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Re: Water changing procedures
I don't think that there are set rules. However, I can envision a situation
in which just adding water from the tap could pose a problem, even with
municipal water not treated with chloramine. In fact, a wide variety of
species of fresh water fish are quite sensitive to rapid (i.e., addition of
20-100 L of water in three minutes) changes in water temperature of more
than 2 degrees Centigrade. In addition, the initial draw from one's taps may
be quite warm and, may have a moderate concentration of copper (if one has
copper piping; more concern for sea water fish of course), or plasticizers
(if one has plastic pipes; endocrine mimetics?), and bacteria.
Of course, common sense is the modus operandi of choice. If one's fish
appear to remain healthy and survive, then there is no logical reason to
change one's procedures. However, If fish become sick or evidently stressed,
or one loses fish upon water changes, then there is reason to consider more
strict water changing procedures.
I prefer to use water drawn form the house piping after a washing machine
has been run, control the temperature to within 1 degree, eliminate
chlorine, possible cholamines, and at least partially de-chlorinate complex
chlorinated organic compounds that are ubiquitous today (biphenyls, etc.)
(Amquel, I think few others work well).
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>>Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 18:36:56 EST
>>From: IDMiamiBob at aol_com
>>Subject: Re: Water Changes
>> How many of you guys treat the "new" water in a separate container before
you introduce it into the aquarium during water changes? How many don't?
>I don't. It probably depends on whether chloramine is a local issue. With
regular chlorine, you can change 25% straight out of the tap. Not so with
>Chloramine. It can get you into real trouble.
>Bob Dixon
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Damon A. Job
Marine Mammalogist/Conservation Biologist
Washington, D.C.
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