water changes

[mralgae]

Water changes:
I have been reading on another forum that some members use water from the HOT WATER TAP to bring up the temp before putting into the tank.
As I am aware and mentioned by them, water from the hot tank contains copper and years ago it was not the done thing to use hot water in an aquarium. Have things changed so much over the years that this can be done with no effect on plants or fish now days or is it still not advisable to use hot water.
When I do water changes I always use boiled water from the kettle to raise the temp but this is a pain when doing large changes. I normally add 1.7L boiled to 9L cold which gives me a near 23/24deg temp.
Any comments?

[karen]

Id do a bit of both.if i was doing a large water change id always use hot water from the tap and if there was no hot water left in the tap well then id boil the kettle and use that and thats the way i have always done it without any problems.

[dumpystig]

Hi mate, maybe I can be of help to you for a change! You are correct about the hot water containing larger amounts of copper, in so far as the hot water is being stored in a copper cylinder. But if you have a modern Combi boiler installed there isn't a problem: the water is heated instantaneously as it flows through the heat exchanger, which is made of a material such as Inox, and so the only pollutants are what is already in the water supply/ pipes. So long as you add de-chlorinator to your warm water you will be ok.

[mralgae]

it seems like a lot of people around the world use hot water from the tap. i never have and just wondered what every one else did as years ago i know nobody did because of the copper.
dumpystig i know the type you mean but this place old and has the old pipes etc. had that type back home in liverpool when was ther but didnt have the tank then, typical

[dave]

you probably saw my bit on the thread on the other forum,but to repeat here,i NEVER drink water from the hot tap,and so would never use it for fish.as i said over there,i have seen hot water cylinders opened up,and they were full of gunge(to put it politely).but after seeing the many replies,that dosnt seem to have been a problem to those that do use it.i would rather heat water in a kettle or pan,but if it works fine for you,then by all means continue to do it.

[dumpystig]

Sods law eh mate! You will also find that your water additive (Interpet Tapsafe, Sera Toxivec etc.) will also remove/ bind together toxic metals such as copper, rendering them harmless to your fish. I don't know what you use but check the info on the label

[mralgae]

dave yes i did. i only found that after i had posted here after seeing on another site.

[dumpystig]

You're spot on Dave, water from a hot water storage cylinder is definitely NOT for drinking and shouldn't be used for an aquarium either. Not only does it store hot water, but also limescale which builds up over time forming the sludge that you mention, which also contains concentrated amounts of whatever metals are used in the water/ heating pipes, i.e. copper and lead

[jackpike]

I have never used hot water, i either keep my water changes small, or leave the water to age for a day or two allowing it to come to room temperture. Plus using hot water is a waste of energy. Do your part to Save the planet, don't use hot water for water changes

[guppylover]

i use hot water from my kettle