Water change question

[3 Clowns]

I use a 50-55 gallon garbage can to 'season' water for water changes. In the past, I've had to either roll the can out to the kitchen and use the sprayer attachment to fill it and then roll it back into the room the tank is in, or fill it from the sink in a gallon pitcher, gallon by gallon. Now, I can attach a hose to the stationary tub and just fill it right there.
My question is, if I go out and buy a really cheap hose and cut it to the length I need, do I need to worry about any contamination from the cut off hose? Will running some water through it first be enough?
LOL Can you tell, I'm paranoid about such things?
for any words of wisdom you can offer!

 

[Aiken Drum]

Some hoses specify drinking water safe. I would use one of those to be safe.

 

[3 Clowns]

Thanks, I did not know that. I will look for one of those!

 

[charliebankston]

Some hoses specify drinking water safe. I would use one of those to be safe.

Yeah, I agree. Prob anything in the freshwater section of the hardware store plumbing area. They have rolls of different diameter tubing

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

Thanks, I did not know that. I will look for one of those!

The hoses that aren't suitable for drinking water present water that smells strange, simply put. You can smell the end of the hose. I bought a reinforced garden hose years ago that didn't have that weird petroleum smell, but I don't remember what it was reinforced with.

 

[charliebankston]

And yet we grew up drinking from petroleum smelling garden hoses in the summer as kids, lol. Maybe that's why I can't ever remember where I put my wallet

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

Different situations, I guess. The weirdest things I drank from as child were fire hydrants and park fountains, both delivering that famous Chicago water.

 

[charliebankston]

That water is what makes the pizza dough so good there!

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

I was wondering about that! We're about 35-miles outside of the city limits, and I get sick just thinking about what passes for pizza out here.

 

[charliebankston]

I was wondering about that! We're about 35-miles outside of the city limits, and I get sick just thinking about what passes for pizza out here.

I live on the gulf coast in Texas, we have alot of great food here, and Texas is known for several things. Sadly, pizza isn't one. My choices are dominoes or frozen

 

[Ktownmatt]

I use a 50-55 gallon garbage can to 'season' water for water changes. In the past, I've had to either roll the can out to the kitchen and use the sprayer attachment to fill it and then roll it back into the room the tank is in, or fill it from the sink in a gallon pitcher, gallon by gallon. Now, I can attach a hose to the stationary tub and just fill it right there.
My question is, if I go out and buy a really cheap hose and cut it to the length I need, do I need to worry about any contamination from the cut off hose? Will running some water through it first be enough?
LOL Can you tell, I'm paranoid about such things?
for any words of wisdom you can offer!

How big is your aquarium? Using a 50-55 gallon drum for a water change seems a LOT of work!
There might be a better way.

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

I live on the gulf coast in Texas, we have alot of great food here, and Texas is known for several things. Sadly, pizza isn't one. My choices are dominoes or frozen

You're a lucky man. I understand that Texas takes BBQ VERY seriously. The BBQ in Chicago was epic, even from small places. Pizza was just as dreamy (Edwardo's deep dish butter crust).

Most of the small shops are gone now, one way or another. At least I can control my weight easily.

 

[3 Clowns]

How big is your aquarium? Using a 50-55 gallon drum for a water change seems a LOT of work!
There might be a better way.

LOL It's a 55 gallon tank, and the can is on wheels, so it's not exactly like I'm dragging it around. That said, I have 10, 20 and 30 gallons marked on it so I know how much I've got in there at any given time. I don't fill it more than 30 gal. Most of the time, it's ready in case I need to top off the aquarium and still have enough for a water change too. I do have a water pump that I have used to fill the water from the can into the tank and that goes quickly.

Now I'm thinking though, that I may need to get a heater for the can as I don't know if I'm going to want to use room temp water to add to the heated tank.... (69F vs 75F atm) ???? Any advice on that thought?

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

The water I use for top-offs and changes is about 72F to a 79F tank temp. JIC, if I'm adding more than 1-2G's I dump it into the side of the tank with my heater and it's sensor. This SEEMS to work in terms of health. My large parrot fish actually runs in for a splash in the cooler water when added. I hope my approach seems rational, 3C.

 

[charliebankston]

Some say fish are very sensitive to temperature change. Ime I don't find that too be necessarily true. I don't think it's wise to throw a fish from a tank that's 69 to 80 degrees. But a couple I think they can regulate faster than we give them credit for. Just for talking sake, if your changing 25g of the 55g and its 10 degrees different, then by mixing your median should in theory by only 5 degrees changed. And not that quickly. On the other hand, a cheap heater from Amazon is way less than $20. So I say, go whatever way gives you peace of mind

 

[Ktownmatt]

LOL It's a 55 gallon tank, and the can is on wheels, so it's not exactly like I'm dragging it around. That said, I have 10, 20 and 30 gallons marked on it so I know how much I've got in there at any given time. I don't fill it more than 30 gal. Most of the time, it's ready in case I need to top off the aquarium and still have enough for a water change too. I do have a water pump that I have used to fill the water from the can into the tank and that goes quickly.

Now I'm thinking though, that I may need to get a heater for the can as I don't know if I'm going to want to use room temp water to add to the heated tank.... (69F vs 75F atm) ???? Any advice on that thought?

So you're looking at changing around 15 gallons each time?
I change about the same amount, and found it easier to use a 5Gal bucket. I empty the old water into it in 3 or 4 trips (dumping it down the kitchen sink), then refill from the kitchen tap and walk it back to the aquarium.
It's a lot easier physically, and keeps the water closer to the right temperature. The only downside is that it may take slightly longer to complete the water change.

 

[3 Clowns]

I've been using that 50 gallon can for something like 15-16 years now and at the old house, I didn't use heaters so the temp of the tank and the water in the can would be very much the same after sitting at least overnight. In this house in the basement, I just have to wheel it over to the stationary tub (and here's where that hose would come in handy!) I have to fill a gallon pitcher 15 to 30 times to get my water ready for an overnight sitting. I can easily wheel that back closer to the tank (it's about 4-6 feet) then the next day, drop the water pump in the can and plug it in and water change is complete! The only lifting is with the old water and I dump that in one side of the stationary tub, but the floor drain is also close by, so if I have a problem with lifting, I can just pour it down that by tipping the bucket over.
It's good to know that I shouldn't have to worry about any difference in water temp though as everyone here seems to agree that it would be insignificant. I will check the temp of the water though before adding it to the tank especially if we get really cold this winter.
Thanks to all for your help and advice!