Water conditioners

[Squirrelbuddies]

I hope someone can please help me with this as I've read so much conflicting info I do not know what to believe.

My tapwater has both chlorine and chloramine. I use Tetra AquaSafe to condition it for water changes and new tank setup. Is it bad (for the fish) to treat the water and then immediately add it to the aquarium?

Should I be letting it "age" for 24-48 hours??

I filled a bucket last night and let it sit all day. Did NOT add water conditioner and the total chlorine reading is zero. Do I still have to add conditioner to "condition" things I don't even know exist?

 

[breezer40]

Differing opinions exist on ageing water. All I can tell you is I have been treating my water and adding straight to the tank for years and to date not had any problems.

 

[newfishies]

i don't age the water as i have nowhere to age it, so it gets dechlorinator and in it goes!!

 

[Squirrelbuddies]

Well this is good news because that's what I've been doing -- adding the conditioner and then into the tank it goes.

 

[a1wonder]

I agree with what has been previously stated I usually make the water to refill the tank add the declore and then do vacume or scoop out my water usually giving around 5mins for the declore to do its work. And then it's just dump into the tank. The reason why you hear alot of people letting their water sit and age for a prolonged period of time is usually because they are not using declore and what to remove the clorine naturally.

 

[Slyspy]

In answer to your last question yes you should still treat your water with dechlor even if it has been stood around. Chloramines (sp?) and similar additives in drinking water do not evaporate like chlorine does. Of course if you have dechlor why bother leaving the water to stand? There is no point.

 

[Squirrelbuddies]

Thanks for the feedback! I will continue to condition, then add water as usual.

Another question. I've been doing 10-15% water changes once per week. I've read differing opinions on this. I read one book that indicated I should change 50% weekly. That seems like a LOT.

Is 10-15% reasonable?

 

[newfishies]

i do 10-20% weekly

 

[gale]

Well this is good news because that's what I've been doing -- adding the conditioner and then into the tank it goes.

I've read about people here actually adding the dechlor AS they're filling their tank.

 

[jflowers]

I use Aquasafe and as the bottle says, it immediatly nutralises Chlorine and other heavy metals. I remove water into a bucket with a measure on the side, 10 litres each bucket. I then add the same amount back, adding aquasafe as the bucket fills from the tap. We need to get pythons over here, sounds a much easier way of doing it.

Jon

 

[Squirrelbuddies]

Ah yes, pythons are very nice. It's on my list of "wants". The trouble is there are so many other fishie things I "want" as well!!

I currently fill buckets with new water and treat. Then drain old water. Then add new water to tank. (I have lots of buckets!)

Birthday is next month...maybe a Python will show up!

 

[ioNightShade]

What they need to make is a python with a little "vacuum" attachment. Kinda like those "Miracle-Gro" or "Windex" attachments that attach to garden hoses. That way, you could fill this little container with dechlorinator (powder/liquid) and the python would slowly suck the dechlorinator into the stream of water as it's filling the tank.

Make sense? If not, forget it. Just doing some creative rambling.

JT

 

[Squirrelbuddies]

Sounds good to me!

 

[yvez9]

aging water 24 hours will let the chlorine evaporate. However, chloramines and other hard metals found in tap water will not evaporate and so water conditionner is a good thing to use. It will neutralise most of the nasty stuff in the water.

Dechlorinatorsd work instantly now so you don't have to let it sit for any period of time. It takes a few seconds to act.

 

[Tolak]

You will find a lot of variables on this depending on who you ask. A lot of your water change amount & frequency depends on what kind of fish you have, and how heavily stocked you are. The amount of filtration, and live plants also enters into this. If you could post your tank size, type of filteration, and type of fish you have that would help.

Most all of my tanks get 50% weekly water changes, but they are pretty heavily stocked breeding & grow out tanks. I use Prime to dechlor, squirting it in every 5-10 gallons as I fill the tank with a hose from the sink. Have yet to have a problem.

Tolak