How Do You De-Chlorinate Water?

[goldfinger]

Nice I wanted to use natural Rock in my 300l tank, but tad worried about lime and other impurities, I essentialy know nothing about rocks in general. Slate I know I like the green textured stuff.
My current tank is sparce and like it that way, but until I get rid of the internal filters I won't change it for awhile yet. The plants were starters and going a tad brown now without food & co2.
Bogwood I found in the garage shocked it had moss still on it?

I use Nutrafin AquaPlus "Nutrafin Aqua Plus instantly neutralises chlorine, chloramines and dissolved harmful metals" I just swirl it around in the bucket and add it to the tank,
I also have connected an in-line water filter  http/www.ecodrinks.co.uk/water%20gem%20replacement.html to my hose that I fill my storage buckets with!

 
I've bought some of this as it states it removes chloramine

  I'll look into the filter but the quality of water where I live is quite good I think?

 

[raptorrex]

just a little point: there is no need to temp match change water. if the change is around 25-30%.
but if you feel you must, water from your hot tap will do just fine, there is no need for boiled water.
 
for years i did not use a de-chlorinator, and had no problems at all again with a 25-30% change (i didnt let it stand either, stright from a fast flowing tap)
eventually i started using it, but only for its heavy metal binding not for its de-chlorination.

 

[goldfinger]

just a little point: there is no need to temp match change water. if the change is around 25-30%.
but if you feel you must, water from your hot tap will do just fine, there is no need for boiled water.
 
for years i did not use a de-chlorinator, and had no problems at all again with a 25-30% change (i didnt let it stand either, stright from a fast flowing tap)
eventually i started using it, but only for its heavy metal binding not for its de-chlorination.

I had to change out 80% and ran out of pre filled containers last month it was snowing and the tank was averaging 15C-16C the tap water was even colder @ 9C-10C as it was such a big water change I needed to bring up the temp quickly. I thought about using warm water but my gravity tank is old and the imersion tank I fear is scaled up or the heavy metals could have not been healthy. I should test the hot water's PH mmmm I might do that to be fair at some point. 
My friend said he lives in an area where the water is very clear and has little or no trace elements so I think its a luck thing where some people use water right out of the tap without chemical balances? 
 
EDIT: My Nitrates are rising and happy for it, as its under 5.0PPM so all I'm going to do is increase the feeding to semi increase the Ammonia/bacteria in the filters.
Really want to buy an external filter now, but colonising the new filter will take time aswell. 
My plants look worse for wear after four weeks was thinking about replacing them should I worry when the tips go brown and looks like fishes have nibbled on them? Heard bad or rotting plants give back Nitrates in the water when diying?

 

[goldfinger]

Made a school boy error I did nitrates test (API) without shaking hard for one minute before the 5min grace period. To my disapointment the water from the tap contains 20PPM already which is correct from the water board. Re did some tests and its actually 30PPM-40PPM from the tap!!!
The only way I know to reduce this get more plants any suggested eatting high level Nitrate plant, suggestions would be of help?
Ammonia & Nitrite are 0PPM.
I found one of my fish is not moving as much and tends to sit at the bottom of the tank kind of lack of oxygen condition fine lethargic is what the symptoms are like. Stuck back the other air pump to see if I can raise the oxygen levels in there. Plus have done 30% water change but pointless as the Nitrates are already present!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Stem plants are usually the fastest growing, and therefore use the most nitrogen.
 
 
A water change does more than just reduce nitrates, it also rebuffers the water to keep the pH more stable, not to mention adding trace elements to the water that can be used up, and removes excess elements that are produced. There's more going on in the tank than the things we actually test for.
 
 
Increase your surface agitation to increase the oxygen level of the water, also.

 

[goldfinger]

Thanks mate I'll try and find some stem plants any chance of a picture or link?
Re tested the tank water it looks like 40PPM after five minutes no wonder my telescope 3" is in trouble. The small tiddler is fine/seems fine though.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Elodea/anacharis
 
cabomba
 
hornwort
 
watersprite
 
 
There's tons more.  Usually these will be sold in "bunches" and you separate them at home and plant them into the substrate - many can grow as either floating plants or as "rooted".  To propogate them - just snip off the tips (as big or small as you like) and plant them.  The original plant will put out a side shoot and continue growing and the snipped end will grow as well.

 

[fluttermoth]

I would just like to point out that 40PPM shouldn't be a problem for most fish; it certainly shouldn't be causing poor health in a goldfish, even a fancy one.

 

[goldfinger]

Thanks EA I'll look into those plants!
Funny enough I did buy some cabomba just they fall apart alot so left them out but I've just stuck two pots in there just now!
Flutter I just did a 30% water change before I found the Nitrate test so I'm assuming it was around/over 80PPM if its 40PPM now? Surely 80PPM is way too high for that tank?
 
I want to reduce food again, but need Ammonia trace to keep the bacteria alive. More plants and more plants its the only way to go I think. 
Edit: Just inspected the three suction cups for the air line and see Algae spots forming only one corner of teh tank though.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

They will melt back a bit, but once they start to grow, they can really take off.

 

[goldfinger]

Thanks EA I have noticed the ones I left in the old tank high in Nitrates have rooted from different parts of the stems. They were not planted in the substrate as I wasn't sure if I was going to use them.
Glad I didn't throw them away as they weren't cheap at £2.50 a bunch. 
I thought about removing the plant pots and stick them right into the substrate, but my substrate is only about 3/4" didn't want too much substrate trapping the goldfish waste, makes life easier cleaning the gravel.  I've noticed they like to float free as the stems are thin they don't stay in the pots very well, but majority are in the pots.
Another water change this morning, 35% and Nitrates are back to around 10PPM-15PPM this afternoon. Also turned up a notch on the power head flow and he is off the bottom and swimming happy!

 

 

[goldfinger]

More plants and ran out of pots so stuck them right into the substrate with roots!
Its wierd, thought big goldfish had ich some white spots forming, but they have disapeared in two days?
Little one has one tiny one can't tell if its white spot or just slime coat, but as the water is right and stable, moving them to a smaller hospital tank might stress them out more should I just keep an eye on it?
 
 

 

 

[eaglesaquarium]

If it is white spot, the entire tank is infected, so you would need to leave them where they are and treat that tank.

 

[goldfinger]

Okay i'll keep an eye out as the bigger one had simular signs and they disapeared in two days! I don't fancy treating the tank just after that hard time cycling it!
If it is and I'll medicate the tank, procedure to remove carbon filters, but can leave in the rest in correct?
After treatment do a 80% water change right after all sign have gone of white spot and change out the old filters or leave them in? I've always been told to change them out, but guess the bacteria on them have all died right?
I'll be using Protozin!
 
The one spot is on his head no where else finsd body clear, could have been slime coat for all I know?

 

[goldfinger]

Safe than sorry just stuck 8ml into the tank day one treatment!
I'm guessing testing the water is pointless now?
Do people still do water changes or shall I leave it until after day 7? Treament 1,2,3,6.