How big a water change with Chlorine?

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Piranha
MFK Member
Nov 15, 2005
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Queensland, Australia
Hey guys,

The local tap water is chlorinated and it has me wondering:

Just how big a water change can I do without having to add dechlorinaters?
I did a 25-30% change today (on 300gal tank, subject of this question) and it hasn't worried the fish or turtles.

Cheers guys and gals.
Troy.
 
I didn't use dechlorinators for years until I joined aquarium forums, and personally noticed the change in the way my fish would react, and breathe after using a dechlorinater noticed a big difference in there breathing. Also noticed less deaths in more sensitive species imo using dechlorinaters will keep fish healthier.
 
Hello; I gather you put the tap water directly into the tank without any waiting peroid??

While I do not use dechlorinaters in my change water, I do allow it to sit in containers for a few days first. Usually at least four days, often more. I also have bubblers in my larger storage bottles. This has worked for me as my water company only uses chlorine to treat the water. If chloramines are used, this method is not supposed to work.

To your question. My initial take is that there is not likely to be a completly safe amount of chlorine treated water to put directly into a tank. This is a guess only and not from experience. I do not know how much can be added before problems show up.

I recently took part in a thread about a tank crisis. One possible explaination for the death and damage to fish was chlorine in the change water having killed off the beneficial bacteria (bb). It was speculated that the dechlor stuff was old or too dilute to bind up the chlorine and chloramine. Once the bb were gone, then ammonia could build up to toxic levels. I am still not sure this was the only problem, but seemed a decent working theory.

When I set up a new tank and fill it with tap water, I run it empty, no fish, for a few days with some sort of filtration or bubblers going. I then put some live plants and snails in for a few days.

I will follow this thread to see the other responses. Keep in mind that we fish keepers often have a wide variety of opinions on just about every issue. Expect conflicting answers. How you choose which to go by might be dificult.

Good luck
 
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I would say none, can hurt the fish and crash your cycle to me not worth it for the price of dechlorinaters
 
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So in the the case of using a dechlorinater, you'd say drain 30%, work out how much that is, add the dechlorinater to the tank, then start refilling from the tap?

It's just not possible to put into smaller containers, as I'd have to use 10L buckets and that would be over 30 trips with those.

Good answers keep em coming :D
 
I use Prime and a python cleaner. I just refill a couple degrees warmer and use enough Prime for total tank volume. I just add it as the tank starts filling.
 
Add dechlorinator to match the total volume of the tank. It takes a certain concentration of the dechlorinator compound in solution to be effective. That effective concentration is calculated by dividing by the total amount of water that it will be diluted by. That amount is is the volume of water in the tank.

Put red ink in a glass of water,it diffuses to an even concentration in every part of the glass. That is just the nature of the universe.

As for how little you can change without adding dechlorinator--that depends on your tolerance for risk. After spending a year or two growing s fish to adulthood, I have zero tolerance for risk. So, I use Prime.
 
So there isn't any risk of harm to the fish with the Prime stuff by adding more before the new water?

I'll start doing that, I wasn't too comfortable doing the change without dechlorinater.
 
You only add Prime when you do a water change. You drain half to 3/4 of the water out of the tank, then you put however much Prime the label says to add for for the amount of water your tank holds, then you refill the tank with tap water.

Prime won't hurt your fish, I dump it right on their heads. If you add a little too much, that's OK, too. a LITTLE too much. I have a 125 gallon tank, I'm supposed to add a little more than a capful, I add 2 capfuls and a little bit. No problem.
 
That sounds amazing! See it's a fish and turtle tank, so being able to do such large changes would be a blessing.

I'll order a 2L bottle tonight.
 
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