Flush your water heaters!

[DMD123]

My water heater started to leak this week. ( That rhymes ) In the process of trying to fix it I was surprised how much junk/sediment was in it when I flushed it out. Im probably not alone when it comes to water heater maintenance, this was the first time in the 9 years at this house that Ive done it. If you use hot/warm water into the mix when you refill your tanks just think about the rust and junk your fish must be getting! :affraid:

Long story short, I could not get the leak stopped and bought a new water heater which I get to install this weekend. Also I am now starting a new routine that once a year Im going to flush it out.

So when was the last time you serviced your water heater? :suspect:

 

[hbluehunter]

I've been in my house 3 years and have never flushed mine either..

Ok I'm gonna ask a stupid question.. So do you just hook a hose to the pipe on the bottom to flush it ?? How long did you let yours flush ??

 

[gobluecichlids]

if I were to replace mine, I'll go for the tankless kind, so I don't run out of hot water.. Cost more, but the savings will offset it.

 

[Zerc]

Make sure to turn the power off to the water heater BEFORE you drain it, or you will burn up the element!


And yes, you hook a hose to the bottom, turn off the water running into the tank, and let it drain. It is pretty easy!

 

[DMD123]

Thats the point, it is easy! It is beneficial to us and our fish to do it!

I wanted to go tankless but way too much money for me right now. I just went with a 50g, 12yr gas model to replace the one I had.

 

[Betty]

So when was the last time you serviced your water heater?

We do ours every year. :spoton:

 

[DMD123]

Way to go!

Thats why Betty's fish look so good!

 

[Gryphon]

It took me a few moments to realize the topic wasn't about tank heaters.

I'm sitting her going "How the hell do you open a heater to clean it out"
:sleep:

 

[sandnuka]

I just buy new ones every year or two.... lol, it always seems they arent keeping good temp. after a yr anyway, so time to get a new one.

 

[Madness]

I have preached this a thousand times, but nobody seems to listen and no body should be using warm water from their hot water tank regardless of age, when doing water changes. I just dont get it. Do you not realize the amount of metals that get deposited into your tank. Prime does not remove enough of these metals. You may have been doing this for awhile and think that everything is OK. Well just think if you were ingesting copious amounts of metals, how long before you start developing organ failures, or how much shorter would you live?

I just dont get it.

I just buy new ones every year or two.... lol, it always seems they arent keeping good temp. after a yr anyway, so time to get a new one.

Hot water tanks, not fish tank heaters. :violent:

 

[sandnuka]

LMAO! what is this doing in a fish sight??? cause people are using hot water to put in there fisht tanks? Come on... its a no brainer guys! Just look how cloudy the water is when its warm as to when its cold.... so much crap in it.....

Plus, when I do my water change, I like the temp in the tank to drop a little bit, this kinda simulate fresh rain water and usually gets some breeding going!

 

[sandnuka]

It took me a few moments to realize the topic wasn't about tank heaters.

I'm sitting her going "How the hell do you open a heater to clean it out"
:sleep:

LOL! yeah, obvoiusly i made the same mistake..... I was thinking who as liquid in there heaters?? LMAO! DUH, I feel soooo dumb... but seriously, I dont know why this is in aquriam water chemistry, cause people should be using cold tap water.

 

[larry.beck]

I use warm water. Doing large water changes the way I do, there's no way my fish would survive exposure to pure cold.

 

[sandnuka]

Well I suppose my tanks arent that big, I only do 20%..... but, If i had to, I would just get a big rubbermaid tub/can.... then fill my water there, let it settle to room temp. then use it..... this will also be a great way to get out chlorine without adding stuff.

 

[larry.beck]

I'm changing 50% on 2 125g tanks and 50-100% on 12 20-40g tanks. :

I don't lose fish to water changes. Never have. Just been lucky, I'm sure.

 

[larry.beck]

So when "flushing" the water heater isn't it necessary to supply water, under force, to flush out contaminants/sediment trapped in the bottom? I've never done this myself, and am just interested.

 

[Gryphon]

I had just woken up so thats my defense!

 

[sandnuka]

ok, so there is a point for this topic at the fish chemistry section! heh, cause Im sure there are several people that do that large waterchanges..... Im more of a 10% 3x week kinda guy... 20% usually the most.... so cold water drops the temp maybe 5-8 degrees thats it.

continue on!

 

[sandnuka]

I am just so nervous to use warm or hot water cause I know all the stuff in it...... Im trying to see it from the view of people that have to do it this way and finding a better solution,

How about britta water filter... that may help get out allot of the crap that water heaters add to the water..... but honestly, i think i would try my best to figure out a way to bypass that water heater. Thats just me..

 

[Madness]

Metals in the water is not a NOW problem when using the warm water method, but it is definitely a long term problem. Those of you that use warm water from the h2o tank should have that water tested. You will **** your self when you see the amounts and the number of different metals that you are exposing your pets to on your 50-100% water changes.

Like Sandnuka, I use straight cold, even in the dead of winter, but do what you want, some people need to learn the hard way.