water changes

I also buy NSW from my LFS. SW can be stored practicality for ever. However, before doing the WC, you should do the following;
1. Run an air pump to oxygenate the water.
2. Run a heater if needed. You want the new water to be the same temp. as the tank.
3. And if possible, try to keep the containers indoors rather than outside.
This should be done a couple of hrs for the WC. Luna

 

ok thats great i have an empty 5 gallon

mommy could i go to the pet store;D;D

 

K+ for you both thanks for the help

 

Good advise Luna

As needed. Doesn't have to be the exact same temp. 10% volume at only a few degrees difference won't really affect your tank temp. If the ambient temp in your home is 76, and the SW has been sitting in your closet for a couple of weeks it's probably 76 too. If your tank is 79, for example, I think this would be fine... (be sure to stick a thermometer in the new water though, don't assume it's temp)

My ambient temp in the house is about 10 degrees cooler than the tank. (I like it pretty cool) I heat up WC water but I don't heat up top off water.

Just my two cents.

 

Ditto Peredhil said. Avg temp in mi casa is 71 ish depending on time of day and season and all that jazz. I heat up my water change water (that sounds funny...water change water...) and I store it in one of those big plastic storage bins with a lid on it. I ordered 2 heaters for my tank, one for the main tank and one for the sump as a back up. But, whoopsie daisy, the one for the sump didn't quite fit in the sump. So it's career got converted to heating up WCW. I have a smaller backup in the sump now. I do not heat up my top off water, however. I just buy RO/DI water from Walmart and keep it in a 30 gallon main jug with cleaned out gallon sized milk jugs to hold the "daily dose" of it.