Treating/acclimating New Water Prior To Water Change

The man at the pet store recommended that I acclimate my new water a couple days prior to doing a water change. Meaning fill my bucket to the level I need (3 gallons in my case), treating it for chlorine, then letting it sit with an air stone for a couple days. Is this the proper way to do it? Should the bucket lid be on or off?

 

That is a really old school way of doing water conditioning . Most people, me included, just add temperature matched water and conditioner, straight into the tank.

 

Old school doesn't necessarily make it wrong, but it sounds like it isn't worth the hassle. However, isn't it better to use cold tap water to minimize impurities, then either heat it to the tank temperature or let it sit overnight to reach room temperature before pouring it in?

 

Old school doesn't necessarily make it wrong, but it sounds like it isn't worth the hassle. However, isn't it better to use cold tap water to minimize impurities, then either heat it to the tank temperature or let it sit overnight to reach room temperature before pouring it in?

In the olden days ( aka prior to water conditioner and chloramines) you let the water sit out to get rid of the chlorine.

Chloramines changed all that, they don't disappear when exposed to oxygen.

It all rather depends on your water supply. If you don't keep ambient temperature tanks, you have to warm the water. If you do keep ambient water tanks, you may or may not need to make a temperature adjustment, depending on how cold the water source is.

It all comes down to local conditions.

 

If you don't keep ambient temperature tanks, you have to warm the water.

Even if the tank temp is 78, new water is 73, and a 25% water change?

 

My two tanks sit at 78-81 so all I do is warm the tap water and fill ‘er up and my fish never have any issues

 

Okay, but this is my daughter's 10 gallon tank I'm talking about.

 

I have kept tanks for many many years and have always treated the water to remove the chlorine and heavy metals in a bucket right before pouring it in the tank. Letting the water sit is totally unnecessary and temp matching the water by using water from the faucet is not a problem. Allowing it to set for days or even hours is an unnecessary step.

 

Even if the tank temp is 78, new water is 73, and a 25% water change?

Yep.

Well, conditional yep. Some fish are very sensitive to changes in temperature. As in, it can trigger negative reactions. Other fish don't care. In some fish, it can trigger spawning.

That's why temperature matching is stressed as being important.

 

Okay. I'll keep doing it the way I have been (filling a bucket with luke warm tap water, treating it, then dumping it in). I forget, how much ammonia am I supposed to add per gallon? 1 cup?

 

Okay. I'll keep doing it the way I have been (filling a bucket with luke warm tap water, treating it, then dumping it in). I forget, how much ammonia am I supposed to add per gallon? 1 cup?

Hmm, did you forget a j/k tag there?

 

Hmm, did you forget a j/k tag there?

I figured I'd wait for a reaction first

 

I figured I'd wait for a reaction first

You never know around here ...

 

Its only half a cup of chlorox per gallon. If you use a whole cup the fish will fly so you would have to upgrade your hood.

 

I forget, how much ammonia am I supposed to add per gallon? 1 cup?

Only if you plan on putting at least a dozen common plecos in there. A cup a day should grow enough bacteria to handle that bio-load

 

Only if you plan on putting at least a dozen common plecos in there. A cup a day should grow enough bacteria to handle that bio-load

Speaking of Plecos, I returned one the other day because he was pooping like crazy. I don't have algae problems, so he wasn't even a necessary addition.

 

Speaking of Plecos, I returned one the other day because he was pooping like crazy. I don't have algae problems, so he wasn't even a necessary addition.

I don't have an algae problem either but Plecos are my favorite type of fish so I can imagine having a tank without one in there. My common pleco, Jethro grew to over 7 inches in less than a year so I had to re-home him to a huge man-made pond but I knew I was going to have to do that when I got him. I got my bristle nose, Elbert several months before I re-homed Jethro. I would love to get another BN but I don't want to upset my calm tank so will just be content with one.