conditioning water after or before?

[tony-da-tiger]

personally i have always added the conditioner too new water before it goes into my tank, but i have heard people doing it both ways so do you add your water conditioner too your new water before you add it too your tank? or do you put the conditioner in the tank after you have added the water? why?

 

[Scarab]

I'm really new to this and right now have two 1/2 gal. for each of my male bettas. I have a 1 gallon jug that I add the conditioner to when the jug gets low. After the conditioner, I let the water age at least 24 hours (sometimes longer since it may not be time for a water change) before adding it to my little 'tanks.'

Any expert opinions out there?

 

[webjunkie]

Generally it depends on what is being used to purify the water you are using. If it is chlorine then I would add the conditioner before, but chloramine has to be absorbed over a much longer period of time (still short, but not immediate) so adding the conditioner after you add the water to the tank probably won't make a difference. If you are completely replacing the water in one of the half gallon tanks/bowls (whichever) I would codition the water before hand just to be safe. Also, keep in mind that ageing the water only works for chlorine, not for chloramine.

 

[Somonas]

Before and sometimes during, sometimes after. doesn't matter. as long as it gets dechlorinated. or dechloramineated.

 

[Flex26]

Just a thought....but wouldn't the chlorine kill the beneficial bacteria? How much bacteria would die before the decholinator started working.

 

[webjunkie]

The conditioner doesn't take very long to work, so I guess that as long as you put it in right after you add new water, then everything should be fine.

 

[cannonj22]

I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter either way. I've heard that there are several species that are extremely chlorine sensitive in which case you would have to dechlorinate before (Rummy nose tetras for example), but I'll bet it doesn't matter for the majority of species.

 

[janene]

I always do it before, which is sometimes a pita since I have a 150 and do changes with a 5-gal bucket and haven't rigged up a decent system - end up lugging the bucket from the bathtub to the tank, which is about 30 feet, approx. Builds muscles