Dechlor - for all you chemical gurus out there ;)

To keep things simple lets say I require 40Ml of dechlorinator for each water change I perform...

So far I've been measuring 8Ml per bucket of water and siphoning each bucket - an arduous process, but one I am willing to stick to.

Can I:

• Dump 40Ml of dechlorinator straight into the tank, then hose in the tap water (with the filter still running)?
• Safely add more dechlorinator to the tank than required? ie, will the chemical reagents sit inert in the tank until more tap water is added for them to react with?

I'm just looking at ways to simplify things for myself and get a better understanding of the whole process, thanks for any responses in advance!

 

I think that would work

 

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Can I:

• Dump 40Ml of dechlorinator straight into the tank, then hose in the tap water (with the filter still running)?
• Safely add more dechlorinator to the tank than required? ie, will the chemical reagents sit inert in the tank until more tap water is added for them to react with?

I'm just looking at ways to simplify things for myself and get a better understanding of the whole process, thanks for any responses in advance!

I've been doing it that way for past couple weeks in my 80 gallon tall tank. Seems to work fine. Definitely makes water changing 100x easier. I usually change out six 5 gallon buckets of water a week in that tank, and dumping six 5 gl. buckets of water in a tank that is 5 feet from the floor was no easy task.

I get the hose ready, add the dechlorinator to the tank, and then as quickly as possible fill the tank from the hose... just to make sure the dechlorinator doesn't burn itself out before I get a chance to add the new water. Don't know if it makes a difference, but better safe than sorry.

 

Yes that will work fine. The chemicals work just as you stated in that they just sit there waiting for some chlorine to react with.

 

Groovy on both counts! thanks guys... oh and sick-lid boy, I know what you mean... this is my 4' tank on it's stand, makes for hard work lifting buckets!

 

Yep I use a hose to return water to my tanks and I just dump the amount of dechlor I will need for the amount of water I'm returning to the tank right into the water flow. Works great!
Make sure you read your dechlorinating agents directions. I believe Prime has you treat the whole tank every time not just the water your replacing.
Carol

 

I believe Prime has you treat the whole tank every time not just the water your replacing.
Carol

I've seen that on one, I just can't remember which, but it's not Prime. Prime only has you treat the water you are adding. It's 2 drops per Gal.

 

Late reply, but I just wanted to let you know that the freshwater aquarium book that I've been reading says that adding the dechlor to the tank before or after the water is added is just fine, as is using a bit extra. As long as you don't use so much that it begins to displace water (And I think it would have to be a lot to do that), you should be fine.