Water Changing . Straight from the cold tap or warm it up

[Catfish]

heat your water! don't forget these are TROPICAL fish...

I couldn't agree more!!! I certainly wouldn't want to expose my fish to sudden temp drops which will lower their immune system. Of course fish will play in the current coming from a cold water hose, it's in their nature, but that doesn't mean it's good for them. I'd rather see mine play in the warm current, gives me piece of mind.

[suphew]

I couldn't agree more!!! I certainly wouldn't want to expose my fish to sudden temp drops which will lower their immune system. Of course fish will play in the current coming from a cold water hose, it's in their nature, but that doesn't mean it's good for them. I'd rather see mine play in the warm current, gives me piece of mind.

Your making a lot of fact out of nothing, the temp drop isn't large or sudden, as explained earlier only a few %, no different than the change of temp from room to room for a human. Or a colder mountain steam flowing into a pond as often happens in natural environments. Does it lower their immune systems?? In fact it actually causes a lot of fish to spawn which is just the opposite since most fish only spawn when at their peak.

The temperature change in natural environments is often very dramatic, hill stream meeting pond streams, rain, thermal layers, warm days vs cold days.

[topcat]

In my humble opinion:

1.Get one of those bath tap attachable shower head setups (available from any DIY store).

2. Cut of shower head attachment and replace with enough pvc pipe to reach your tank (plumbers tape will stop leaks at the pipe connection point).

3. Turn on your taps and voila! Ready mixed water at your chosen temp straight to the tank.

Works for me just fine!!

[Insect Direct]

yes theyre tropical fish but there natural habitat isnt set to a certain temp, theres always currents and fluctuations and lets face it most things like a cold wc to get em breeding

[alanmin4304]

You pays your money and takes your pick.

[Aaron-Betta]

I have had a recent problem with tankloads of fish dying because of what looks to be poisoning from something in the tap water. So have had to change for rainwater for the time being. I don't trust the tap water at the moment.

[David R]

In my humble opinion:

1.Get one of those bath tap attachable shower head setups (available from any DIY store).

2. Cut of shower head attachment and replace with enough pvc pipe to reach your tank (plumbers tape will stop leaks at the pipe connection point).

3. Turn on your taps and voila! Ready mixed water at your chosen temp straight to the tank.

Works for me just fine!!

You must have sensitive fingers if you can set the temperature accurately enough doing it by this method! :lol:

Or do you just run a bit of warm to take the edge off the cold?

[phoenix44]

thought I'd dig this post up again cause winter is once again upon us, and I dont know about you guys - but the water from my garden hose is freezing! brrrr...

for a 25-30% WC the temp in a 200L + tank drops from 30C to about 26.

here is a great calculator that will dispel all myths and tell you what will happen to the temp of the tank before you do that water change.

Hope it helps! :bounce:

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/p ... ulator.php

PS- Thanks PFK!

[David R]

Our water here in east auckland is about 15C from the tap, I've been heating it in 200L lots in a barrel, so with a 300L wc only 1/3 of it is cold.