Winter Water Change Warning: Cold Tap Water Is Shocking Brisbane Tanks
Posted by Gallery Aquatica on
Heads up: Brisbane mains water is running cold right now, and straight top-up or change water can drop your tank several degrees in minutes. That swing stresses fish and corals far more than most keepers expect in the cooler months.
Through winter the water out of the tap can sit close to 15C, well below the 24 to 26C most reef and tropical tanks run. Pour a 20 percent change straight in and the whole tank takes a sudden dip, right when livestock is already coping with shorter days and slower metabolisms.
What to do this week
- Mix and heat your change water to tank temperature before it goes in. A spare heater in the mixing bucket is the easiest fix.
- Check your display heater is actually keeping up. Cold overnight rooms make heaters work harder, and a marginal unit shows its age now.
- Go smaller and more often. Two 10 percent changes stress the tank less than one big cold one.
- Acclimate new arrivals a little longer than usual, since shop and home temperatures differ more in winter.
If you need a backup heater or a second unit for your mixing station, browse the heating and cooling range. A cheap spare heater is the difference between a steady winter and a tank crash after one cold night.