Ok to use warm water from tap for water change???

[Mulla]

Hi all

Well I've finally started my fishless cycle. Actually only second day into it only have time over the weekend to get all the equipment together.

Now I know that people usually to like a 90% water change after their cycle is complete. Having remember reading somewhere that if I just dump cold water into the tank I could kill off many of the bacteria that's already growing there.

So I thought I could use warm tap water to get the temps a bit higher since it's winter here right now. Are there any harmful materials in warm / hot tap water that I shouldn't use it? If not should I use boiled cold water to make warm water?

Thanks in advance.

[Slappy*McFish]

Warm tap water will be fine to use..some people claim very hot water to have harmful deposits and toxins from the hot water heater..but you should be just fine with luke warm water around the same temperature as that of the tank's water..I always have used warm water from the tap(almost 20yrs now) with no problems. I just assumed everyone else did too. Many water conditioners used to dechlorinate tap water also neutralize heavy metals. I see no reason not to use warm water.

[glittergirl]

I was told not to use water from the hot water tap, possibly because of copper leaching into the water from the hot water tank (?)

[CHINABOY1021]

just a question. am i right about the fact there are more micro bubbles in hot water than cold? or is hot water not as clear as cold. thats what i've noticed. thanks!

[Slappy*McFish]

Originally posted by CHINABOY1021
just a question. am i right about the fact there are more micro bubbles in hot water than cold? or is hot water not as clear as cold. thats what i've noticed. thanks!

You are correct..there are more bubbles in hot water than cold. Warm water, however, is clear.

[Slappy*McFish]

Originally posted by glittergirl
I was told not to use water from the hot water tap, possibly because of copper leaching into the water from the hot water tank (?)

I guess that would depend on your hotwater heater.

[kveeti]

Like Slappy*McFish, I'd used lukewarm tap water for over 20 years before I even heard the rumour that it might not be safe... then I did a very brief stint of equalizing temps by microwaving some water - boy, was that a pain so I went back to the warm tap water.
Anyhow, here is a previous thread on it:
http://64.191.28.50/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7608&highlight=water+copper

[wetmanNY]

Water that has been heated has been seriously depleted in oxygen. Water that has been boiled is virtually devoid of oxygen.

Carbon dioxide may have been driven off by heating too.

Every water heater and plumbing system is a separate case.

Hot water dissolves more metals than cold water.

"Curing" water in a large covered can does more than just bring it up to room temperature.

[Rocketman]

How about adding water that is as close to your tank's temperature as possible?

This way you prevent any dramitic changes in temperature that could cause an Ick outbreak.

I've always, (and now even more so, since I recently purchased a Python,) just added water, straight from the tap, into my aquariums at a temperature as close to 76 Degrees as possible.

Then I will add some water conditioner.

Simple enough, Eh?

Haha, it's Winter in Australia! Of course, it isn't too much different here in Michigan.

[goldfish freak]

Well, even if the hot water pipes leeched some copper and other heavy metals into your water, you could use any number of water conditioners that neutralize copper and other heavy metals. Most of them do. Although I am unsure as to what concentration of heavy metals these products will remove.

[Mulla]

Thank you all for the replies / experiences.

Hm... Now it just makes me worry even more because of the divided opinions on this. But judging from replies from this thread and the previous one on this subject. I think I'm going to try the warm tap water + conditioner path. What about boiling tap water? WetmanNY mentioned it's totally deviod of oxygen. I am only adding a small amount to make it warm so I suppose it should be ok?? Or just stick with the warm tap water?!

Rocketman : So dramatic water temps can cause Ick outbreak? :eek: Didn't knew that one. Must keep in mind when doing water change. I suppose Michigan is way up north then eh? :D

[ChilDawg]

The statement mentioned in Mulla's last post is true if and only if there is already Ich in the system. If the fish and the system are Ich-free, then Ich will not attack.

[Rocketman]

Yes, it's when the water temperature, (in the tank) changes suddenly and drasticly that Ick attacks. For example, take the LFS I used to go to. This April, after a full week of 30-70 degree (F) temperatures, there was an Ice Storm. Following, the temperatures were about 20-30...A lot of people lost power.

Anyway, the point is that the dramitic air temperature changes, for some reason, influenced the water temperatures in all the tanks and caused a huge outbreak of Ick which infected most their stock.

[ChilDawg]

As long as it's in the system already.

[JSchmidt]

Originally posted by Slappy*McFish


You are correct..there are more bubbles in hot water than cold. Warm water, however, is clear.

This may not be a bit different, but I always thought that cold water has the capacity to hold more gas than warm water. For example, cold water holds more oxygen than warm (one reason coldwater fish don't do so well in warmer water).

Maybe warmer water shows the bubbles because they aren't held in solution as easily...?

Jim

[ChilDawg]

That's what I think, Jim...we warmed the water, but there was no place for the gas to go until it came out of the tap...thus the bubbles of escaping gas!

[demon_surfer]

i usually alternate between colder and warmer water to try and keep the temp about even in the tank

[stoneage]

The only time I ever did a water change using water straight from the cold tap. I had an outbreak of Ich a few days later. Since then I always heat the water to the same temp as the tank using a spare heater.

[RTR]

For something over 40 years now I have been using tempered (mixed hot and cold) tap water without problems. I do now age all my water (relatively 'new' technique for me, only about 17-18 years), but the reservoirs are filled with tempered tap - which means less work for the heaters and no sweating of condensate on the outside of the reservoirs. If I need water but do not have aged water available, I do not hesitate to use tempered tap with appropriate agents to neutralize whatever purification agent is in use.

But I do have to confess that my current hot water heater is not metal at all. That too is relatively new, less than 10 years.

[Mulla]

Thank you everyone for keeping up with the input. Now I feel much more comfortable using mixed hot / cold water to do water changes.