Aquarium Forums UK

hello there does anyone on here use hma filters? i have been debateing for some time now if i should purchase one ...there is a few things im debateing,number 1 i use aqua safe and i do bucket water changes and use a heater to warm the water up but in the winter it does take some time summer aint too bad..number 2 with the hma filters would u connect it up to your hot water supply? does anyone one on here do the same? connecting it to the hot water supply..also i heard they raise the ph could anyone clarify any truth in any of this .. what are the pros n cons? if anyone could get back that would be great thanks

HMA filter systems are "heavy metal reduction" filters which help reduce the amount of metals and chlorine from the water.
I believe they are mainly used for drinking water filtration and also for ponds filtration but can be used for aquariums.
Unless you have a big (massive) aquarium then I do not feel they are of benefit.
When I change my water I dose only 15ml of Seachem Prime to dechlorinator 600L of water.
I also have a combi-boiler as part of my central heating system, I use both the hot & cold taps when water changing to get close to the normal aquarium water temperature.
When I only had an emersion heater to heat the water then I used hot water from the kettle to help bring the water up to temperature (added to bucket) to bring the new water close to the normal aquarium water temperature. I also treated this water (in the bucket) with dechlorinator before adding to the aquarium.

Hot water from combi-boiler = safe to use
Hot water from emersion heater = less safe as may contain copper traces.
If you have an emersion heater for your hot water then use hot water from the kettle.
In a 14L bucket I probably use 1/3 of a kettle full of hot water during the warmer months and almost a kettle full during the winter months.
The kettle was a 1.7L

Hope it helps


Stay safe & healthy everyone

thanks for the reply ive not even tried useing hot tap water i wouldnt want to take the chance might be to hi in heavy in metals .means more test kits so i would test for metals if you no what i mean lol. kettel seems a bit long .lol. i think i will stick with my bucket and heater for now

emma01 wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2020 0:20 am thanks for the reply ive not even tried useing hot tap water i wouldnt want to take the chance might be to hi in heavy in metals .means more test kits so i would test for metals if you no what i mean lol. kettel seems a bit long .lol. i think i will stick with my bucket and heater for now

If you use Seachem Prime as a dechlorinator it will also detoxify any heavy metals found in the tap water at typical concentration levels.
There is no need to test for metals if they have been detoxified and the amount of heavy metals in typical tap water is minute anyway.
I have been using hot water from my hot water tap (heated by combi-boiler) for over a year now and my fish are all fine.
I think you may be a little over cautious unless you have some very sensitive fish or shrimp but there is no need to be over cautious.
Most of the knowledgeable members have a combi-boiler and use the hot & cold water from the tap for water changes, I use mixer taps and adjust the hot & cold taps so the water is close to the tank water temperature.
I even use a hosepipe for water changes, I do have a big 600L aquarium.

Hope it helps
Stephen


Stay safe & healthy everyone

what a lot of people forget/don't know is that if you have a combi boiler you can drink straight from the hot tap.


Yes you may have been brought up (I was) to not drink from the hot tap (or even in some cases to only drink from the downstairs cold tap) but that only applies if you have an immersion heater and header tank/cold water supplied from an attic tank .

Combi boilers are connected directly to the mains and the water is as safe as the cold water coming in to your house.

@SnowAddict used to have an HMA filter, but then he did have the swimming pool in the garage for his fish........but he only used that for his discus as well and he had show-winning fish.

mikeyw64 wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2020 8:01 am Yes you may have been brought up (I was) to not drink from the hot tap (or even in some cases to only drink from the downstairs cold tap) but that only applies if you have an immersion heater and header tank/cold water supplied from an attic tank .

I remember that Mike. (I must be getting older)


Stay safe & healthy everyone

thanks for all your replys the boiler i have heats the water and the heating i filled a bucket with hot water from the tap the colour of the water goes white then after a minute it clears .

emma01 wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2020 13:27 pm thanks for all your replys the boiler i have heats the water and the heating i filled a bucket with hot water from the tap the colour of the water goes white then after a minute it clears .

That will be air or oxygen causing the water to appear white, it soon clears as you found out.

ok thanks