Do you heat your WC Water

[CafeReef]

As posted in the title, for the seasoned hobbyists here on RC. Do you heat your water that you use for water changes? I have not been and last night I did a 15% water change and noticed that my temp dropped about 2 degrees during my change (nano tank, so more susceptible to swings). I'm not worried about my topoff RODI water as thats only about 1/2-3/4's of a quart of water per day.

[sde1500]

Good timing for this question. Did the first water change on my new tank yesterday, and the temp dropped more than I expected. I am thinking it is probably a good idea to heat it because my clown wasn't looking all that happy afterwards.

[Cujo13]

Yes I heat it to the same temp. as the DT. In the mixing barrel I mix the salt. Once mixed for 24 hours and up to temp. I pump with a small submersible pump and 1/2 vinyl tubing into the DT. No buckets.

[IDreamOReefin]

I make and keep my premix in a plastic trash can with a heater, old powerhead, and bubble stone. This lets the salt disolve, and the water gets warmed to match my DT temp. This approach also gives you a body of water ready to go in an emergency.

[Shaummy]

Yes...I mix my salt in a Brute can while the water is cold/room temp and then raise the temp to the tank temp (give or take a degree).

My salt seems to mix better when cold (precipitates less).

[Kyle461]

My salt seems to mix better when cold (precipitates less).

Following kinetic molecular theory it should be the other way around.

[ReefsandGeeks]

Just like any other perameter, sudden temp swings is bad. What you can do for a nano that is fast and free, is take a gallon water jug of your mixed saltwater (or mix it in the jug) and fill the bathroom sink with hot water and put the jug in it. This will bring it up to temp very fast, and only cost is the hot water down the drain. Well that and the wife asking why she can't use the bathroom sink.

[smedlin]

I really haven't had a "mixing station" very long. Six months maybe?

During that time, only once have I put a heater in my "mix". That was this winter, when it was freaking cold.

Well.. I call it cold.

I'm south of Houston. What I call cold, some of y'all snear at. What y'all call cold, would make me scream like a little girl as my no-nads shriveled.

Anyways, my mixing station is in my garage. South Texas.. Garage. If anything, I'm worried about chilling the freaking stuff.

[jpa0741]

Following kinetic molecular theory it should be the other way around.

If I'm not mistaken calcium precips in warm water but not cold. If you mix with warm water your mixing station gets coated but if you mix with cold your it doesn't

[Kyle461]

If I'm not mistaken calcium precips in warm water but not cold. If you mix with warm water your mixing station gets coated but if you mix with cold your it doesn't

You are correct. Forgot that little guy. Everything else would mix faster in warm water. I guess there's a fine line for efficiency.

[coralsnaked]

Yes water changes should match temp and pH. Especially for larger % change and / or for nano tanks. A good method for heating water for nano tanks is to put the mixed saltwater into clean closed plastic gallon bottles like from drinking water. Place them in the sink and fill the sink with hot tap water. You can quickly heat the bottled saltwater in minutes this way. Be sure to shake the bottle a bit before temping it.

[snorvich]

I heat my (250 gallon) reservoir of RO/DI water to about tank temperature. When I do water changes, the new water is somewhat close to the tank temperature.

[cloak]

I've never heated my water. It doesn't get too cold where I'm at either and a 10-15% water change at 70 degrees or so isn't really going to have much of an impact on the overall temperature of the display tank. IMO pretty much all of the inhabitants were designed to endure small fluctuations like this.

[AdamSabina]

If it's a normal water change 5% I don't hear it

If it's a larger water change 10-35% I absolutely heat.

[Kyle461]

I've never heated my water. It doesn't get too cold where I'm at either and a 10-15% water change at 70 degrees or so isn't really going to have much of an impact on the overall temperature of the display tank.

Gotta love coastal weather....

[MondoBongo]

i temperature match it to me tank. fyi the temp can effect (affect, i never remember) your salinity reading.

i've seen my salinity on my refractometer read as much as .5% higher when the water is cold.

[\Clownfish/]

I match temperature and salinity for all my water changes

[Roccus]

I heat mine to the same temp. as the DT as well...I don't bother with the ATO tank... being it runs through a Kalk. reactor and is a slow feed at best.

[Nina51]

I make and keep my premix in a plastic trash can with a heater, old powerhead, and bubble stone. This lets the salt disolve, and the water gets warmed to match my DT temp. This approach also gives you a body of water ready to go in an emergency.

same for me.

[MacPhisto]

I match temperature and salinity for all my water changes


+1

Except ato RO/DI water is room temp only..

[kmbyrnes]

Living in AZ I have the opposite issue as summer comes around.
My mix station often has temps over 85. So I bring it inside and let it cool first.
However, as above I try to keep a Brute-ful for an emergency.

[homer1475]

I heat my water to the same as my DT +-1, and match salinity.

ATO water is RO/DI room temp.

[anthonys51]

i heat my salt mix too, my room temp in the winter is around 65 and my tank is 78-79. what harm can it do by heating to match

[eddiereefs]

apparently sps corals do not like water temp change. learned that the hard way....

[Reef Frog]

I'll be the thread's contrarian. I haven't used a heater for years to heat change water with no problems. Fish & corals could not care less. My tank is usually 79F, room temperature is typically ~70F. My mixing pump adds a little heat. A 10% water change at 70F would change temp less than 1 degree. Nothing to worry about IMO. But I can see the value for large water change volumes and really cold water that might be mixed in a really cold garage for example.

Variations on the reef occur for lots of reasons, sometimes quickly. If a temperature change bothers the fish, they will go to a a bolt hole or sand bed which offers stored heat.

[ca1ore]

Given how easy it is to match temperature (and remember salinity is temperature dependent) I guess I see no reason not to do it.

[CHizer]

I get it close anyways.

[tdb320reef]

I use to heat the water for years but after switching to Red Sea they recommend not heating the water and only mixing for an hour or two. I personally called tech support to confirm this.

For about the last year I would change water that was about 60 degrees and my tank would drop to about 75 from 78 for about an hour.

Having acro systems, I notice no ill effects. Actually the fish seem to enjoy it. I think the saltwater is more stable when put into your tank cold and my parameters have never been more stable.

[Shaummy]

I use to heat the water for years but after switching to Red Sea they recommend not heating the water and only mixing for an hour or two. I personally called tech support to confirm this.

For about the last year I would change water that was about 60 degrees and my tank would drop to about 75 from 78 for about an hour.

Having acro systems, I notice no ill effects. Actually the fish seem to enjoy it. I think the saltwater is more stable when put into your tank cold and my parameters have never been more stable.

Yes..RSCP says not to heat the water before mixing..but says nothing about heating it after it's been mixed. I heat it up after it's been mixed to get it close to the tank temp as possible. Yes..it takes multiple heaters to do this within a couple of hours, but I can't see dumping WC water in that's 10deg colder than my DT.

[mitch91175]

I just heat my WC water the day before I do my water change. On WC day, I mix my salt and let it go for a hour then put it in the tank.

[DasCamel]

I'll be the thread's contrarian. I haven't used a heater for years to heat change water with no problems. Fish & corals could not care less. My tank is usually 79F, room temperature is typically ~70F. My mixing pump adds a little heat. A 10% water change at 70F would change temp less than 1 degree. Nothing to worry about IMO. But I can see the value for large water change volumes and really cold water that might be mixed in a really cold garage for example.

Variations on the reef occur for lots of reasons, sometimes quickly. If a temperature change bothers the fish, they will go to a a bolt hole or sand bed which offers stored heat.

+1

Same situation, my temp drops a degree during a water change. Not a biggie.

[adova]

I do constant water changes and do not want to heat it because it helps keep the tank cool. But, I heat for mixing...

[kissman]

yes I do heat my water for water change to 78 degrees same temp as my tank. Main reason I do it is so my salinity is the same as the tank. Salinity fluctuates with temp