correct way to perform a water change?

Question

i know when you perform a water change, you are supposed to let the temp of the water you are adding reach the same temp as the water in the tank. how do you do this?

Answer 1

1st anyone who is recommending distilled water doesn't know what they are talking about. It's way too acidic, and soft. Not to mention completely devoid of needed minerals. The reason to use distilled water is to dilute tap water that is to hard. (Note if you currently using distilled water make the switch to tap water gradually.) Unless you've tested your tap, or know your fish require softer water you should be using it to for any reason.

Changing water in a large heated tank is generally a partial water change. I case of 10-30% you can just dump it in slowly if it's room temp. Replacing a 3 gallons in a 30 gallon tank just can't change the temp enough to make a difference. For major changes I put in a spare heater from my quarantine tank. Otherwise put the fish in ziplock baggys, ad float them in the new tank water. With unheated bowls/tanks for fish like bettas, or goldfish. You just let the water sit out until it reaches room temp.

Answer 2

Please do not use warm tap water. If you are concerned enough with the correct way to do a water change, then you want to do one of two things.

The best way to do a water change is to use store bought distilled water. It is room temp but more importantly, distilled water does not have any chlorine or any other chemicals that our city likes to add to our tap water system. It is pure H2O, and it will not stress your fish in any way.

If you are on a budget, and must use tap water, put it in a 5 gallon arrowhead container or some other large container. Keep the tap water here while you are treating it. Keep it here at least 24 hours. It will be slightly cooler than your tank, but what is more important than the temp is the chemicals that you are adding to your tank. You should only be changing out 25% or so anyways, so the temp difference should not be too great.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Feel the water from the tap, try to make it feel about the same as the water in the tank, it won't hurt the fish if the water is a little bit colder than the water in the tank, just don't let it be extremly hot or cold. As long as it's not extremely hot or cold it won't kill your fish, remeber that they have a heater in the tank if it's a little colder it will heat the water. When I preform a water change this is what I do. I Take out all the decorations. Start siphoning the water with a gravel vack into my trashcan taking out about 20%. (The amount you take out really depends on how often you change your water) While siphoning the water I fill up my bucket that I will be pouring into the aquarium then dechlorinate it, you may need to use filtered water depending on the water in your area. Once done siphoning I put the decorations back in and wipe the glass. Unplug the heater if it is going to be exposed to air, so that it doesn't crack and break. Then I pour the water in my bucket into the tank. Don't take the fish out of the aquarium while doing a water change. Hopefully I didn't forget anything, if you do this you shouldn't have any trouble. Good Luck

Answer 4

You dont really have to equalize the temp. Any where about 10 degrees within the tank temp will work, though i have used cold water without ill effects. You can always just leave the water out, provided you house is ok, room temp is good. Yoy can also leave a spare heater to warm the water. I say that it doesnt really matter, as i have used super cold water for changes, and the water temp dropped maybe 3, 4 degrees F. Unless u have really sensative fish, or are doing a large 50% change, just dump it in, after dechlorinating

Answer 5

When I prepare for a water change I will set a jug of tap water (from my cold water tap) out. I always use the water treater for the chlorine ... sitting out tap water doesn't take the chlorine out (necessarily) anymore.

With my jug of water sitting next to my tank the two are pretty close in temperature by the time water change time comes. However, my tank does have a heater so it may be a few degrees off; but so long as it's close it won't send the fish into shock.

Of course, one jug is never enough. I always need a second jug of water for a good water change. I fill the 2nd jug with cold water and treat it.

I've read that you shouldn't use hot water because there are mineral buildup in the hot water tank that could accumulate and be harmful to the fish ... also boiling isn't good either)

For the 2nd jug I do what I do for my daughters bottles. I give the 2nd jug a warm/hot water bath. I fill a larger container (or the sink) with hot water and let the jug soak there for a bit. Using a thermometer (this is where a spare fish one comes in handy) will tell me when the jug is temperatured correctly.

Answer 6

Do you have a large aquarium? Get several buckets of water and leave them by the aquarium for 24 + hours so that they get the same temperature as the water in the aquarium.

Get a hose to use as a siphon and stick one end in the aquarium and the other into an empty bucket. Suck the bucket end to get it started and drain about 1/2 the water out. Then with a squeege if necessary, clean the sides of the tank. Then take the siphon and put one end in the bucket of clean water and suck it to get it started and siphon back in. Once it is 3/4 full, you can slowly dump the rest of the water back in. You probably won't be able to/shouldn't change all of the water at once, cos that would involve taking out all of the fish which is stressful and unnecessary (unless a fish has died in which case you should do this and thoroughly clean the entire aquarium and all fishy furniture inside).

Remember never to use soap!!!

Check your local aquarium shop for more info.

Answer 7

If you're anal like my fiance, you'll boil water and mix it with cold water so that it reaches the correct temperature. (He says hot water leeches excess copper, lead, other heavy metals out of the pipes - not sure how true this is.)

If you're like me, you'll run the hot water faucet with the cold until it reaches the right temperature.

If you don't have a thermometer, invest in one. Make sure the water you're adding into the tank is no higher or lower than 2 degrees from the tank temperature.

Remember to treat your water with something to remove chlorine and chloramines. Letting it sit for 24 hours or so will not dissipate chloramines (it takes well over a week for that to happen).

And don't listen to the boneheads telling you to use distilled water. That will get way expensive over time. Not only that, but by using distilled water, you are depriving your fish of necessary trace elements needed for a healthy environment.

Good luck!

Answer 8

Let the new water sit in the same room as the tank for a few hours. Also, be sure to only change about a quarter of the water or less so you dont shock the fish.

Answer 9

If you're not using a heater, then your current water supply should be at room temperature. The easiest thing (and better for marine animals than tap water) is to buy gallons of distilled water at the grocery store, which is usually sold at room temperature.

It's best to only do partial water changes, so you don't have to take animals out of the water. I've lost several fish to the stress of being removed from the water.

Answer 10

i always let the water set several hours to get room tempture only adding 1fourth a tank at a time