Water Change & Temperatures

[Sixo]

Hi all,

Was just wondering when people carry out a water change and you're adding the fresh water into the tank do you take a reading of the temperature with a digital thermometer or anything or just do it roughly by feel?

I've always done it by feel but just wondered if I should be doing it more precise to avoid any kind of shock.

Cheers

[Si4geckos]

I just do it by feel. As I fill it straight from the tap and I need the boiler to just be on, sometimes it turns on and the fish get a blast of freezing water. They seem to actively swim in it rather than avoiding it. Same with the shrimp. Never seems to bother them afterwards.

[Fishtales]

I use a Hanna digital thermometer to check the temp of the water going into the tank. This is more so since using an RO mix. Previously I would check temp with my hand and have a double check with the thermometer. Most of the time though I was pretty spot on with my hand check.

[Gingerlove05]

I always just take the thermometer out of the tank im water changing. That way then i know im matching temp pretty closely, although a lot of species do like a cooler water change and it tends to invoke breeding behaviour

[plankton]

As long as it's "close enough for rock'n'roll (or jazz)".

[Gingerlove05]

I prefer rock and roll

[Stephen]

I do my water by feel, if it's a degree or two below then that's fine.
A slight water change often puts the fish in to a breeding frenzy.

[stuaz]

I do it by feel and always put in water that is lower temp by a couple of degrees. As Stephen says this often will encourage breeding.

I fill straight from the tap (mixer) so just mix the taps till it feels about right.

[Barrylfc]

I use 5 ltr bottles when I do a water change..I fill the bottles the day before and leave them get to room temperature. At least that way there isn't a drastic change in temperature for the fish.

[Staffylover]

This varies for me, if I was doing a large water change on current tanks or any change on a small tank I would match by feel to close enough, but standard 20% on larger tanks I've not had a problem using cold but then I run my tanks at about 22c which is fairly cool anyway, I've watched the digital read out it never seems to drop more than about a degree, my tanks are 180 and 350l would be different with a small tank I should think