Water changes?

[moodychick75]

I know this is prolly a silly question Just wondering about when i do water changes. I know this is prolly in here somewhere but i cant find it.

When im doing a weekly water change, does the new water need to be heated up to the temperature of the tank water? Or can i just put it in cold.

 

[Phantom Thief]

The temperature should be as similar to the tank as possible

P.T.

 

[moodychick75]

Thank you PT, Would this be easiest to do either by using warm water from the tap? Or by floating bags of freshwater in the tank before i put them in so that they warm up?

I know its prolly a silly thing but id just like to find out the best way so i dont stress my fish out

 

[sunflower]

I usually run a mix of hot and cold into a bowl so it's lukewarm, then treat with water conditioner and use that.

By the way - no question is a silly question. Ask anything you need to know, better to ask than to get it wrong!

 

[skimpy]

I was told that any more that 3 degrees difference would be harmful so I fill up water from my cold tap and add a kettle of boiling water and check with the thermometer then when temp is the same I add dechlorinator.

At first i found it really difficult to get the temp right but a pattern soon emerges. for example I find 1 1/2 kettles to 19 litres of cold water and the temp is almost exactly the same as my tank, or 3/4 of a kettle to 9 litres. depending on the size of change I am doing. Good luck

Edit. I notice Sunflower you said you use warm tap water, I only started with the kettle because someone said to me that as the warm water comes from a storage tank in my house that it can contain other stuff and not to use it. Is you warm water direct or from a tank.

 

[FishDan]

Since my aquarium is really only a few degrees above room temperature, I just let my water sit out and it's temp is very similar to the tank's. No need to do any extra work. Also, I found that "hand testing" works great too. Dip your fingers in your aquarium, then match with your water change water. In my experience the difference in temp was within +/- 2 degrees.

\Dan

 

[skimpy]

I agree FishDan, after I got used to doing the changes I found hand testing to be quite accurate, but in the beginning I was REALLY scared and double checked with a thermometer

 

[caterpillar5]

It should be similar the temp. But if you are only doing a little partial change on a big tank i dont think its too bad because the temp will probably go down at most 1-2 degrees. But make sure the water has sat for say like 24 hrs so it can at least get to room temp.

 

[sunflower]

Edit. I notice Sunflower you said you use warm tap water, I only started with the kettle because someone said to me that as the warm water comes from a storage tank in my house that it can contain other stuff and not to use it. Is you warm water direct or from a tank.

No we dont have a tank.

 

[skimpy]

Ah that makes sense, thanks sunflower