When you add the new water (approx 15% of tank volume), do I have to add the dechlorinator and the conditioning salt to the new water and leave it for 24 hours before pouring it into the tank, or can I pour the new water (tap water) straight in and then add the salts and dechlorinator into the tank? The instruction on the bottle is a little ambiguous and seems to suggest the latter method, but it seems wrong to me...
2006-11-05 21:55:06 · 9 answers · asked by rockpool248 4 in Pets ➔ Fish
Dechlorinators need a few seconds to bond chlorine in drinking water, always use a couple of drops more than indicated. Salts are just dissolved in water and do not need any time for that so you could add them after. Though is just easier to dissolve them in the bucket unless your tank has very good circulation.
So yes you need to do the mix before you add it in the tank. However it does not hurt to leave the water stand for 24hrs, that what they used to do in the old times to dechlorinate the water. As the water stands chlorine will degas.
2006-11-05 23:10:44 · answer #1 · answered by Sporadic 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Add the dechlorinator and salts to the water before adding it to the tank. Make sure the new water is about the same temperature as the water in the tank - to minimise stress on the fish.
2006-11-06 00:27:16 · answer #2 · answered by moya 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your tap water does not have pH issues out of the tap due to hydrogen peroxide, you can add it to your tank immediately (just dechlorinate if first). Since you're using salts, you're going to want to dissolve the salt in a bucket away from the fish before you add it to your tank (salt will burn a fish if he comes in direct contact with it before it dissolves). Add your dechlorinator to the bucket, mix, and add it directly to your tank. The only thing you should really have to worry about is temperature - make sure the water you're adding to the tank is within a couple of degrees of the water in the tank.
I'd be a little leery about using any salts containing methylene blue. Some fish are sensitive to certain medications, and medicating unnecessarily can lead to "super-strains" of certain bacterias. If you feel you must continue using salts, pick up a container of plain aquarium salt at your pet store. Also, if you have any "scaleless" fish, like tetras, salt cannot be used, as you will cause permanent damage.
As I said initially, you should check your pH directly out of the tap. Also, call your local water treatment plant to find out if they add hydrogen peroxide to your water. If they do, your pH will initially be very high, and you will have to aerate the water for 24 hours in a bucket to stabilize the pH (it should be at around 7.0 after 24 hours). If your treatment plant does not add the hydrogen peroxide, you should be ok. All the same, for your personal information, you should get your water out of the tap and in the tank tested for pH, ammonia, nitrites, nitrate, and general hardness - especially if the tank is new (read up on the nitrogen cycle here: http://www.flippersandfins.net/Cycling.htm ).
Also, one last tip - make sure you have a good water treatment to remove both chlorine and chloramines. Most treatment plants are now switching to treating the water with chloramines over chlorine because it's cheaper, and the water tastes better without all the chlorine. See if you can find a dechlorinator that removes ammonia as well, as most dechlorinators do not remove chloramine, but rather they separate chloramine into chlorine and ammonia. I, personally, use two different dechlorinators on all my tanks, but Seachem's Neutral Regulator will get rid of chlorine and ammonia, break the chloramine bond, soften the water, and keep the pH at around neutral. My choice doesn't seem to be too popular among aquarists I know - most people seem to prefer Seachem's Prime instead.
2006-11-05 23:21:02 · answer #3 · answered by birdistasty 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You want mix your salt and dechlorinator in a Bucket BEFORE you put it in the tank! Let it sit for a couple of minuets. The biggest thing is making sure you salt is all dissolved and your water salinity is correct before you add the water to your tank.
2006-11-05 22:09:05 · answer #4 · answered by Dustin S 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Def let it sit for 24 hours no matter what. And add the dechlorinator and salt to it before you add it to the tank. It is much safer this way. Remember that salt does not evaporate so make sure that you are only adding the salt when you are taking water out and not when you are adding water to replace water that has evaporated. Good luck!
2006-11-06 02:30:49 · answer #5 · answered by addisonsmom17 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I used to add the chemicals to the new bucket of water first, let it sit for just a few minutes and then pour it into the tank. It worked for me, but I only had fresh water fish, not salt water. Good luck!
2006-11-05 21:57:53 · answer #6 · answered by Precious 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You got it all wrong......
You do a 25% water change weekly.....
Add the water conditioners before adding the water to the tank that way you don't expose the fish to those water conditions...
Once you add the water coditioners and mix them into the water you are good to go and pour it immediately into the tank....
Wish you the best
2006-11-06 02:28:31 · answer #7 · answered by Ricky 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mix salts and dechlorinator in the bucket as you fill it with water. I pour the water in once I am sure the salts are disolved.
2006-11-05 23:06:41 · answer #8 · answered by friskyparrot 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
yes i would add the stuff first just to be safe thats what i do with my fish tank, but i don't have a salt tank
2006-11-05 22:05:54 · answer #9 · answered by insane illusions 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋