[The Morning]

I am finally breaking old habits and getting a python. Water changes in a 150 are getting to be too much with traditional siphon and Tupperware storage tub. How does one treat the water with declorinator? Dose the whole tank after water is filled?

 

[Narwhal72]

Dose the tank before you start refilling.

 

[Bd79]

Dose the tank before you start refilling.

Exactly. And use the dosage for the whole tank, not just the amount you are refilling.

 

[nodima]

Dose the tank before you start refilling.

Exactly. And use the dosage for the whole tank, not just the amount you are refilling.

Dose base on the directions on the bottle. The brand I use only has you dose for the volume of replaced water, other brands tell you to dose for the tank volume. I've dosed before, during, and after filling my tanks. Normally I dose first, but there are times that life got in the way, and I was not able to dose until later.

With the python, I just use it as a siphon and drain the water outside or into a toilet or tub lower than the tank, I don't use the faucet to create the suction, as that is simply just wasteful. I do use the python faucet adapter to refill one of my tanks though. The others I use a hose connected to my hot water system (along with cold).

But holy smokes, what an improvement a hose is vs. changes by hand (buckets) in terms of water changes.

 

[Bd79]

Dose the tank before you start refilling.

Exactly. And use the dosage for the whole tank, not just the amount you are refilling.

Dose base on the directions on the bottle. The brand I use only has you dose for the volume of replaced water, other brands tell you to dose for the tank volume. I've dosed before, during, and after filling my tanks. Normally I dose first, but there are times that life got in the way, and I was not able to dose until later.

Interesting. What brand is that? I've never seen that.

 

[mambee]

Use Safe. It is the powder form of Prime. Very economical.

 

[nodima]

Exactly. And use the dosage for the whole tank, not just the amount you are refilling.

Dose base on the directions on the bottle. The brand I use only has you dose for the volume of replaced water, other brands tell you to dose for the tank volume. I've dosed before, during, and after filling my tanks. Normally I dose first, but there are times that life got in the way, and I was not able to dose until later.

Interesting. What brand is that? I've never seen that.

NovAqua. However, I just looked on their site, and they updated the wording compared to the bottles I have at home. Their site now says to base it on volume of tank water. After giving the 1 tbsp per 10 gallon figure.

That said, I've been using it based on the volume changed, as it does not make any sense to treat all of the water - unless you are the manufacturer trying to increase sales. So when doing a >50% change, I can see dosing for the entire tank, but where is the cut off? Between a >50% change and a 5 gallon top off on a ~100 gallon tank or 5% - really need to treat 100 gallons to add 5? Pedantic, yes, but at some point it does not make sense to treat total volume.