Author Topic: Ammonia in tap water (Read 7792 times) 29 replies

daveyng · « **Reply #20 on:** June 15, 2018, 04:31:08 PM »

I must admit, I don't bother heating water any more for changes . I fill up my container in the evening and leave it overnight at room temperature. The fish seem to like the ‘cooler’ water be added, especially the Corydoras I have.
Mind you I’m only adding 20 litres per day into a 270 litre aquarium. I usually get a 0.1 - 0.3 degree drop in temperature.

Sue · « **Reply #21 on:** June 16, 2018, 09:01:47 AM »

Such small amounts at room temp are fine. When I get to the end of refilling my tank the last bucket is usually less than a full one (ie less than 9.5 litres) so I use just cold tap water - and in winter that can be 6 or 7 deg C.

Littlefish · « **Reply #22 on:** June 16, 2018, 09:52:27 AM »

Tank maintenance & water changed take quite a long time in the Littlefish household due to numbers of tanks.
Having never really thought about it before, I now consider myself quite lucky that both my largest tanks (approx. 450L each) are temperate/cold tanks with Fluval external filters, which have a drain port. I bought some long hose, which I attach to the port. The aolotl tank is near the patio doors, so that is used to water the back garden, then refilled with mainly cold water so the chiller unit doesn't have to work so hard. The river tank is close to a window, so the hose is thrown out of that to water raised beds & containers in the front garden. The river tank is refilled with a mix of hot & cold treated tap water to around 20C.
The smaller tanks actually take more effort as containers of water are carried to the garden, but I'm very happy that I don;t have to do that for the big tanks.

Helen · « **Reply #23 on:** June 16, 2018, 04:59:21 PM »

This is a little off topic, but it didn't seem to make sense to start a new thread.

There is a third type of domestic hot water system in addition to combi boiler and boilers that use a cold water header tank.

A year ago we replaced our combi boiler with what's called a system boiler. It stores hot water in a tank, but is a closed system so doesn't have cold water header tank. Because it is a closed system, I actually use hot water from the hot tap to fill my fishtank. (With cold water to try and match the tank temperature).

I'm curious what the experienced fishkeepers think of this?

Edit to add:
And water changes on my 240l tank take a couple hours. I have a 15l out bucket and a 10l in jerry can shape bucket. And my tank is not really near any windows or doors, so all water changes rewuire me to lug buckets across the house! Water changes on my new 25l hospital tank were a dream - it's about 1m from a sink and tap!

Sue · « **Reply #24 on:** June 16, 2018, 06:38:38 PM »

With a closed system like you describe there should be no problem using hot tap water.
There is only one scenario where I would be cautious. When the system is newly installed with lots of new copper pipes/cylinder there is a risk that there could be too much copper at first for a dechlorinator to remove, and this could affect shrimps and snails. I once read of someone who had a combi boiler fit complete with new pipework and it wiped out all their shrimps. In this scenario I would avoid using hot tap water for a few months.

Andy The Minion · « **Reply #25 on:** June 16, 2018, 07:43:40 PM »

@Helen Im not quite as sure, the system boiler bit only describes how the central heating side of the boiler works, it could be used with a vented or unvented cylinder (with or without the tank in the loft) You say no tank so it's unvented but there are several types of these, some will have copper coils that the tap water flows through, others heat the the tanks with a coil that the central heating water flows through and the water in the tank is what you get from the taps. This second type will definitely be okay because the tank has to be stainless steel. The first type is probably okay but a quantity of tap water (5 litres perhaps) will sit in the coil for long periods at elevated temperature and could cause copper contamination. If you were to run off hot water for a couple of minutes after you feel it run hot I think this would remove the risk.

Helen · « **Reply #26 on:** June 16, 2018, 09:37:23 PM »

I know the configuration we have quite well because I chose / designed it just over a year ago. Our old combi boiler failed, but we knew it would, so I'd already done quite a bit of research. The boiler is a new condensing boiler and the new high efficiency tank was put in next to it. The only new pipework is between the boiler and tank, the rest of the pipework is existing. The tank fitted into the existing pipework as though it were an extra radiator adjacent to the boiler. It is the type where the heating coil is fed off the central heating (but with its own controls and valves). (I am certain of this because it also has an extra heating coil for solar hot water)

Andy The Minion · « **Reply #27 on:** June 17, 2018, 06:53:43 AM »

@Helen On the time to do a water change. I started with buckets but quickly got fed up with all the tramping around and risk of spillage so I now have two 'house hoses' and syphon water into a plastic dustbin that has a sump pump, the type for emptying pools or ponds, in it. I have two hoses because the of the length of the hose creates too much resistance to get a decent flow. When I was buying the hose I saw there are three sizes of hoze 12.5mm is the common one but you can also get a 15mm? and a 19mm. The garden centre didn't carry any hose fittings for the larger size so I went with standard hose and two lengths in parallel. I have since seen the fittings online, Gardena and Hoselock both have a professional range of quick connects for the larger sizes. Using this method I get a 160-180 litre actual change amount including packing everything away in under 45min. The hoses and pump cable coil up and live in the dustbin and is sooo much easier.

Helen · « **Reply #28 on:** June 17, 2018, 04:22:25 PM »

@andyThe Minion I'm not sure if ive understood your description correctly. Do you use two hoses at the same time (in parallel?) to empty your tank into a "sump" dustbin? How do you get the water out of the dustbin? And then how do you refill the tank, get the water to the right temperature and add dechlorinator?

Andy The Minion · « **Reply #29 on:** June 17, 2018, 07:15:40 PM »

@Helen I would attach a picture but I'm sure it would fail and drive me nuts again. IM me if you would like one by direct email.
So correct, two hoses from the tank into the bin, I have a weighted screw top tub with dozens of 2mm holes drilled through the sides and two male hose quick connectors through the lid The syphon hoses (2off) attach and end in the bin. I have quick connects on the bin ends as well so I can pour (or leave) water in the bin and pump a small amount from the bin into the tank to start the syphon.
Once the syphon start, disconnect the hoses from the pump and connect two long hoses that go to a drain, sink or garden, these also have quick connects on both ends. The tank will drain down in 4-5 minutes, if I need to vac the substrate I also do this into the bin.
To refil I connect the long hoses to the syphon hoses with two straight quick connects and the other end of the long hose now goes to the taps or in my case a buffer store of aged, temperature controlled, dechlorinated water. You could of course fill the bin straight from taps blending to the correct temperature, dechorinate it a bin at a time and then pump it into the tank through the syphon hoses. Bins hold about 60 litres I think.
This will sound complicated I'm sure, a picture would have been better, but it is really is very efficient the with the only connectors in bin so any connector leaks don't matter

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Ammonia In Tap Water

Ammonia In Tap Water

Author Topic: Ammonia in tap water (Read 7792 times) 29 replies

daveyng

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Sue

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Littlefish

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Helen

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Sue

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Andy The Minion

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Helen

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Andy The Minion

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Helen

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Andy The Minion

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