How do you age your water??

[tulip55555]

I let my water sit for about a week before I use it. When I finish one water change I refill the jugs and let them sit open for about 2 days. i tap the jugs every day to let the gas bubbles and chlorine can escape then I cap them after about 2 days. Then it might be a week before I use them.

The reason I am asking about aging water is that I did about a 25% water change today and my fish seem stressed, staying at the top more often than normal. SO is there any reason I shouldn't age the water this way? Can it become stale or can something become more concentrated from sitting so long?

 

[fort384]

There is no reason not to do it, but there is no reason to do it either. And "aging" the water will not get rid of chloramines. You need to use a water conditioner. With something like prime the water can come straight out of the tap and into the tank.

 

[rich311k]

Mine goes right from the faucet into the tank, with some Prime added for dechlorinization.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Mine ages in the tank for no more than a week, before half is replaced. No need to age it beforehand

 

[tulip55555]

I started aging it so long because the Ph is really high straight out of the tap. It goes down when it sits, But if letting it sit so long is having a negative effect then I might have to reconsider.

 

[mfdrookie516]

pH isn't that big of a deal. it's the same water, same chemistry, that's what matters. One of my tanks is 6.4, tap is 7.8, I do 50% pwc's weekly

 

[rich311k]

The PH shift is from the CO2 gassing off. That kind of PH change does not bother fish.

 

[tulip55555]

Like mfdrookie mentioned my tank is about 6.8 and my tap is about 7.8. That won't shock the fish? i thought a big Ph swing was a killer.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Aint killed mine yet. pH can be affected by so many things. My injected tanks swing from 7.8 down to 7 ish during the day with co2 on... but the chemistry of the water (hardness, all that other fancy chemical jazz) stay the same

 

[tarpon]

My ph is pretty high. 7.8. The fish are fine

 

[tulip55555]

Well I got some new plants today from another member here so I had to do another water change tonight because I had to vacuum up some plant debris. I used 24 hour old water and the fish are doing great!! Not sure why the older water bothered them so much.
My fish would like to thank you all for the sound advice