Water

[JC]

So I was doing water changes and it took forever to fill my tanks. I had all 12 (515 gallons) empty within 30 minutes, I've got that part down. But I had to fill my 100 gal water trough 3 times and it took 2 1/2 hours to wait for them to fill up going tank to tank with a 1000gph pump.

I was going to buy a 3000gph pump and plumb it to PVC that runs to all my tanks but I was just thinking what if I just ran a hose directly to my tanks with untreated tap water. I add amquel + to my water trough before filling it and as soon as it's done I pump it into my tanks so I don't let it sit very long at all. Would it be ok to add amquel straight to the tank then add tap water?

[Mugwump]

So I was doing water changes and it took forever to fill my tanks. I had all 12 (515 gallons) empty within 30 minutes, I've got that part down. But I had to fill my 100 gal water trough 3 times and it took 2 1/2 hours to wait for them to fill up going tank to tank with a 1000gph pump.

I was going to buy a 3000gph pump and plumb it to PVC that runs to all my tanks but I was just thinking what if I just ran a hose directly to my tanks with untreated tap water. I add amquel + to my water trough before filling it and as soon as it's done I pump it into my tanks so I don't let it sit very long at all. Would it be ok to add amquel straight to the tank then add tap water?

Why just split up your water changes into sections of tanks?....do whatever a tub does, then refill your tub with a good air stone/agitator and let it degas until the next section to be done....Amquel won't be needed at all....plus quicker changes on your zones....

If the tank takes that long to fill, then the tanks aren't go fill any faster going straight to them...plus your pump is now useless.....you could just fill the tub...treat it....then use both sources to fill...using a "Y" hose connector....the one side connected to the tub and water source...and one single line for filling....."blended"..... ....

[LizStreithorst]

That will work fine if there isn't a pH swing between your unaged tap and aged tap.  I have a .4 swing so I age.  Also, I've been told, but don't know if it's true,  that it isn't good to use water from the hot water heater so I refill my water storage containers with cold tap and rely on aquarium heaters to warm them up.  It's a good use for old heaters that are stuck on.

[Mugwump]

I've used blended hot/cold forever...just don't go for too hot......70 deg's works fine...angels love those cool changes too.....just don't 100%'ers

[b125killer]

Cool water changes is the best way I know to get them to spawn! I use cold aged water that I heat up like Liz. I like not having to treat my water. With the amount of water we use not having to use chemicals saves a lot of money.

[JC]

Cool water changes is the best way I know to get them to spawn! I use cold aged water that I heat up like Liz. I like not having to treat my water. With the amount of water we use not having to use chemicals saves a lot of money.

Yep I always make the water a few degrees cooler than the tank water

So I was doing some calculations and if I do water changes 3 seperate days I can change all tanks on my one rack one day, my other rack the other day, and my freestanding and smaller fry tanks one day and only fill my 100gal tank once per water change day. I think that will be the way to go especially if I get that big pump because it says it can pump 55 gallons in 2 minutes but I'm sure it will take a little longer for me since I'll be pumping mine up 8' then over 12' to my fishroom

[BillT]

The reason not to use hot water is that the hot water is more likely to have chemicals in it from metal components like the heater and other metal components oft he heater. This is because reactions go faster at higher temperatures.

If you have hard water and/or your pluming is old, this will be less of a problem. Less material will dissolve into hard water. Old metal plumbing (especially in hard water) will have a coating of hard water minerals on the metal parts reducing their ability to dissolve into the water.

If you are doing only small percentages of water changes, than you might be able to get away with adding untreated tap water since the chlorine will be diluted to negligible levels.

[LizStreithorst]

I do large WC's and know my water parameters.  My pH is 6.8 out of the tap and 7.2 after aging.  My gH is 0 and my kH is 4.5.  My fish generally don't breed in aged tap although sometimes they do.  I'll have to try the hot water heater water mix and watch my fish.  They'll let me know if they like it or not.