Cold or warm water for water change
- Thread starter CANAMONSTER
- Start date
Because I do large water changes, at least 100-200 gallons every other day(quickly), and for much of the year, water comes out of the tap very cold, in the 40sF (for a short time 30'sF) so using cold water for my tropical tanks is not an option.
I blend warm with cold, and have for 50 years.
I make it a point to drain water from the bottom of my water heater, at least twice per year. The drastic shifts in water temp in and out of the heater allow certain minerals to precipitate into the bottom of the water heater and build up, so draining the heater from the bottom helps to remove the buildup. After 6 months or so, the water drained from the heater can feel a bit viscous, so I purge it until the viscous consistency is gone, usually only tanks a gallon or 2 for the water to feel normal.
Beside keeping minerals from my tanks, purging the mineral buildup from the water heater can also improve its efficiency.
Water comes out of my tap at 250ppm total hardness, 7.6-7.8 pH, and an alkalinity of @100ppm, chloramine is used as a disinfectant by my water company, and the source water is Lake Michigan, which is mineral rich (much the same as the rift lakes of Africa).
Before treatment by the supplier, pH of the lake can be 8.4 and above.
I blend warm with cold, and have for 50 years.
I make it a point to drain water from the bottom of my water heater, at least twice per year. The drastic shifts in water temp in and out of the heater allow certain minerals to precipitate into the bottom of the water heater and build up, so draining the heater from the bottom helps to remove the buildup. After 6 months or so, the water drained from the heater can feel a bit viscous, so I purge it until the viscous consistency is gone, usually only tanks a gallon or 2 for the water to feel normal.
Beside keeping minerals from my tanks, purging the mineral buildup from the water heater can also improve its efficiency.
Water comes out of my tap at 250ppm total hardness, 7.6-7.8 pH, and an alkalinity of @100ppm, chloramine is used as a disinfectant by my water company, and the source water is Lake Michigan, which is mineral rich (much the same as the rift lakes of Africa).
Before treatment by the supplier, pH of the lake can be 8.4 and above.
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When I used to do 25%-30% w/c, I used only cold. Nowadays, I have increased my w/c to 50%, so I now mix hot/cold....preferring the new water to be just slightly cooler than the tank temp. Like, Duane, I also purge some of the water from the bottom of the water heater at least a couple of times a year.....which is what my plumber tells me to do anyway to extend the life of the water heater.
I use a mixer tap and try to maintain the same temp in my tanks , it does drop a few degress but nothing drastic
By the time my water is done de-chlorinating it's usually room temperature.
I'm less concerned with my larger tanks that require more water per change- Once I'm out of aged water from my buckets and bottles. I put warm in first and then cold when I have to.
I'm less concerned with my larger tanks that require more water per change- Once I'm out of aged water from my buckets and bottles. I put warm in first and then cold when I have to.
I do a 50% wc. Straight from the hose. depends on the day. If its really cold. I put the hose on low. If its a hot day. full blast. temp drops a few degrees but the fish seem not to mind. When im filling it up. then swim through it.
When I used to do 25%-30% w/c my tank temp used to drop 6-8 degrees F (during the winter months) and it didn't seem to have any effect on the fish at all..