sit around watching the temperature rise. I can set up the new water and go shopping, watch Tv or whatever I want. Then the next day I know the water is fine and can do the water changes whenever I get around to it. Just more convenient for me.
[/quote]
We had a rep from Tetra do a program at one of our club meeting on different brands of water treatments. Yes it does work instantly, and needs a little water movement, no it does not take time. Add the water treatment, give it a swish, the job is done.
As far as worrying about chlorine & chloramine, this topic may interest you; http
/www.fishforums.net/content/forum/16.../Water-Changes/
I know dechlorinator works "instantly" but it takes time and water movement for it to come in contact with all the chlorine molecules in the water. Filling a bucket with water and adding a couple of drops of dechlorinating agent doesn't necessarily mean it will remove all the chlorine before it goes in the tank. There must be some water movement to circulate the dechlorinator through the water and it must come in contact with all of the chlorine. If this doesn't happen you end up with free chlorine molecules in the tank and these can harm the fish if the fish comes in contact with them.
The idea of leaving the bucket of water overnight with an airstone and heater in, allows the water to warm up and the dechlorinator to mix thoroughly thru the water. The end result being water that is at normal atmospheric pressure without any weird gases in and is the same temp as the tank.
You don't have to leave it overnight, you can leave it for as long as it takes to get the temperature correct. I personally leave overnight so I don't have to sit around watching the temperature rise. I can set up the new water and go shopping, watch Tv or whatever I want. Then the next day I know the water is fine and can do the water changes whenever I get around to it. Just more convenient for me.
[/quote]
We had a rep from Tetra do a program at one of our club meeting on different brands of water treatments. Yes it does work instantly, and needs a little water movement, no it does not take time. Add the water treatment, give it a swish, the job is done.
As far as worrying about chlorine & chloramine, this topic may interest you; http
/www.fishforums.net/content/forum/16.../Water-Changes/Similar threads
Most reactions
-
396 -
150 -
148 -
138 -
103 -
103 -
91 -
81 -
78 -
75 -
74 -
71 -
70 -
63 -
47