Changing the water. A concerned question.

[itswoodie]

Hey guys, me again

I'm planning on changing my water either tonight or tomorrow. Probably a good 25% change.

I just have one question related to this.

Should I fill a 5 gallon bucket with the new water, and treat it BEFORE I put it back in the tank? Or can I just dump the 5gal into the tank and add another dose of treatment.

I kinda figured I should do it before, but I wanted to check before I did anything stooopid.


Thanks in advance!

 

[Raskolnikov]

Since you are going to have the water in a bucket anyway, I'd recommend treating it prior to pouring it into your tank.

 

[Ems]

Treat the water first, or you'll harm the fishies

 

[anonapersona]

No, it won't harm the fish if you pour in the tank, then treat, but be sure to read the instructions on the water conditioner. For example, Prime says if you treat the bucket, to treat the volume of the bucket but if you treat in the tank, treat the volume of the tank. (why? I don't know, I just follow the directions!)

Most important is to be sure you treat, whenever you do it. Make it a habit and do it the same way each time. If you forget, you will kill fish if you change more than about 10%.

 

[LMOUTHBASS]

it doesnt make a difference - if you pour it into the tank just make sure to put the dechlorinator in right away to remove chlorine - but since your putting it in a bucket anyhow you might as well just treat it in the bucket -

 

[Rebgen]

I routinely do three gallon PWC's on my 12 gal. and I'm in the habit of treating water in the bucket before adding. I'm glad to learn I have another option of treating after adding to the tank if I need it.

 

[MikeO]

I age my water instead of treatting it. 8 hours is what you need, and I have never lost a fish do to a water change. I have 7 1g jugs I use for this, you can just go to your local supper market and by 1g distiled water, dump that water, it is useless you don't want distiled water, there are things in the tap water that distiled water will lack, fill up the jugs and let them sit over night when you sleep or fill in the morrning and go to work when you get home they will be ready to use.

 

[RTR]

Perhaps with some water supplies, but with my water supply I must age, circulating with heating to tank temperature plus mild aeration for >24 hours to have undetectable chlorine. Have you confirmed this by chlorine test, or is it a guess because no fish have died?

BTW, aging does not work for water supplies with chloramine.

 

[Slappy*McFish]

I usually add the water conditioner/dechlorinator to the bucket. In doing this, you're using less water conditioner as you're only treating the total volume of new water as opposed to the total volume of tank water. I use 5 gallon buckets as well, and add my water conditioner to the bottom of the bucket first(just enough to treat 5g of water), then fill it up with new water...this way the conditioner is mixed very well with the water and neutralizes the chlorine/chloramines completely by the time the bucket is full.

 

[TKOS]

Unless you are willing to keep checking on whther or not your water company is going to switch to chloramines it is a good idea to get a dechlorinator that deals with both chloriamines and chlorine.

And adding it to a bucket is pretty easy to do. I normally age my water (chlorine) but sometimes use a dechlorinator if I need more water than I can age and I add it to my bucket before filling the bucket. That way is simplest for me. But many people add water directly using a python (a hose attachment) from their tap and add the dechlor at the same time or slightly after or slightly before. Whatever is easiest for you.