Changing without Bucket

[Yao]

When you change water using a bucket, you add dechlor in the bucket before pouring it in the tank... so, what about when your water is coming straight from the tap into the tank? At what point do you add the dechlor? Before the tap goes straight into the tank, or after, or during? I'm not even really sure how the dechlor works. Does it keep working after you add it, or does it dechlorinate the water the instant it touches it and become ineffective after that?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I add the dechlor as I am adding the water. That way it gets pushed around by the new water. It can be added right after also.

 

[malkore]

I prefer to add the dechlor as soon as I begin filling the tank, mainly to help disperse it.

Chlorine isn't immediately toxic to fish, or plants, so as long as you dose enough within, say 20 mins of refilling the tank, you should never have a problem.

Most of us prefer to dose for the entire tank volume, not just the water we're replacing.

 

[Tiffi]

That's what I do, I dose the entire tank, after I made a pwc. If I only top of lets say a bucket full for my 70gal for the water that evaporated, I don't add anything.

 

[coolchinchilla]

Most of us prefer to dose for the entire tank volume, not just the water we're replacing.

What's the reasoning behind dosing the entire tank? Say I change 10 gallons of a 30 gallon tank. The chlorine I'm putting in is only 10 gallons' worth, not 30. Can you put in too much dechlorinator? (I use the cheapo Wardley's brand that only dechlors.)

 

[Yao]

I'm curious about that as well. Can you over-dose the dechlor? I always thought more was better, incase what I put in doesn't take care of all the new water. Is there such a thing as adding too much?

 

[dskidmore]

The amounts are really rather guesswork anyway. If you look at the fine print on the bottle of prime, it gives the mg/L chlorine amount that the dosing rate will take care of. If your water has more chlorine than that, you need to use more.

Based on that mg/L number on the side of the bottle, I've been asuming it will work fine if you dilute the 10 gallon dose in 20 gallons old, 10 gallons new water.

Dosing based on tank volume would make sense if there is another compound that will "use up" the dechlorinator and lessen it's effectiveness. Anyone know enough chemistry to say if this is the case?

 

[poppab02]

I have never heard of anybody overdosing their tank on dechlor. I'm sure it's possible, I mean at some level, but I've never heard of that. I don't think that dechlor is an exact science either, they can adapt to even small levels of chlorine. I tend to just put some in and not worry about it. No problems thus far with that method so I have no immediate plans to change it.

 

[RoK]

My mom killed a betta by way overdosing declor before. :x

 

[dskidmore]

My prime bottle here says, "for exceptionally high chlorimine concentrations, a double dose may be used safely."

 

[Gryph]

I just keep gallon bottles of water around. I add dechlor when I fill them, shake them up, then stow them and let them evaporate the nasties for a day or three. Then, when I do a PWC, I use the bottles to top up.

But then again, I'm only dealing with a couple 20 gallons and my daughter's 10 gallon. This may not work so well for much larger tanks.

 

[whodini]

i find i go through too much dechlor when i treat the hole tank so i treat the bucket before i add it to the tank

 

[Tolak]

I only treat the amount of water I replace, and add dechlor as I fill with a hose. Been doing it this way for years without a problem.

Tolak

 

[dskidmore]

I just keep gallon bottles of water around. I add dechlor when I fill them, shake them up, then stow them and let them evaporate the nasties for a day or three.

I thought if you let it sit out 48 hours you didn't need dechlor? That's how we handled the 10 gallon I had as a kid, a one gallon glass jar was left to sit out, so the chlorine would come out of suspension. I switched to dechlor when I moved to collage and didn't have space for that. Now I have a 75 gallon tank, and don't have enough containers to let 8 gallons of water sit out.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

If your water source just uses chlorine, then when sitting out, most of it will evaporate. But most use chloramine as well, which does not evaporate. so it's always best to add dechlorinator. in either case, it will get rid of what little chlorine is still in the bucket.

 

[BillD]

If you are only changing 10% of the water, you don't need to use dechlor at all. As it enters the water of the tank the chlorine will react with the organics in the tank water and burn itself up. Even with chloramine, this will happen, and the small amount of ammonia will quickly be consumed by the filter. I know many expert fish keepers who will change up tp 50% without dechlor. A simple experiment I did a while ago, confirms that this is probably safe. I mixed an equal portion of tank and tap water with a chlorine level of 4ppm(high) and as quickly as I could after mixing I tested for chlorine. The result was 0.5 ppm. Fifteen minutes later it was 0 ppm. A 10% change should be perfectly safe without dechlor, in my opinion. However, if you are not comfortable with this, by all means continue to use dechlor, as it will do no harm. keep in mind that a lot of dechlors will break the chlorine and ammonia bond without neutralizing the ammoni. This in itself should not pose a problem as the filter will quickly reduce the ammonai.

 

[Elmware]

Don't you have a pitcher or something that you can use?

 

[dskidmore]

Elmware: Some people prefer not to use pitchers, such as those with large tanks that use a python or similar hose system to clean and fill thier tanks.

BillD: I find your experiment very interesting. I do not have a chlorine kit, so I have always accepted common wisdom on the matter. I may just have to pick up a kit and do a series of experiments. Due to the coldness of tap water here, I add the replacement water back in small batches, to give the heater a chance to keep up with the heat loss. I'm curious if my existing method, along with your findings, means I don't ever have to worry about chlorine.

 

[Guest]

Why haul buckets when you can use a python? LOL... i simply siphon the water out into my sink.. then before i refill I add some dechlor.. approximately enough to cover what i've removed... and fill it back up. No problemo.

The python's are definitely worth the cash 8)

 

[dskidmore]

I'm definately tempted to get a python. It's on the list. Too many things on the list. RO unit, better lights...

I'm not sure my ancient faucet areator will unscrew to accept the python adapter. Do they make one that hooks to a hose thread? My washtub is directly beneath my aquarium, I could just drill down.