Water Changes

[bodiam]

I have a 75g planted tank with Discus, angels, and assorted tetras. Whilst doing water changes can I use fresh water from directly from the sink and then add chlorine remover into the tank or do I need to fill buckets first, add the chlorine remover and then pour the new water into the tank? I usually do a 20 gallon water change once a week.

[Zoe]

You need to dechlorinate the water before it goes into the tank. So, fill your bucket, put the dechlorinator in it, the amount required for the volume of your bucket, stir and let it work, then poor the bucket of water into your tank.

Do you have any pics of your tank? I love Discus and their tanks

[judya]

I have done it both ways - either added the de-chlor as I added the water, or put the water in the bucket, added dechlor there and dumped it in. At my mother's, there is a LOT of chlorine in the water, so I'd always use the bucket, and dechlor before adding. In San Francisco, I added the water and squirted in dechlor as I added it.

As you are doing a lot of water change (good) you might try this - have a large empty plastic garbage can -new and only for fish mounted on a roller platform -like used for plants - and get a submersible water pump and tube. Put the water in the garbage can, add dechlor, then use the pump to pump it into the tank. Or you can put it in the garbage can, let it sit for a day or two, then add.

[Zoe]

Yeah, it probably wouldn't do much harm if you're only doing 20-25% changes, to add the water first and dechlor right into the tank... But that way your fish are coming directly into contact with chorline for a few moments.

It's probably the difference between putting your coat on before you step outside into the snow, or putting your coat on once you're outside

[judya]

I think it is more important to DO the water changes regularly, than to make it too hard to do, and so have the tendency to not do it. If you have to dump 20 gallons of water from a bucket into a tank after you dechlor it, it will be harder than to use a hose to fill.

[Puffer Pita]

Many long-time fish keepers I know of add the declorinator to the tank, and then add the new water and it works fine. I add it to the water before putting it in the tank, but either way is good. I wouldn't add it to the tank AFTER the water is added though, definitely before.

[Zoe]

... I do it the hard way!

I didn't know you could do it any other way. Lol

[Dr_House]

Originally Posted by Boxermom

Many long-time fish keepers I know of add the declorinator to the tank, and then add the new water and it works fine.

I'm not necessarily a long-time fish keeper, but this is the way I've always done it and never had any problems. Be certain that the water you are adding is nearly, if not exactly, the same temperature as that in the aquarium.

[locojay]

Originally Posted by Dr_House

I'm not necessarily a long-time fish keeper, but this is the way I've always done it and never had any problems. Be certain that the water you are adding is nearly, if not exactly, the same temperature as that in the aquarium.

Ya, what he said. Definitely match the temp to within two degrees. I got lazy on it one day thinking it probably didn't matter much and I lost fish. That was the last time I got lazy with matching the temps. But that was on a 10g so I'm sure it had a much larger effect.

[emc7]

Either way works, but if you don't use buckets, put the dechlor in tank first and base your dose on the tank volume. If you use buckets, you can use less dechlor by basing the dose on the amount of new water.