Dumb Question (please answer anyways)

[BobLablah]

To do a water change, Do I need to take the chlorine out of the water first and then add it to the tank or do I add it to the tank and then take out the chlorine?
Thanks!
I'm a real newbie, never had a fish before in my life.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

You mean add the dechlorinator to the water? I always add it to the new water before I dump it in the tank so that the fish don't get a blast of chlorine water.


Oh, and welcome to the forum

 

[BobLablah]

Thanks heaps!!! That's what I thought.

 

[Tolak]

A smaller tank you can add it to the bucket of water before you add it to the tank. I add it as I fill tanks with a hose, it doesn't make a difference to the fish. Prolonged exposure to chlorine & chloramines burns gills and kills off the bacteria in the filter. Seeing as dechlorinator works nearly instantly, I add it in every 10 gallons in larger tanks, 5 gallons in smaller. I would be taking way too much time using buckets to do 200+ gallons a week.

Tolak

 

[Iron Man]

I agree with Tolak. For a really large water change it might be different but for the average 10-30% water change it doesn't really matter. I've never had any fish adversely effected by adding the dechlorinator as the water fills the tank. I have a 55 gallon and use a hose connected straight to the sink faucet (called a Python) to drain and fill the tank, and drop the recommended dechlorinator/dechloriminer in the tank as its filling. If I did it any other way it would be too much of a hassle.

BTW - there are NO dumb questions when it comes to fishkeeping.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

'cept maybe "what's a fish?" other than that one, you should be safe.

 

[Iron Man]

haha

Never thought of that one.

That is pretty bad especially since some babies' first words are "FISH!"