heating probelms during water changes

[kalebjarrod]

what sort of temp variations can discus cope with during water changes and is it best to raise the temp quickly or slowy if it does drop.

hard to heat 200lt of water before changes.

how does everyone else do it. ( that last comment requires no smut, although i know it will happen)

[Chris McMahon]

I trickle a hose into my tank. About 100l (50%) over 2-2.5 hours. Temp slowly drops from 30C to 27.5-28. Gets back up within 30 minutes.

The above is due mainly to a lack of space for a water storage barrel. I'm currently trying to find a 100lt container that fits on a 30"x15"x24 stand. If I found one, I'd put a heater and airstone in it and bubble it for 24 hours. I'd have the heater set to the same temp as the tank.

As for you question on temp. All I know is that less variation is better. The more variation, the more you stress your Discus.

[kalebjarrod]

i work mon - fri early hours till dark.

this time of year i may need to do my changes at night and i find that

A. if i do them slowly my tank drops temp because i have the heaters off while emptying and then filling.
B. if i do them fast my tank drops temp because of the amount of chilly water i drop in.

storage tank. another thing to heat. i give that much to energex i should have shares in it. i was hoping for another way! HELP ME

Ryan

[Mattzilla]

just throw a 300watt heater in your 200ltr barrel set the temp a few dergrees higher if you are doing the w/c at night, or at the same temp if you are doing them during the day.

do you have a laundry that you can keep the barrel in? that would help to minimise outside temp fluctuations.

you should always try to keep your w/c water temp as close as possible to your tank water temp. a few degrees diff won't harm your fish in any major way but it reduced stress if the temps are the same.

hth
matt

[kalebjarrod]

o.k then,

i have got my 200lt tank (i just need to clean it and check it) whats the best way to heat it remembering i will be trying to automate this change over the next week.

some sort of heater that won't break, and possibly a timer system so its on for the sortest amount of time before i use the water.

IDEAS :wink:

[flukes]

I just chucked in a 300watt in my 200ltr barrel and put a air with a airstone in there to circulate the water. Hard to really put it on a timer as you cant work out how long it takes to heat 200ltrs as times would vary.

[chrissyoscar]

I now only do 2 water changes a week so I just turn my heater on the day before a water change that way it's ready. Make sure you add an air stone to circulate the water as Flukes said as I tried it without one and the water didn't heat up properly.

[Proteus]

as per what Matt suggested, a 300w heater and air stone will do the job.

it is a good idea just to keep the heater on all the time, for the sake of a few cents in electricity, you have a ready, USEABLE source of water 24/7 in case you have a parameters spike or other emergency, in regards to my fish I always err on the side of safety.

[kalebjarrod]

so a 300 watt heater will do it.

has anyone found a gromet that fits around the base of a 300watt heater so i can insert it into the base of my holding drum below the low water line so i don't blow it up?

Proteus,

how much does a heater cost to run per day? average of course

Ryan

[flukes]

A good LFS will have all those little gadgets you need for mounting heaters. I was looking everywhere for different size suction caps to hold on a spray bar and it didnt even click that my lfs would have them.. :oops:

[kalebjarrod]

good one mate,

guess i'm of to the LFS for some goodies today.

[vishy]

Hey,
I usually just put some boiling water or warm ater from the tap and chuck it in a 50ltr buket, hope this helps.
vish

[kalebjarrod]

i think that will be a great fix for the short term,

thanks heaps,

long term I have just picked up a large stainless steel heater, cleaned my holding tank, got a heap of PVC and fittings, new air pump, lots of wood to build my stand, bulkheads, floatvalves....................

and of course the wifes permission.

[luvfishies]

I just use water from the tap, cold and hot mixed, and dechlored.

Then again, I only have one discus tank, which gets 2 @ weekly waterchanges of 50%, and a couple of "pleco-poo" vacs in between. Just easier for me to do the bucket brigade, as needed, rather than store water.

[weird]

Anyone know a good place to get a food grade water storage tank/barrel .... over 80 litres ?

[Proteus]

I got mine from Bunnings, however why not put up a WTB in the classifieds here, or a Wanted ad on AquaClassifieds.com.au

[flukes]

For those in Melbourne, Ideal Drums in Cheltenham should sell you a food grade storage barrel (44gals/200litres) for under $30. Dont quote me on the price but it should be around there.

[chrissyoscar]

Bunnings has wheely bins for $89 these are 250lts. These are the same as the big green ones that you get from the council for your garbage.
I've got one of these but a 150lt size. I found it on the side of a train track so I gave it a good home :lol:

Oscar

[flukes]

Ideal Drums has larger sizes thats just the size i got, so thats why i knew how much they were. Cant say exactly the cost because i did him a favor and got it for basically nothing.

[ctvu]

Ideal Drums has larger sizes thats just the size i got, so thats why i knew how much they were. Cant say exactly the cost because i did him a favor and got it for basically nothing.

I went there some time last week (your advise thanks Scott) A big blue drum 200 lt costs $25, black drum 190 lt $20 and 60 lt $10. But unfortunately my car is too small for a big drum so I did not get any thing may be next time I bring a big truck :D

Ps att to Administrator I am not too sure if we are allowed to list the price here or not like some other forum policy. If I break the rule here my apology

[Proteus]

ctvu, there is nothing wrong with trying to help someone out...

what we have problems with is blatant advertisng, what you did was offered some advice...

No problemo

[flukes]

Glad i could help, i have been pointing people out about these drums for some time but your the first that ive known that actually took my advice.
Fairly big difference when the same drum at bunnings would cost you close to $90. And these are food grade drums so there is nothing wrong with them.
Just wondering when you went down there did they have anything bigger than 200ltrs?? As when i got mine he told me about some drums he was getting that were 250ltrs, the thing with that company is that they dont always have constant contracts with company's. For instance at my work the were buying 200ltrs metal barrels for $5 but now they didnt want to pay $5 each so they no longer take them.
They should have a constant supply of the 200ltrs though as they are very common in the food industry.

[kalebjarrod]

80ltrs why not an old tank off the classifieds?

if not try your local industrial estate, go around to the food manufactures and offer the dude on the desk a carton for one , bound to work!