# is it safe to add boiled water with water changes ?



## silvershark

hi 

is it alright to add some boiled water to bring the temperature up when doing water changes ? i have done two water changes since i set my 200ltr tank up on the 24/11/12 i done one on the 30Th a 10ltr change and one today a 40ltr change i have been doing this with buckets of cold tap-water filled 3/4 up and topped up with boiled water from a kettle so as not to stress the fish to much witch are 3 giant giant danios to help with cycling i also add aqua plus into the buckets before adding into the main tank, i know my tank is still cycling and i have had a problem with a bacterial bloom but looks a lot cleaner after i done that water change earlier today i hope things will improve now. please let me know if i am doing the right thing where the boiled water is concerned. thanks everyone.:thankyou:


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## slojko

silvershark said:


> hi
> 
> is it alright to add some boiled water to bring the temperature up when doing water changes ? i have done two water changes since i set my 200ltr tank up on the 24/11/12 i done one on the 30Th a 10ltr change and one today a 40ltr change i have been doing this with buckets of cold tap-water filled 3/4 up and topped up with boiled water from a kettle so as not to stress the fish to much witch are 3 giant giant danios to help with cycling i also add aqua plus into the buckets before adding into the main tank, i know my tank is still cycling and i have had a problem with a bacterial bloom but looks a lot cleaner after i done that water change earlier today i hope things will improve now. please let me know if i am doing the right thing where the boiled water is concerned. thanks everyone.:thankyou:


yes, boiling water will kill your fish


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## pop

Hello silvershark:

I have the same concern about stress and changing water. When I change water I fill the bucket with slightly warm water until about half of the water is replaced and then I wait a while the tank adjust somewhat to the fresh water then I finish filling it up. I don’t use any water conditioners. I also pay attention to the heater and monitor its operation.

Boiling water sounds like a bad idea. 
Cold water has a greater affinity for oxygen / carbon dioxide exchange than warm water. 
pop


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## Mikaila31

You don't need to temp match exactly. If the tank drops 2-6 degrees during a 50% water change thats really never been an issue for any of my fish. I use both the hot and cold tap when filling a tank. Boiled water would in theory work long as it isn't added to the tank till it is cooled or mixed with cooler water. However do realize that boiling will raise the hardness of the water slightly.


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## cpwebsite

Don't use boiling water! Simple use lukewarm water, or the day before the water change put some in a separate aquarium and use a heater to get it where you want it.


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## Nilet699

I run both my taps (1 outlet) on full to fill a 25ltr bucket and have found that this results in 26.2 degree water, which is what I want.... though i still throw the thermometer in there every time just in case. 

Worth trying with your taps and seeing what you get.


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## dorabaker

hmm, this is interesting. I find my fish get very stressed and have sometimes succumbed to mild finrot as a result of doing water changes with cold water, so now I always boil the kettle and top up the bucket with some hot water to make the temperature match. The reason I don't just use the hot tap is that for some reason, the water that comes out of my hot tap is INCREDIBLY ALKALINE. which is the last thing I want in a soft-water, acidic setup. at least the cold water is neutral, and I would think it would stay that way when boiled.


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## Mikaila31

dorabaker said:


> hmm, this is interesting. I find my fish get very stressed and have sometimes succumbed to mild finrot as a result of doing water changes with cold water, so now I always boil the kettle and top up the bucket with some hot water to make the temperature match. The reason I don't just use the hot tap is that for some reason, the water that comes out of my hot tap is INCREDIBLY ALKALINE. which is the last thing I want in a soft-water, acidic setup. at least the cold water is neutral, and I would think it would stay that way when boiled.


I will still become slightly more alkaline from boiling. The issue with boiling is you evaporate off some of the H20, but not any of the mineral in the water. The hardness and buffering therefor increases and is what determines the pH. The TDS and many other factors also increase due to everything in the water become more concentrated. 

Have you checked you hot tap mixed or used room temp water? My tap comes out at a pH of 8.5 and I keep community tanks. It drops to 7.8 after sitting for at least 24 hours, then I just do water changes using room temp water. Its never ever cause any issues for me, my rainbows always spawn best the day or two after a water change.


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## fish monger

I use tap water that is as close to the tank temperature as can be determined by my wrist. The baby bottle technique. I tend to make the water just a tad warmer than the tank water. Naturally, I use a water conditioner. Any rapid temperature change is bad.


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## dorabaker

Mikaila31 said:


> I will still become slightly more alkaline from boiling. The issue with boiling is you evaporate off some of the H20, but not any of the mineral in the water. The hardness and buffering therefor increases and is what determines the pH. The TDS and many other factors also increase due to everything in the water become more concentrated.
> 
> Have you checked you hot tap mixed or used room temp water? My tap comes out at a pH of 8.5 and I keep community tanks. It drops to 7.8 after sitting for at least 24 hours, then I just do water changes using room temp water. Its never ever cause any issues for me, my rainbows always spawn best the day or two after a water change.


The hot water comes through copper pipes, which is another reason I'm reluctant to use it. Isn't copper toxic? ( I know trace amounts are actually essential, but I can't tell the amount of copper that might be left in the hot water...)


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## Mikaila31

Copper isn't something you should have to worry about. Both hot and cold come through copper pipes. I use both in my tanks, I use fertilizers with copper in them. All my fish and shrimp do fine. I also use copper as my only medication for external parasites, all my new fish go through a treatment. Shrimp are the only thing that can't tolerate the copper meds very well.


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## fish monger

Running the tap water for a short time before using will rinse out most of any sediment picked up from the pipes. Copper pipes are probably safer than most.


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