Need Water Change No Conditioner!

[PeaceLoveFish]

Hey guys, my tank needs a water change and I'm out of conditioner for 3 days. Is there a way to do this without the conditioner?

 

[Link119]

Nope, unless you have a brita because carbon gets rid of chlorines i think.

 

[jlk]

Do you have well or city water? If its city water, i would skip doing it until you have a conditioner. Chlorines will dissipate when tap water sits out but chloramines do not. Not worth killing off your fish or your bacteria. They will be fine for 3 days.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Big question.... Is this a weekly PWC on a cycled tank or a much needed PWC on a cycling tank???

 

[TWEDM1]

Hey guys, my tank needs a water change and I'm out of conditioner for 3 days. Is there a way to do this without the conditioner?

Lolll I never use stress coat or conditioner unless my fish are in shock from transport or I get oil or a chemical into my tank.


There's enough bacteria in the gravel, filters, the remaining water.. The thin cost of algae on your glass is enough to neutralize your chlorinated tap water.


Intact when I spot disease or parasites I dump buckets of slightly cooler tap water back into the tank. The fresh water is all the fish need.


Once your filters cycle the water thru the system it's complete

 

[TWEDM1]

Hey guys, my tank needs a water change and I'm out of conditioner for 3 days. Is there a way to do this without the conditioner?

You don't need conditioner. I do 75% changes weekly and halfs every other 2 days and I never use conditioner. My fish are happy, breeding, plants are lush and water is clear.


You spill soap into your tank or beer or something then conditioner is good but tap water does not harm established tanks.

 

[absolutangel04]

When you say conditioner, do you mean dechlorinator? Just making sure.

 

[Gboy66]

Lolll I never use stress coat or conditioner unless my fish are in shock from transport or I get oil or a chemical into my tank.

There's enough bacteria in the gravel, filters, the remaining water.. The thin cost of algae on your glass is enough to neutralize your chlorinated tap water.

Intact when I spot disease or parasites I dump buckets of slightly cooler tap water back into the tank. The fresh water is all the fish need.

Once your filters cycle the water thru the system it's complete

Are you recommending NOT using conditioner? If so, i would not take this advice OP.

Tap water is definitly not a good idea to use alone, so just wait for the 3 days until you can get the conditioner.

The beneficial bacteria in your tank cannot live with the city's chlorinated water. This depends on your tap water chlorine percent obviously, but i wouldnt risk it regardless

 

[TWEDM1]

My bad my phone keeps saying timed out now I see multiple posts. The iPhone app is way different from the computer view of this site. Still alot of bugs here obviously.

 

[Gboy66]

You don't need conditioner. This ain't saltwater

Lol your wrong. In saltwater you dont need Dechlorinater because reverse osmosis water is used almost all of the time, not tap. In freshwater you do.

Please research a bit more before offering faulty info

 

[jlk]

You don't need conditioner. This ain't saltwater

If your dealing with well water, a conditioner probably isnt necessary BUT well water does typically contain heavy metals which are conditioners bind. If its city water, a dechlorinator is a must!!!

 

[PeaceLoveFish]

Big question.... Is this a weekly PWC on a cycled tank or a much needed PWC on a cycling tank???

It is a cycling tank. And another thing, the water is starting to smell. Is this part of the cycle or is it a bad thing? And yes it is city water.

 

[ocminpin]

A few years ago before I researched or learned anything I pulled the betta I'd had for a year out of a very very dirty disgusting tank (my friend was supposed to be watching him) and into fresh water. I couldn't bare to have him in the tank another minute... I didn't have dechlorinator but needed him out. I begged the betta to be okay but he was dead within 3 hrs. Combo of shock of clean water I guess and also no dechlorinator... I'd venture to guess any stress your fish would get in a cycling tank would be less than exposure to all the chemicals coming out of your tap..

 

[TWEDM1]

Are you recommending NOT using conditioner? If so, i would not take this advice OP.

Tap water is definitly not a good idea to use alone, so just wait for the 3 days until you can get the conditioner.

The beneficial bacteria in your tank cannot live with the city's chlorinated water. This depends on your tap water chlorine percent obviously, but i wouldnt risk it regardless

I'm from new York city and DURING PARTIAL WATER CHANGES CONDITIONER IS NOT NEEDED. I stand by what I say.

Lol your wrong. In saltwater you dont need Dechlorinater because reverse osmosis water is used almost all of the time, not tap. In freshwater you do.

Please research a bit more before offering faulty info

This ain't the freshwater forum now is it. Stick with the topic not me and my comments

A few years ago before I researched or learned anything I pulled the betta I'd had for a year out of a very very dirty disgusting tank (my friend was supposed to be watching him) and into fresh water. I couldn't bare to have him in the tank another minute... I didn't have dechlorinator but needed him out. I begged the betta to be okay but he was dead within 3 hrs. Combo of shock of clean water I guess and also no dechlorinator... I'd venture to guess any stress your fish would get in a cycling tank would be less than exposure to all the chemicals coming out of your tap..

100% water changes with no conditioner will result in death yes. But if you drain half your tank and refill it with tap water the fish will be fine if you don't believe me add my channel on YouTube called emdakaqueenz I will upload a vid of me doing it.

 

[Ardynas]

I'm from new York city and DURING PARTIAL WATER CHANGES CONDITIONER IS NOT NEEDED. I stand by what I say.

I've never tried a PWC without adding Prime. Interesting

This ain't the freshwater forum now is it.

Why, yes it is.

100% water changes with no conditioner will result in death yes. But if you drain half your tank and refill it with tap water the fish will be fine

I'd be interested to hear the parameters of your tap water. I've got heavy nitrates, nitrites and Ammo in my tap.

50% PWC would be 75 gallons for me. You think my fish would be safe with 75 gallons of untreated tap?

How about my bacteria? Would they be safe too?

 

[jlk]

This ain't the freshwater forum now is it. Stick with the topic not me and my comments

This is the freshwater section of this forum. Theres a seperate area for sw.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Everyone's water is different. I live in upstate NY and have above average amounts of metals and other stuff that probably isn't good for the fish. Using a conditioner is always good practice.

 

[maxwellag]

I have an idea... fill up a large bucket with tap water. Let it sit for a day or two (so the chlorine and chloramines can evaporate) and the do the PWC, using the water that sat for a day as the new water for the tank. The water would still have heavy metals in it, but the chlorine and chloramine would be gone... Just eliminating a risk factor

 

[maxwellag]

I'm from new York city and DURING PARTIAL WATER CHANGES CONDITIONER IS NOT NEEDED. I stand by what I say.

Yes it is. Chlorine, chloramines, heavy metals, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate can all be in city or well water. Maybe you don't need the conditioner, but about 99.999% of people do.

 

[blert]

I have an idea... fill up a large bucket with tap water. Let it sit for a day or two (so the chlorine and chloramines can evaporate) and the do the PWC, using the water that sat for a day as the new water for the tank. The water would still have heavy metals in it, but the chlorine and chloramine would be gone... Just eliminating a risk factor

Nope, chloramines will not gas off, not for a VERY long time at least (like weeks). The bond between the chlorine and ammonia must be broken first.