Non De-Chlorinated Water In Filter

[Rorie]

I always read "never wash filter under tap water".

I do my water changes with my filter off, then add all the water and de-chlorinate the whole volume of the tank, wait a couple mins, then switch the filters on. This is how i have been told to do it, and corresponds to the above warning.

Well today i changed about 20% of my water (as i was cleaning much up, not doing a water change) and added the new water.....THEN realised my filters were still on!!! i quickly pumped loads of de-chlo. into the tank!

So, will i have done damage? How much damage? What causes it? Chlorine? Gonna watch my ammonia readings closely for a while i think!

 

[KittyKat]

I always read "never wash filter under tap water".

+1

I do my water changes with my filter off, then add all the water and de-chlorinate the whole volume of the tank, wait a couple mins, then switch the filters on. This is how i have been told to do it, and corresponds to the above warning.

Dechlorinate first, then add water if you do the whole tank. I prefer to dechlorinate each bucket before adding the water.

Well today i changed about 20% of my water (as i was cleaning much up, not doing a water change) and added the new water.....THEN realised my filters were still on!!! i quickly pumped loads of de-chlo. into the tank!

You did the right thing.

So, will i have done damage? How much damage? What causes it? Chlorine? Gonna watch my ammonia readings closely for a while i think!

Probably not very much.. the instant the tap water entered the tank, the chlorine and chloramine (the latter is the nasty one as it doesn't dissipate easily), it was diluted by 5* and both started dissipating. Learn from your mistake and be careful to never do it again.

 

[Proxo]

I've done it both ways, find dechlorinate the water before i put it into the tank easier/safer tbh.
I use 2x 25 Litre drums i add the tap water too, saves time

 

[Rorie]

I used to add it before adding to my tank, but my 50% water changes were taking so long - filling 10L buckets 16 times! I tried to use 25L buckets, but to get them above the aquarium for the head of water was difficult. Its easier, quicker and cleaner for me to add the 50% and then add the de-chlorinator.

Lesson learnt? I already knew that lesson! haha, i just had an error!

So i guess it wont do much damage then? Does the chlorine eat away the bacteria or something?

 

[fluttermoth]

I think the chlorine kills the bacteria by breaking down the cell wall (but I could be wrong!) I can see why you want to add all the water at once rather than from buckets, but surely you could still put the dechlor in the tank before you start refilling? I would never put untreated tap water in any of my tanks unless the dechlor had gone in first.

 

[Rorie]

I think the chlorine kills the bacteria by breaking down the cell wall (but I could be wrong!) I can see why you want to add all the water at once rather than from buckets, but surely you could still put the dechlor in the tank before you start refilling? I would never put untreated tap water in any of my tanks unless the dechlor had gone in first.

Sure, i WOULD agree, but i was told on here that apparently dech. acts instantly, rather than in '10 mins' as most bottles say to leave the water for. So if you add it, then add the water, it has already depleted. Hence if i add 180L of water to my 360L tank, then treat the whole 360L, it is instantly dechlorinated! So the fish only have that chlorinated water for 10mins while the water is going in.

That is, of course, just what i read on here....maybe a chemistry type person who understands how these chemicals work can clarify....

 

[Monty-2010]

I doubt you've done much damage as long as the dechlorinator went in shortly after it should have got rid of most of the nasties.

I fill the tanks straight from the hose but put the dechlrinator in first

 

[Rorie]

My bad... fluttermouth, you are right!

Put the dechlorinator in the tank before adding water. The reason for dosing the entire tank volume is that there are dissolved organics in the tank that will oxidize the components of your dechlorinator, basically neutralizing them to some extent. It's nearly impossible to overdose a tank on dechlorinator, you would have to use a huge amount.

Dechlorinator does work instantly, think stirring chocolate mix into a glass of milk, on a larger level. Many people with larger tanks will do up to 25% water changes with no dechlorinator, and older topic on that can be found here.

Thanks to Tolak for that....if only i had read the thread properly the first time! It can be seen Here for those who want to read it.

Basically i should be adding my de-chlorinator before adding the water, as it is effective for up to 48hours after usage. I wonder how i managed to get an understanding that was 100% the opposite from thi!!! Must have been a long day at work that day

It is also mentioned in the above thread that a lot of people dont even bother with dechlo. for 25% water changes....so maybe no damage at alll

 

[fluttermoth]

Oh,

Cool, I like being right

More importantly, we know now; that's the best thing

 

[karawr]

uuh nevermind. I had a question but I read this thread more carefully and got it.

 

[Tolak]

Adding dechlor as you fill is fine. I believe the cap for Prime holds 5ml, for smaller water changes get any cheap drug store eye dropper. 20 drops equals one ml.

You would have to severely overdose the tank to have any serious effect, to the tune of better than 10 times what is needed.

 

[Proxo]

Adding dechlor as you fill is fine. I believe the cap for Prime holds 5ml, for smaller water changes get any cheap drug store eye dropper. 20 drops equals one ml.

You would have to severely overdose the tank to have any serious effect, to the tune of better than 10 times what is needed.

Them 'eye droppers' you get with fish meds is also 1ml i think

 

[AstonN24vantage]

i wash my filter cartridges in plain tap water, and i've never had a problem. i also think my town has high chlorine levels. i do dechlorinate after i put them in the tank, though.

 

[KittyKat]

I used to add it before adding to my tank, but my 50% water changes were taking so long - filling 10L buckets 16 times! I tried to use 25L buckets, but to get them above the aquarium for the head of water was difficult. Its easier, quicker and cleaner for me to add the 50% and then add the de-chlorinator.

You should still be dechlorinating the whole tank first and then adding the new water. Chlorine/chloramine may harm the fish too, not just the bacteria.

Also the other solution could be to just do smaller water changes..

 

[mike os]

normally chlorinated tapwater is OK for small (less than 50%) WC's....heavily chlorinated may be more of an issue... not that I have found though..... i used to do up to 100gal at a time on the ray tank, straight off the garden tap.

I would avoid cleaning the filter in tap water though... better to use a bucket of tank water.