How fast does water conditioner work?

[Fish Tank Travis]

Ok, so my wife and I have agreed on a different spot for my 220 to be setup. It will now be out in the main area of the house instead of back in the animal room. This will be much easier for setting it up since I don't have to turn it on end and work it through a hallway with a corner, and it will let me enjoy it a lot more.

However, the dilemma I'm having is with the water changes. If the tank were back in the animal room, I would have set up the two 55gal barrels I have to age and preheat the water. I know that my wife won't be ok with these two barrels out in the living room. Lol. I do have my washer and dryer right around the corner from where the tank will now sit, so I will have hot and cold spouts that I can install a "Y" on and use these to refill the tank after water changes, with the right temperature water. My other option would be to put the two barrels in the garage, which is just on the other side of the washer and dryer and use the cold spout to fill them up and age and preheat them (although they will be in my uninsulated garage that gets down near freezing in the winter). Then I would run a line from the barrels and pump the water into the tank to fill it.

So, sorry for the long post, but do you all think that if I were to fill directly from faucet and add the water conditioner directly to the tank that it would run the risk of damaging the cycle? Should I use the barrels out in the garage?

 

[Kittiee Katt]

I try - key word is TRY - to dose my conditioner before filling the tank back up with the hose, sometimes I get a bit absent minded and forget to dose the prime until the tank is ¼ of the way full, I'm yet to have my cycle crash on me.

When dosing the tank I dose for the full volume of the tank, not just the water I change. I read somewhere that doing this ensures the conditioner mixes properly or something along them lines, I can't remember exactly though, but I'm sure someone else will know what I'm on about.


Disclaimer: I'm not an expert, nor do I claim to be. Always do your own research and always cross reference.

 

[jeaninel]

Water conditioners work pretty much instantly. I just add conditioner to the tank and fill back up. Been doing it that way for years with never a problem.

 

[jeaninel]

Just make sure the fill water temp is fairly close to the tank temp.

 

[jhook]

Same here. I add Prime just prior to re-filling my tanks. Has worked so far with no issues.

 

[Wailua Boy]

You'll hear most members add directly to tank/sump without issue. I also fill directly. I did at one time store and aerate my water and think it is slightly advantageous but for the convenience and space factor; I've switched methods. For my loach tanks I do store overnight but thats more for temperature reasons etc

 

[kendragon]

I think I'm the worst. I just dump powder dechlor from Hikari straight into the tank while filling. Instruction say to pre-mix with water in a bottle first.

 

[Inglorious]

I think I'm the worst. I just dump powder dechlor from Hikari straight into the tank while filling. Instruction say to pre-mix with water in a bottle first.

I do the same thing. I have the giant bottle of seachem safe and add enough to treat my full tank into the stream of fresh water as soon as I start to refill. No issues with this method whatsoever for me.

 

[Hendre]

I add it bucket by bucket with DIY sodium thiosulphate dechlorinator put in just before pouring. It hasnt done anything to my fish or cycle.

 

[esoxlucius]

I'm beginning to think that the whole dechlorinator thing is a bit over played. People say that chlorine evaporates off very quickly, especially the more agitated the water is as it's going into the tank. I reckon a lot of the chlorine, what % i really don't have a clue, evaporates off instantaneously. That would mean that the actual chlorine % our dechlorinators have to deal with is minimal. Thats why, whichever haphazard way we individually choose to add our dechlorinator, none of us have tank crashes or fish wipe outs, or maybe some people have, i'd be interested to hear of such disasters. The reason i think this is that i just tip mine in at the beginning of the refill process and then wonder how the hell that little bit of dechlorinator takes all the chlorine out of 160 gallons or so without seemingly coming into direct contact with said dechlorinator. Proof of the pudding in all of this is the people who on occasion completely forget to add prime, don't realise till it's too late, but the tank is fine!!!!