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I usually leave my water that I'm going to use sit out overnight, I presume this is to get it up to room temperature. Is this necessary? Of course I use a dechlorinator additive...but if I get the water pretty close to the temp it is in the aquarium, can I just use it out of the tap with a dechlorinator added of course..

Yep, thats what I do. I take it straight from the tap, add dechlor, and then put it in the tank. Never had problems. I match it pretty close to the temp of the tank. I think its easier than letting it sit overnight.

Yes, but there's debate as to hot water being safe to use out of the tap. I don't drink or cook with hot water from the tap so I'm not going to use it to add to the tank.

I use the microwave/electric kettle to heat the water to match the temp of the tank, then one drop per gallon of conditoner (chloramine, chlorine and heavy metals) and add away !.

^_^

Hi,
The idea is to prevent any sort of shock to the
fish already in the tank. That includes different
temperatures, or pHs. Letting it sit is fine
if you have the room, time, and remember.
However, when I change water, I use my python
match temperatures, and then add the dechlorinator
while running water back into the tank. The circulating
water mixes the chemical and that takes care of
the chlorine/chloramine.
I've never had a problem with the fish, of any kind
in 40 years of doing this.

As you can see from the previous posts, it's up to you.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Hi FishyGirl...

I am going to agree with the others...

My water goes from tap to tank (no aging) with no problems whatsoever.

I found (just tonite), that while adding a small portion of water (about 2 gallons), to replace that which evaporated, I filled my pail, declorinated, then filled my kitchen sink with HOT water from the Tap. I put the bucket in the water, and the water heated up 10F within minutes. I kept stiring to make sure there were no hot spots, or cool spots, but it seemed to work good, and fast.

CyndieL73,
I wouldnt' suggest using hot water from the tap, hot water has been known to disolve minerals from the pipes, which arent' good for human comsumption (I was raised to not drink or cook with water hot from the tap) and arent' the best to go in the tank. *shrug* Others may dissagree (and most likely will )...but thought I'd share anyway .

^_^

Usually it won't matter, as long as you're not doing a huge water change. If it's 20% water change or less, I wouldn't worry about it, as long as it's in the summer time. (In the winter, the tap water temperatures can dip as low as 50F). If you think about it, if your tanks are at 78F, and you change with water that's at 65F (20% water change), the final temperature of the tank will be an acceptable 75.4F, compared to 77.4F with 75F tap water.

we take the water straight out of the tap (through the python) and as it is filling up, squirt NovAqua (takes crap out of the tank, like chlorine, and helps build a slime coat) and squart some Aquari-Sol (an ich medication, but we use it as a preventive.... it does have copper, but it doesn't affect the clown loaches, or pleco)

Babelfish, Sorry, I wasn't very clear in my post. I use COLD water from the tap to fill a bucket, declorinate it, then put the bucket in the sink and fill the sink with HOT tap water. None of the water from the Hot Tap goes into the bucket, its just used to heat up the cold stuff.
HTH

Frank and I go back far enough to remember we used to "age" our water to allow chlorine to evaporate as a gas within an eight-hour period depending on the gallonage...

Because small amounts of ammonia is added at the water plants around the country creating a chloramine mix, it may not be the best method anymore.

I can tell you that more cases of ich are being reported these days because hobbyists refuse to match water temps "exactly".

Even a two-degree drop in tank temp can trigger a stress episode providing the ich parasite an opening to attack a stressed/weakened fish.

If you're really interested in preventing ich in your tank caused by a rapid tank temp reduction, then heed the advice.

--garyroland.

[span class="edited"][Edited by garyroland 2004-08-22 13:02][/span]