Water Ageing

[knewby]

I've read a lot of posts about ageing your water. What does that mean? And what does it do? Is it necessary and do I need any special equip.?

Plz reply

[Ardan]

Hi,
Aging water means putting the water you need for the next days wc's into a barrel or rubbermaid garbage can. In the barrel you put a heater and an airstone/circulating pump.

This agitation of the water will allow any CO2 and chlorine to offgas or leave the water. Co2 in the water causes the water to be more acid. When the CO2 leaves the ph rises. If this happens in the aquarium the ph fluctuates and the fish are stressed, so we do it in a barrel before adding the water to the tank.

If your ph is stable (doesn't change between the tap and 24hrs later (try it in a bucket or cup) then you don't need to age water.

hth

[Carol_Roberts]

Thats it in a nutshell. You end up with a barrel of change water exactly like the water in the tank so you can do 50% - 90% water changes with discus happily swimming in the middle of the tank. Try that with most tap water and the discus will be huddled in the corner glaring at you.

[knewby]

My ph is 7.8 , wouldn't that make the discus uncomfortable by making the ph even higher? Could i get away without ageing my water

[Ardan]

HI,
Discus can live in a wide range of ph as long as its stable.


Put a cup of your water on the counter.

Check the ph

Let sit overnight
check the ph again


If its the same, you don't need to age the water.
If it changes , you should age the water.

hth

[knewby]

It's the same. Still 7.8!!!!!

[Carol_Roberts]

IF your water is pH 7.8 from the tap and pH 7.8 in the tank then your water is already stable.

My water is 6.8 from the tap and raises to 7.8 in the tank. My discus are all swimming happily in pH 7.8 tank water as I type this