Forgot to dechlorinate!

[FreshyFresh]

This was on my 55g goldfish tank. I drained the water down to about 25% and had it refilled to 80-90% before I realized I never added Prime before refilling!

I quickly added a heavy dose when I realized I forgot. So far I've seen no ill-effects. The fish are as happy and active as they always are and the nitrogen cycle is still doing it's thing. I just did another measure for ammonia. 0ppm.

On Sundays I do WCs on my Oscar tank (75g) and goldfish tank. They're on a double top/bottom stand, so it's usually pretty quick and easy. I was all tired and cranky being in the middle of a some 4pm-4am shifts, had gotten up about noon and was doing these WCs before heading back to work. This was the first and hopefully last time I forget to dose dechlorinator!

 

[Rbishop]

I don't think you will have any issues.

 

[Kannan Fodder]

I usually do all my water swapping and then dose Prime when I refill the tank. Done this for years and have never had any problems.

 

[fishorama]

Joel, I never worry about when Prime is added during a refill, just so long as it is eventually added & well mixed, what's a few seconds or even a few minutes...meh! fish are quite sturdy for the most part...it's the long term ammonia effects that are harmful. I don't see any issues for you or your fish...Except poor fish daddy is working some looonnnggg a$$ hours, poor baby, don't sweat this small stuff, your fish will be fine!

 

[SnakeIce]

I have read anecdotal evidence that in planted tanks normal chlorine levels do not have much effect on the viability of the tank's life support systems. I have done water changes without adding anything for the chlorine. Now if I knew they were doing work or noticed an increase in the chlorine levels I would use a simple dechlorinator. I didn't have any issues with my planted tanks doing it that way. The first few times I did tests to check the claims out, and no ammonia showed up on tests.

If your tank bottom is not covered in plants or nearly so you might not have enough life in the tank to overcome the little bit of chlorine that comes in with the change water. I don't know that this would be ok in a non planted tank.

 

[Narwhal72]

Depending on the volume of water changes adding dechlorinator is probably not necessary. Chlorine/chloramine in tap water are already at fairly low levels and are further diluted in the remaining aquarium water. Adding a dechlorinator will never hurt anything though.