Water changes. Inline Heater

[Scotti]

I am on a well so the water from any faucet is ice cold. Does an inline heater exist I could put on my hose to eliminate the possibility of making my Discus uncomfortable or stressed?

[Ryan925]

You can't make the water warm at the faucet?

[jim LI]

A heater on a hose for that short of time will not heat the water sufficiently. you need to age the water to get it up to tank temperature. hydor makes good inline heaters when running on a canister filter. https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Line-External-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0002Z7VQE?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAJJY2YKHHLJKYIBNA&tag=slk03b1-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0002Z7VQE

[Willie]

You'll need a reservoir, a plastic drum or a fish tank, where you can warm and aerate the water before adding it to your tank. It's going to get even worse in the winter.

Willie

[DanDiscus]

Do you only have cold water faucets near the tank ?

Probably I am lucky because I have nearby a faucet with cold and warm water. I do to have well water.

This is what I do: place a bucket and mix there waters using one of the $10 thermometers with cord. When it is 3/4 full I place a pump with a hose to the tank. Then I have the pump ON and the faucet open. I am mixing the water and filling the tank at the same time. I keep the temp of the mix by opening or closing the hot water and mixing at the same time with my hand.

I hope this helps in a certain way.

[Ryan925]

Do you only have cold water faucets near the tank ?

Probably I am lucky because I have nearby a faucet with cold and warm water. I do to have well water.

This is what I do: place a bucket and mix there waters using one of the $10 thermometers with cord. When it is 3/4 full I place a pump with a hose to the tank. Then I have the pump ON and the faucet open. I am mixing the water and filling the tank at the same time. I keep the temp of the mix by opening or closing the hot water and mixing at the same time with my hand.

I hope this helps in a certain way.

I use my kitchen sink with a python. After draining tank I run water and use a thermometer to match temp. Obviously aging and heating in a barrel is ideal

[DanDiscus]

I use my kitchen sink with a python. After draining tank I run water and use a thermometer to match temp. Obviously aging and heating in a barrel is ideal

If you have a place to do the aging. That will be the best. I do that for my marine tanks. But for those, the Salt needs to be well dissolved and the pH and alk needs to stabilize

In my well water, I found I do not need that. During the cycling of my tank filters I noticed that the water conditions were not changing after days and weeks. It was always the same as when it come directly from the well. I do have a pH of 7.6 and alk of 4 dkh. And those stay constant. I do not have town chloride to worry. So, in my case, it is working the non aging.

Best
Daniel

Ps: I want to add that my Discus had been only in the tank for some weeks. So yet my experience is very small, but wanted to share what I do.

[DJW]

...In my well water, I found I do not need that. During the cycling of my tank filters I noticed that the water conditions were not changing after days and weeks. It was always the same as when it come directly from the well. I do have a pH of 7.6 and alk of 4 dkh. And those stay constant. I do not have town chloride to worry. So, in my case, it is working the non aging.

You are lucky. Well water is notorious for having an upward pH swing, which is the kind that most stresses fish. It might come out of the faucet at something like 7.0 and then go up in the tank over several hours or a day to 8.0 or whatever, and then every time you change water you are subjecting the fish to a sudden drop in pH.

Scotti, you should test the pH swing if you haven't already. You may find that you need to age the water.

Scanning your past threads to see if you had tested for pH swing, I noticed that you live in California. I have lived in three places in California where the well water does this.

[cedar]

Dan is right, I have well water with a terrible upswing. Dan was amazing at helping me figure things out. Mine can swing up to a whole point so I age as long as I can and I heat and aerate and add ro. good luck and check for that swing. measure your tank 24hrs after water change. :)

[DanDiscus]

You are lucky. Well water is notorious for having an upward pH swing, which is the kind that most stresses fish. It might come out of the faucet at something like 7.0 and then go up in the tank over several hours or a day to 8.0 or whatever, and then every time you change water you are subjecting the fish to a sudden drop in pH.

Scotti, you should test the pH swing if you haven't already. You may find that you need to age the water.

Scanning your past threads to see if you had tested for pH swing, I noticed that you live in California. I have lived in three places in California where the well water does this.

Ups..... definitely I am very lucky.

As I said, I saw during my cycle period (no fish in the tank) that all was stable.

I have had the tank since August 11 with Discus. Have done several WC (not daily, but up to twice in the week) and water parameters still rock solid.

Yes guys...... I can see I was lucky at this.

Cheers

BTW, I live in Massachusetts, nearby New Hampshire and I am surrounded by water (wet land, Brooke and Lake).