Question on fillling up a new 20 gallon tank

[Joe]

Started this hobby 2 months ago...a 2 gallon, a 6 gallon, and now
I just bought a 20 gallon tank which to me looks huge compared to
what I had.

I am gona take my time on this 20 gallon and it get it right as far as
the cycling. Question, since this is alot of water, can I just fill
the tank up and then add the de-chlorinator or do I have to treat
buckets of water and then add it ? Does it really make a difference ?

Thanks

Joe

[Toni]

<Joe> wrote in message ...
> Started this hobby 2 months ago...a 2 gallon, a 6 gallon, and now
> I just bought a 20 gallon tank which to me looks huge compared to
> what I had.
>
> I am gona take my time on this 20 gallon and it get it right as far as
> the cycling. Question, since this is alot of water, can I just fill
> the tank up and then add the de-chlorinator or do I have to treat
> buckets of water and then add it ? Does it really make a difference ?
>


As long as no life is in there (fish/plants/biobugs) then yes- you can do it
that way the very first time. But don't if you have added cycled
gravel/filter media or anything living.


--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/discus.htm

[Dick]

On 11 Oct 2004 22:58:18 -0500, Joe wrote:

>Started this hobby 2 months ago...a 2 gallon, a 6 gallon, and now
>I just bought a 20 gallon tank which to me looks huge compared to
>what I had.
>
>I am gona take my time on this 20 gallon and it get it right as far as
>the cycling. Question, since this is alot of water, can I just fill
>the tank up and then add the de-chlorinator or do I have to treat
>buckets of water and then add it ? Does it really make a difference ?
>
>Thanks
>
>Joe

Hi Joe,

I know there are lots of chemicals you can buy. I don't use any of
them. I have 5 tanks, the largest is 75 gallons. I transfer water
from my kitchen faucet with a commercially available hose with valves
to direct the water flow. I am more concerned about making frequent
water changes than I am about ph or chlorine. I am lucky, my small
community is nuts about air and water quality so the chlorine is not
heavy and the pH runs 7.8.

Early on I tried to adjust the pH to 7.0, but I managed to kill
several fish by some mistake. I have never figured it out. I have
lost no fish by making no adjustments. Four gallons would be a good
quantity of water to change. I do twice weekly changes. If your
local water chlorine level is too high for the fish or if the pH is
too far out, only then would I treat the water before putting it in
the tank.

Once you start chemical adjustments, you will have that to do every
water change. It is easy to put off fish tank maintenance. I believe
the simpler the process the more likely I will stick with it.

dick

[Vicki PS]

<Joe> wrote in message ...
> Started this hobby 2 months ago...a 2 gallon, a 6 gallon, and now
> I just bought a 20 gallon tank which to me looks huge compared to
> what I had.
>
> I am gona take my time on this 20 gallon and it get it right as far as
> the cycling. Question, since this is alot of water, can I just fill
> the tank up and then add the de-chlorinator or do I have to treat
> buckets of water and then add it ? Does it really make a difference ?

I have just started up a 65 litre tank (3 weeks ago). I initially filled the
tank straight from the tap and then added chlorine/chloramine neutraliser
(no fish in at the time, obviously). Since then, partial water changes
comprise 2 buckets full at most, so it's no big deal to fill a couple of
buckets, add neutraliser and then add it to the tank. If you prefer, you
can fill your buckets the day before and let them sit. No treatment
required.

Our local water has an average pH of around 8.0, is slightly hard and is
treated with chloramine. I decided not to even try messing around with
lowering the pH, just stick with fish that are happy with a higher pH.

Vicki PS

[2pods]

>> the cycling. Question, since this is alot of water, can I just fill
>> the tank up and then add the de-chlorinator or do I have to treat
>> buckets of water and then add it ? Does it really make a difference ?
>
> I have just started up a 65 litre tank (3 weeks ago). I initially filled
> the
> tank straight from the tap and then added chlorine/chloramine neutraliser
> (no fish in at the time, obviously). Since then, partial water changes
> comprise 2 buckets full at most, so it's no big deal to fill a couple of
> buckets, add neutraliser and then add it to the tank. If you prefer, you
> can fill your buckets the day before and let them sit. No treatment
> required.
>

What if you're using a Python ?
I add the water treatment as I'm refilling, though I have added it before
starting the Python.

Peter

[Geezer From The Freezer]

2pods wrote:
>
> What if you're using a Python ?
> I add the water treatment as I'm refilling, though I have added it before
> starting the Python.
>
> Peter

I use a python too. I turn my filters and heater off and then empty between
30-50% then refil whilst
adding dechlor whilst I fill. Let it sit for a few minutes once its filled and
turn the
filters on again. As I understand it dechlor will instantly neutralise chlorine
and chloramine.

[Iain Miller]

> If you prefer, you
> can fill your buckets the day before and let them sit. No treatment
> required.

Yes if you have Chlorine but that's no good for Chloramine - it won't let go
in 24 hours. Aside from that most of the De-chlor agents (like Aquasafe)
also bind things like heavy metals out the water.

All that said, I don't use them much myself except for the odd top off from
the tap. I filter all my water through peat & it sits in a barrel being
filtered & circulated for 4 or 5 days before I heat it & then put it into
the tanks.

rgds

I

[Mbuna]

Hey Joe,

Just fill the tank up and go. I wouldn't use any dechlor, just let
the tank run a few days before introducing any fish to it. If you
can seed the tank with gravel from one of your existing tanks you'll
help cut down on the cycling time by a lot.

Sean
Stop by FishGeeks for the best Aquarium forums available.
__________________________________________________
Posted via FishGeeks - http://Aquaria.info

[Brian S.]

Just an idea with Toni's,

If you have any filter media from your other tanks that are already
"cycled," then you might try running that filter on your 20 gallon aquarium
to get it started for the time being. It will help to kick-start that cycle
much quicker.

Brian S.

"Toni" > wrote in message
t...
>
> <Joe> wrote in message ...
> > Started this hobby 2 months ago...a 2 gallon, a 6 gallon, and now
> > I just bought a 20 gallon tank which to me looks huge compared to
> > what I had.
> >
> > I am gona take my time on this 20 gallon and it get it right as far as
> > the cycling. Question, since this is alot of water, can I just fill
> > the tank up and then add the de-chlorinator or do I have to treat
> > buckets of water and then add it ? Does it really make a difference ?
> >
>
>
> As long as no life is in there (fish/plants/biobugs) then yes- you can do
it
> that way the very first time. But don't if you have added cycled
> gravel/filter media or anything living.
>
>
> --
> Toni
> http://www.cearbhaill.com/discus.htm
>
>

[ManWorld42]

Joe wrote in message >...
> Started this hobby 2 months ago...a 2 gallon, a 6 gallon, and now
> I just bought a 20 gallon tank which to me looks huge compared to
> what I had.
>
> I am gona take my time on this 20 gallon and it get it right as far as
> the cycling. Question, since this is alot of water, can I just fill
> the tank up and then add the de-chlorinator or do I have to treat
> buckets of water and then add it ? Does it really make a difference ?
>
> Thanks
>
> Joe

You don't need to let the water stand before adding it. Your tank
already has some chemical from the last water treatment. The chlorine
will be neutralized as you add fresh water. I end the water changes
by using some dilluted dechlorinator for any residual chlorine. Of
course I am assuming that you don't use a carbon filter which could
have removed all the dechorinator from the last water change.

When my tank was cycling I performed as many as 3 20% water changes a
day as described above. I didn't lose a single fish doing the water
changes that way. My only concern was to make sure that the
temperature of the new water is similar to the temperature of the
tank. You probably want to invest in a good thermometer. I use the
Oregon Scientific thermometer that comes with a water proof probe as
my aquarium thermometer. They cost me about eight bucks a piece from
my local Target.

One recommendation: Get some water changing kit like the Python. It
makes water changes so easy that you will be less tempted to skip
them.

[Joe]

Thanks for the good info..


On 16 Oct 2004 19:14:26 -0700, (ManWorld42)
wrote:

>Joe wrote in message >...
>> Started this hobby 2 months ago...a 2 gallon, a 6 gallon, and now
>> I just bought a 20 gallon tank which to me looks huge compared to
>> what I had.
>>
>> I am gona take my time on this 20 gallon and it get it right as far as
>> the cycling. Question, since this is alot of water, can I just fill
>> the tank up and then add the de-chlorinator or do I have to treat
>> buckets of water and then add it ? Does it really make a difference ?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Joe
>
>You don't need to let the water stand before adding it. Your tank
>already has some chemical from the last water treatment. The chlorine
>will be neutralized as you add fresh water. I end the water changes
>by using some dilluted dechlorinator for any residual chlorine. Of
>course I am assuming that you don't use a carbon filter which could
>have removed all the dechorinator from the last water change.
>
>When my tank was cycling I performed as many as 3 20% water changes a
>day as described above. I didn't lose a single fish doing the water
>changes that way. My only concern was to make sure that the
>temperature of the new water is similar to the temperature of the
>tank. You probably want to invest in a good thermometer. I use the
>Oregon Scientific thermometer that comes with a water proof probe as
>my aquarium thermometer. They cost me about eight bucks a piece from
>my local Target.
>
>One recommendation: Get some water changing kit like the Python. It
>makes water changes so easy that you will be less tempted to skip
>them.