Dechlorinate in, or outside of tank???

J

joe schmoe

AC Members
Sep 20, 2000
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Subject sort of says it all. I've always heard that it's best to put the tapwater in a bucket...dechlorinate, then dump the bucket, but it seems that a lot of people are running tapwater straight into their tanks and dechlorinating as the tank fills. Have I been wasting my time all these years??

And, do the chemicals work immediately??
 
I have 3 tanks-60, 20, 10

this is what i do. I have 3 five gallon jugs that I fill with water and add Amquel and stress coat to EACH. Then, when I am done syphoning/vacuuming the tank, I add these jugs of water to the tank. I do this TWICE to equal 30 gallons. This method is ALOT less stressfull to the fish. they do not get in contact with the harsh tap water. If you add the tap water directly, there is some contact, which I am sure, is NOT good. People with smaller tanks.. 60 gallons and smaller are just LAZY to not mix the water in jugs first.
 
There are a few ways to do it. Putting tap water straight into the tank can be dangerouse. What I do it have like 2 buckets or as many as you want and used 1 gallon juice or milk jugs ( as many as you want ), fill them up with water and treat them. Then put a clean small plate at the bottom of the tank so the back of it is facing up and pour the water from the bucket or jugs on the plate so the force of the water wont make a hole in your gravel if you know what I mean...

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Orbit
 
There are many experienced aquarists on this board who add water directly to the tank and dechlorinate/dechloraminate the entire tank. This is generally done with larger tanks.
I personally prefer to detox outside of the tank. One reason I do so it because I have otos, and the ammonia released from dechloramination(?) seems to have been responsible for killing a few of them (my current hypothesis).
I age my water overnight and heat it to tank temp. My hoses and pump and bucket feel like they've cycled, I'm hoping this will take up any ammo left over. Aging and heating my water has stopped my oto deaths so far.
good luck
:)
 
I can't bring myself to adding my tap water directly to my tanks. I'm hoping some day soon hubby gets our whole house filter setup so I won't have to worry about it so much, that would be great :)
 
depends on whats in your tap water.

If you have chlorine you likely dont even need to dechlorinate (unless doing large water changes)

If you have chloramine it would be better to add the dechlorinator first, but if you cant it likely wont cause any problems being added after.
 
I add the water directly to my tanks. It isn't practical for me to dechlorinate outside of my tanks. It would literally take me hours if I did that. I use prime, and generally add enough of it to dechlorinate the entire tank. Then I add the tapwater. I've been doing it ever since I got my python, and I've had no losses.
famman - I do this with my plant tanks as well, and they have ottos in them.

-Richer
 
Well... I always think its safer to dechlorinate water OUTSIDE of the tank in jugs. That way, the fish never has contact with the tap water. Of course, we are talking about tanks the sizes of 60 gallons and LESS. for a 120 gallon tank, it would be impractical.

example: to change 30 percent of water in a 120 gallon would be 40 gallons of water. Thats EIGHT JUGS of 5 gallons. WAY to much work. But for a 60 gallons and less.. its the BEST way to go.... I have a 10,20,60 gallon tanks and each week I change 30 gallons of water. I do this in 3 five gallon jugs, twice. Works for my fish and I!!!!
 
Richer,
thanx,
I have plants too, but just a few,
are your ottos in heavily planted tanks?
do you have chloramine?
I get intermittent chloramine whenever la dwp buys water from mwd. Plus dwp is changing to chloramine.
The other hypothesis I had for my otto deaths was temp changes, I think the water I put in may have been too cold. What do you think?
:)
 
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