Tap Water

[recco]

So we do not have any bottled watter for a new betta (sushi), we heard that you can use tap water as long as you leave it out for awhile. We left the tap water out in a clean container for about 12hrs and then switched over the water. Sushi no longer looks very energetic. My main question, is the fins of Sushi do not floats outwards, then actually just sink downwards, is this a sign of it being sick or could just be, i dunno, tired?

 

[joycould]

So we do not have any bottled watter for a new betta (sushi), we heard that you can use tap water as long as you leave it out for awhile. We left the tap water out in a clean container for about 12hrs and then switched over the water. Sushi no longer looks very energetic. My main question, is the fins of Sushi do not floats outwards, then actually just sink downwards, is this a sign of it being sick or could just be, i dunno, tired?

Letting water set out only takes out clorine. To be in the safe side get some declorinator that takes out choramine I always use the drops and leave the water our at least 24 hours.

 

[betttta]

Was the water you added the same temperature as the tank water? Also, a declorinator would be helpful for your betta; I always use some no matter how long I let it sit out, just to be safe.

 

[liz2]

You can also put an air stone in the water you are going to use, vigorously! it does something dunno what

 

[three-fingers]

The airstone just gasses of the chlorine faster, but if you have chloramines they will still be left .

 

[dmarie04]

Yep, what they said! Aged water only removes the chlorine. You still need dechlorinator to remove the chloramines and other harmful metals and such. I don't even bother aging my water. Just make sure the temp is right when it's coming out of the faucet, squirt in some dechlorinator and pour it in the tank. I do way to many water changes to have water sitting out all the time!

 

[joycould]

The city must add buffers to our water if I don't let it set out 24 hours the ph isn't the same!!

 

[zoekin8yg]

Tap water with decholrinator is actually better than bottled water

 

[three-fingers]

Not really, it depends on what bottled water. I personally think bottled spring/mineral water can be better than tap water because it has less rubbish in it, you cant remove everything with dechlorinators, and when you use conditioner to get rid of chloramine, it leaves ammonia in the water - I'm not joking, test it (though it depends on how much they out in your tap water) .

But I'll always use tap water, It's the most reliable source and best for my tanks.
However there was this one time the water company changed the pipes, and it killed all but 3 of my fish. I dunno what did it...

I don't really do big water changes any more, I use the water in my tank for plants around my room, so I just top it up whenever need be.

Thanks to that, and the plants in my tank, I get 0-10ppm nitrate readings with absolute minimum effort!

 

[leighann]

i think the best bottled water to use is banner good samaritan hospital water, my mom works at a hospital so i use that or dasani.

 

[Biulu]

I always use a dechlorinator, and let my water sit for a few hours. Also check your water on other parameters, notably hardness. Fish in general don't like sudden changes in their water parameters.