Cold Water/Temperate Setup Water Changes

[rockhead01]

Hey Gang,

I have a question about cold water set ups and water changes. How do you and/or do you chill new water before change? If not, do you see any issues when adding room temp water to tank?

 

Thanks,

Roxy

[Trogdor447]

Hey Gang,

I have a question about cold water set ups and water changes. How do you and/or do you chill new water before change? If not, do you see any issues when adding room temp water to tank?

 

Thanks,

Roxy

 

depends on how much % wise your changing - if your changing 1 gallon out of a 5 gallon tank - your going to have problems..

 

2 gallons in a 20 tank - done slowly will bring itself to temp -

 

the fridge works ice cubes in plastic baggy / RODI Ice Cubes - easiest

[Alkamist]

^what he said the bag with ice cubes sounds the best and cheaper then cooling with a chiller.

[C-Rad]

Where I live, in Southern California, it generally gets down to the low 60's, or cooler, at night. I store my water in 5 gallon jugs outside, and it's usually close to tank temperature in the morning, so that's when I do water changes. If it's too cold, I wait until it warms up a bit. I do 15%-25% water changes, so I don't like to do a water change if the new water is more than a few degrees away from tank temp. Tide pool animals are fine with rapid temp changes, but animals that live deeper like the temp to be more constant.

[Jamie]

The "cold" setting on my tap is about 50 degrees, so it's not really a problem. But honestly, if you have a chiller, I don't think it's gonna be a big deal, most cw stuff (at least, that's easily accessible/intertidal) isn't sensitive to abrupt temperature changes, as long as it doesn't stay warm for too long.

[rockhead01]

Ugh. 8 gallons is gonna be a butt load to chill...thats alot of ice cubes!

[rockhead01]

Where I live, in Southern California, it generally gets down to the low 60's, or cooler, at night. I store my water in 5 gallon jugs outside, and it's usually close to tank temperature in the morning, so that's when I do water changes. If it's too cold, I wait until it warms up a bit. I do 15%-25% water changes, so I don't like to do a water change if the new water is more than a few degrees away from tank temp. Tide pool animals are fine with rapid temp changes, but animals that live deeper like the temp to be more constant.

 

 

I'm in Boston, so leaving it outside is a bad idea. Prolly freeze solid in the winter! This is for my Bimac, Inklet. I've been keeping her at 71-74 degrees, but just bought a chiller and am slowly dropping the temp to finally settle at about 64 degrees. What temp do you keep yours at?

[AquaticEngineer]

My water comes out colder than I keep my tanks by just a few degrees, so its just about perfect by the time the salt is mixed.

 

Check your water temp at the tap and go from there. Cheapest way I've found is to mix your water in volume ( like a trash can) and then float frozen 2 liters of ice in it and run a digital thermometer with an alarm set to alert you its at the right temp. Then water change away

 

If its in a smaller volume, and you you have a spare refridgerator or one that has a lot of room in it, you can get pre-mixed salt water at most local fish stores in one of the square 5 gallon jugs and stack em into the fridge and cool them down that way.

 

The most I've ever changed on my tanks was a 20% on a 110gallon and the main temp never even flinched.

[Jacobnano]

Do you know where you octopus spends most of its time in the wild? If it is in the inter tidal or at least the shallows then the water change should be fine without being chilled too much. They are pretty sensitive (I thought?) so it may be better to chill it however.

 

I think you asked but I keep my tank at 57.

[brandon429]

a bathtub is the best heater around. fast. and cooler. tap is usually cool and ice is easily added, its much faster than refrigerator and much more practical. you draw a bath for your reef water.

using the blue 5 gallon water bottles, I can get any water to 90f or 50f in 20 mins.

[rockhead01]

My water comes out colder than I keep my tanks by just a few degrees, so its just about perfect by the time the salt is mixed.

 

Check your water temp at the tap and go from there. Cheapest way I've found is to mix your water in volume ( like a trash can) and then float frozen 2 liters of ice in it and run a digital thermometer with an alarm set to alert you its at the right temp. Then water change away

 

If its in a smaller volume, and you you have a spare refridgerator or one that has a lot of room in it, you can get pre-mixed salt water at most local fish stores in one of the square 5 gallon jugs and stack em into the fridge and cool them down that way.

 

The most I've ever changed on my tanks was a 20% on a 110gallon and the main temp never even flinched.

 

Thanks for the info. Who makes a digital thermometer with the alert feature?

[AquaticEngineer]

Thanks for the info. Who makes a digital thermometer with the alert feature?

 

Ebay for FTW

 

Digital Alarm Aquarium Thermometer

 

This thermometer has a single cable sensor which lets you monitor and control temperatures accordingly and is perfect for use with incubators, vivariums, terrariums and aquariums of all sizes

 

Benefits:

•Time display

•Date display

•Alarm function

• LCD display can be turned on or off

•Indoor & outdoor temperature measurement

•Max/min temperature records

•Measures in Celsius and Fahrenheit

Set the alarm to alert you if the temperature rises above or drops below your chosen setting to ensure the inhabitants’ comfort and safety – and your peace of mind

 

Shipped for a little over $23 USD. I'm sure you can find something similar for cheaper if you look.

[rockhead01]

Ebay for FTW

 

Digital Alarm Aquarium Thermometer

 

 

 

Shipped for a little over $23 USD. I'm sure you can find something similar for cheaper if you look.

 

Sweet! Thank you!