Water Temp Questions

[Parkedout]

This is probably a no-brainer type question- but I figure the only dumb question is the one left unasked- so here we go...

I see a lot of people suggest that while doing water changes you need to add the new water back at the same temperature as your tank water. How *I* do that, is fill up my five gallon fish bucket, add my extra heater to the water for a few hours (generally after the water has set over night at room temperature) treat, and poor into the tank.

Is that not how its done? Is it acceptable to use the hot tap water to adjust the temp? My mother always told me not to use the hot water tap for making food or drinks because of metals... so I assumed it was unsafe for fish as well.

 

[FreshyFresh]

I would add hot tap water as needed to your bucket to get it as close as possible to the tank temp. Just plop a cheap aquarium thermometer into the bucket to see if you're within a degree or 3.

Joel

 

[FishDad]

I have found that after doing so many water changes I am very accurate just by feel. I do water changes with a hose straight from the faucet and the temp rarely varies more than a degree. Try experimenting with with feel vs therm, see how accurate you can be.

 

[Thyra]

In spite of many many years of testing temps, like for yeast and formulas, etc., I have not found my "feel" to be very accurate. Apparently my temperature and/or the room temperature influences how I perceive the tanks temp - so I no longer trust it. I use an instant read thermometer to check the temps.

 

[Parkedout]

So to be clear- it is safe to use the hot water tap in the fish tank? I don't have to warm up cold water?

Thyra- what sort of thermometer are you using?

 

[OrangeCones]

So to be clear- it is safe to use the hot water tap in the fish tank? I don't have to warm up cold water?

I have never used anything but cold water to do water changes. Some have used hot/warm and say no ill effects, but I don't risk it. I have a friend that does plumbing for businesses and it is ILLEGAL for him to hook up hot water in a restaurant's kitchen within so many feet of food prep/cooking areas, unless it is heated with a very expensive water heater to prevent metals from getting into the food. The restaurant must use cold water and heat it up on the stove or in the oven if they need it hot.

When I had multiple tanks (8 at one time), I made water in one 'trash can' dedicated just to hold water for water changes. With that (55 gallon trash can filled up to about 40), I used a heater to bring it up to 'tank temperature.' I broke a few heaters back then, since I'd sometimes forget to unplug it once the trash can was empty!

What I do now, with only 1 tank, is stack three empty 5gallon buckets with lids next to my tank, and put the 4th 5gallon bucket full of my new water on top of it. This makes the 4th bucket tall enough to let gravity do its thing. I then use a section of airline tubing to syphon the water into the tank, and the outflow of the tubing is next to my tank's heater. The water going in is in the 50s, but the tank water overall does not fluctuate at all doing it this way (77 degrees), since the outflow is slow and the heater can keep up with the change. It takes me about 45mins to an hour to add back 5 gallons to give an idea of how slow it is. The 4 buckets all get nested together under my tank, in the stand's cabinet (with test kit, dechlor, etc) in the buckets for storage.

BTW, my fish always dart in/out of the outflow of new water, so they must like to take a 'cold' bath sometimes!

 

[Parkedout]

I'm concerned about the metals too. Especially in my water (which is county, not city).

That system sounds interesting. I may give that a try!

 

[OrangeCones]

I'm moving plants around this weekend and rearranging things in the tank, so I'll post up a pic when I'm done and the water is still draining in. If you can find a drip acclimation kit, they make it a breeze (and you can regulate how fast to add water in). They are good to acclimate fish too (what they are sold for).

 

[Parkedout]

I'm moving plants around this weekend and rearranging things in the tank, so I'll post up a pic when I'm done and the water is still draining in. If you can find a drip acclimation kit, they make it a breeze (and you can regulate how fast to add water in). They are good to acclimate fish too (what they are sold for).

My fish store had one, and if its still there when I go after my guppies- I am going to pick it up. It looks very handy!

I'll look forward to the photos!

 

[Thyra]

Its a Taylor thermometer: Amazon.com: Taylor 806E4L Weekend Warrior Waterproof Digital Thermometer: Patio, Lawn & Garden

I use it for cooking too. I have had really good luck with them. (I say, "them" because I lost mine and was at my wits end and so I ordered two more (one for the travel trailer) and then husband found mine by the bar-b-que and so I have three)

 

[OrangeCones]

One tank went from this:

to this:

in about 3 weeks. I started out with 12 of the original plant and pulled out over 50 three weeks later (too much of a good thing!)!

Sorry to highjack your thread!

 

[Parkedout]

WOW! I wonder if I could do a planted tank. I have a few live plants in my ten gallon. I may add to it now. If I could ever find a good source of plants. The fish store here has plants-- but they don't really seem like they are aquatic. Most planted tanks I see on here are really lush and green with undertones of red or yellow.

The bright pink and purple on the ones at the store make me think they may not be fully underwater type plants.

 

[Thyra]

OC, is that all guppy grass and did you fertilize it or how to it get so green so fast? Does it take a lot of lighting?

 

[OrangeCones]

WOW! I wonder if I could do a planted tank. I have a few live plants in my ten gallon. I may add to it now. If I could ever find a good source of plants. The fish store here has plants-- but they don't really seem like they are aquatic. Most planted tanks I see on here are really lush and green with undertones of red or yellow.

The bright pink and purple on the ones at the store make me think they may not be fully underwater type plants.

It takes more than 'stock' lighting, but not too expensive.

You are right to question the pet store plants. About 90% of what I see for sale are 'marginal' plants. They can survive for awhile submerged, but not long-term. With the exception of swords and anubias plants, if it can stand up outside the water (stiff), then its likely not aquatic. Anything 'variagated' also is highly questionable.

I would sugget getting the scientific name and then doing research. If it's not available, I'd suggest passing on the purchase.

Mondo grass, 'lucky' bamboo, aquafern (sure SOUNDS aquatic), etc, are NOT underwater plants!

 

[SKSands]

From what i've noticed so far, is that i can "feel" the water in to about 2-5 degrees of the tank. i actually fill my water change bucket in a bathtub faucet, with the tempture set to max, and one it reaches max, i adjust it down to the tank temp. in my southern single knob faucet, i find my temp to be just below midway. just noticed it started going there over and over, and now i automatically move it there.

 

[OrangeCones]

OC, is that all guppy grass and did you fertilize it or how to it get so green so fast? Does it take a lot of lighting?

Sorry, Thyra, I didn't see your questions.

The plant was Hygrophila polysperma. This was a 'quarantine' tank for otos I was importing, so it had no fish at the time. I did weekly 50% water changes even tho the water didn't need changed. I just drained half of the tanks water, and filled it back up with the water being removed from my other tanks, to give the plants some food. Once the otos were put in, the decaying veggies and algae I scrapped from another tank (dedicated to growing algae on rocks) kept the plants fed. No other specific fertilzers were used.

 

[Thyra]

Thanks OC, I would like to do a planted tank so I try to accumulate info for that "some day" but I am beginning to doubt I will ever get there.

 

[OrangeCones]

It's not hard at all to do plants in a tank. The key is getting plants that are really aquatic. If you ever want to start one, feel free send me a pm if you'd like to discuss it.

 

[exhumed07]

i have failed multiple times with planted tanks till i started my dirt tank. but the plants are getting so lush that they are dropping off most their leaves on the bottom cause they don't get any of my semi expensive lighting lol. mut my hygro, ludwigia, bacopa, jungle val, christmas moss, and hair grass are growing like the weeds they are. i'm constantly supplying my lfs with fresh plants.

 

[tom91970]

I don't bother with using a thermometer to determine the temp. I'm able to get a pretty good idea by touch, and never have any problems. And to be honest, if I had to heat water in a bucket when doing a pwc on a 180 gallon tank I'd never finish.