Water change straight out of tap

[Ggz123]

Any experienced folks do this on a regular basis or even part time? I have googled mixed experiences with this. My understanding that is if you do it, you need to make sure the faucet aerator is removed, the tank should be completely treated for a full tank dose with Prime, and the outlet of the hose going Into the tank should have some type of item that removes micro bubbles. Input welcome. I realize aging your water is preferred but am curious if there are others doing WC this way. Thx

[discuspaul]

Yes, remove your faucet aerator if you have one, and treat your water with a full tank dose of Prime when doing your wcs.

As for using water right out of the tap, you may usually do so without concern if the pH of your tap water, and that of tap water which has aged overnite in a bucket, and that of water in your tank, are essentially relatively close to each other.
As well, if tap water pH, and your tank water, are relatively close without ageing, you're good to go without ageing.

Tap water may need ageing if there is a wide variance in tap water pH, and what is generally maintained in your tank (say, for example, of more than 1.0), and ageing the water reduces that gap to a moderate differential from your tank water..... or if you have heavy micro bubbling in water fresh out of the tap, although the latter is not generally an issue in the water from most municipal sources.

So ageing water is not a 'preference' issue, but one of 'need' to avoid larger parameter differentials which can be harmful.
If the pH differential of tap water to tank water is in the range of say, less than .7, that is not normally of consequence, and many aquarists would not then bother with ageing.

[Ggz123]

Thanks for the reply. How do you deal with the temperature issue? Adjust and measure temp prior to filling? I have no fish yet but am nearing my fish less cycle. It appears the temp out of the faucet with both hot and cold on full throttle is in the high 80's. can the discus handle a few degrees difference either way for a short period of time?

[LJSmith]

Just adjust the throttle until the temps match. I go directly from the tap and matching at 82 degrees is almost full throttle. I stole my wife's digital food thermometer to ensure they match.

[discuspaul]

As Lucas Smith said, just lower the hot lever a bit to get a slightly lesser temp, but there really is no problem with the temps not being quite equal - and it will adjust even more so with only a partial wc being done.

[LizStreithorst]

I have a swing of only .4 and I could tell by the way the fish acted the swing was bothering them.

[LJSmith]

What were they doing Liz? I'm curious as to the behavior so I can watch for it.

[LizStreithorst]

It happened over the period of a couple of months. This was in 2001 when I was new. What I remember is looking at the fish one day and thinking to myself they seemed more content back when I first got them. There wasn't anything specific I could point to. It was an overall impression.

[Debow]

Might want to post this in the water works section. Or browse through the posts.

[Ryan925]

I do wc with straight tap. In the summer I barely have to adjust temp and it is right around 82. In the winter I had to turn the hot water way up to match temp. I use a digital aquarium thermometer to test temp before closing valve to send to tank. I read a lot that dissolved gasses are worse in the cold months. It's true. For the winter I have had to use a 200 micron sock to stop the micro bubbles when filling

[Snoopy]

The PH in my tap water is 7.5. After I aged the water in the barrel the PH raises to 7.9. Does anyone know what causes PH to raise during water aging? I dose Prime right after I fill up the barrel. I live in Sydney Australia.

[fishbubbles]

The PH in my tap water is 7.5. After I aged the water in the barrel the PH raises to 7.9. Does anyone know what causes PH to raise during water aging? I dose Prime right after I fill up the barrel. I live in Sydney Australia.

The off gassing off carbon dioxide is what causes your PH to rise. Very common.

[Ryan925]

The off gassing off carbon dioxide is what causes your PH to rise. Very common.

+1

[White Worm]

I've lived in a few different states with discus over the years and have always done water changes from tap. I have always thought most of my problems resulted from it. When I get future discus, I plan to store, age and aerate only with some RO added (no straight tap).

[Filip]

PH swing (especially downward swing) bigger than 0.3 degree along with microbubbles (dissolved gasses ) in tap , bothers discus .
If they breathe heavily , huddle all together in one corner not moving , have bubbles all over their body or shed and peel mucus after a WC its a sure sign that you have to age or lower the total amount of exchanged water per WC .
If they swim around happily and are willing to eat right after a WC it means that you are doing the right thing with your WC .

[Lewjo11]

I got a large plastic container 55 gal. And a fountain pump at home Depot along with a plastic tube! Water change of about 60% every day. I do a small 5gal bucket change to get the dirt then use the pump to pump in and out! Works great although my tank is next to the back window! Fill bin up via hose and add prime! Repeat at night daily! Heater is also in bin. Tank and bin swing has been no more then 1.5 degrees. Still working on narrowing this gap.

[Davidzil]

Some say that hot water might have contaminants, you should test it our first, same with testing the PH.