manda2753

OK, brand new tank...To dechlorinate the water, do you put the water in the tank and then add the dechlorinator? Do you put the water in a bucket, add it, then put it in the tank? I feel so silly having to ask that, but...Well, I am new to this lol.

Second silly question:

Do I need to rinse brand new gravel fresh out of the bag? And if so, what's the best way to do that?

Thanks!

lilsoccakid

u can add the dechlorinator any way you would like. dpoing it while the water is already in the tank is the easiest way for me.

I would rinse the gravel to be sure. Try putting it in a plastic bag, and poking small holes int he bottom so the gravel cant fall threw, and then put it in the shower or under a hose.

dont worry about silly questions, weve all asked them when we were starting!

ps. i would suggest going to the beginners section on this website, and reading about the aquarium nitrogen cycle.

Isabella

You should rinse your gravel in tap water before putting it inside your tank. I use pasta strainer to rinse the gravel - takes little time with a pasta strainer. I put the rinsed gravel in the tank. Then I pour water into the tank straight from the tap. And I add dechlorinator to the tank once it's fully filled out with water. The reason I do that is that if I dechlorinated the water first, and then put the rinsed gravel into the tank, I'd be putting gravel with chlorine on it. But when you first put the gravel inside then tank, fill the tank with water, and then dechlorinate it - you're dechlorinating everything: both the gravel and the water. All of this is OK if you don't have fish in your tank. (I know you're talking about setting up your new 30 gallon tank here.)

Once I've put fish in my tank, I dechlortinated the water in a separate container, and then poured that water to the tank. I wouldn't want to pour chlorinated water into the tank with fish. Once you have fish in your tank, and you're performing your regular weekly water changes, in my opinion it is safest to dechlorinate the water FIRST before pouring it into your tank. I hope that helps.

sirdarksol

Both excellent suggestions, and probably far easier than mine for rinsing gravel. Mine is only really necessary, I guess, if you're using something really small, like sand or fluorite.
I run a garden hose in a bucket until the bucket is filled, and then slowly being pouring the substrate into the bucket. The smallest bits get carried out of the bucket, and the parts that I want sink to the bottom.

Cody

when you do water changes do everything in the bucket but for setting it up just do it all in the tank...it wouldnt hurt to take a wet rag and wipe the inside of the tank out...and i would wash and rock or fake plant or decoration.. before puting in the tank