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Water Changes

MHEAD

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
31
Hi. In order to have a large quantity of water available for water changes, people have mentioned using a large plastic trash barrel. I would like to keep the water warm--is there some type of heater that people commonly use? Also, do you need to have any other equipment for aging the water in the barrel? I am now using 25 one gallon plastic milk containers and thus I spend a lot of time warming each container before I put the water into my tanks. My fish and the water are in my basement and thus the aging water is really quite cold. I would appreciate any information on how to set up such a system. Thanks. Tom
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Also add an air line just to circulate the water. Depending on how the water is (or isn't) chlorinated, you may need to dechlorinate it. Then there is altering the pH and hardness ...
 

MHEAD

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
31
Apisto-nut. I am not familiar with "food grade" barrels--where can you get them? Also, neither you nor Mike mentioned using a sump pump--is one necessary and if not how do you get the water from the barrel to your tanks? Tom
 

apisto-nut

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
152
Location
Cambridge On Canada
I got mine used from a place here in Ontario that ships pickles , Cherry's etc..,
they dark grey with a screw on lid .

I cleaned them well with a bit vinegar ( 4 liters ) and let them sit outside for a couple days to soak then rinsed them well .

I use a small submersible pump attached to a hose to fill my tanks , the smaller tanks ( 10g and smaller ) I use a small bucket to do the water changes
 

MHEAD

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
31
Thanks Apisto-nut. Do you leave the pump in the barrel to heat the water or use a heater as Mike suggests and what about keeping the water moving? I live in Massachusetts so I will look around here for the barrels. Tom
 

MHEAD

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
31
Thank you Apisto-nut. I may be able to find the barrels at Walmart. Tom
 

jose_vogel

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
317
Location
Argentina
It depends on your tap water and which Apisto species do you want to breed.

When breeding A. borellii, commbrae, trifasciata, cf. eunotus I can use just tap water (PH 7; GH 3; Cond 250 ms)

When breeding A. sp. "Papagei", A. sp. "Morado", A. eremnopyge, A. baenschi I use mixed RODI and tap water.

When breeding A. bitaeniata; I´ve to use RODI.
 

Refael Hdr.

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
133
Location
Tel Aviv, Israel
I also use a big barrel filled with RO water that are been circulated and heated by a normal aquarium heater (in winter time). The water I'm getting from my RO system are in pH 6.0 and 25 mS so I have to mix it up with more higher conductivity water to the right proportion (just by adding regular filtered tap water)...
 

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