Partial Water Changes w/Untreated Water?

Craig · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

Read in a fish book that if you are only doing partial water
changes, that it is not necessary to treat the water for
chloramine, chlorine, etc as there is enough in the water remaining
in the tank to handle the new water.

sounds like a hell of a risk, doesn't it? The chemical does not cost
all that much...

anyone doing this?

Craig

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>freshwater>goldfish

Jim Brown · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 177

Chloe wrote in message$zE.406@fe1.columbus.rr.com...
> "Craig" wrote in message
> @posting.google.com...
> > Read in a fish book that if you are only doing partial water
> > changes, that it is not necessary to treat the water for
> > chloramine, chlorine, etc as there is enough in the water remaining
> > in the tank to handle the new water.
> >
> > sounds like a hell of a risk, doesn't it? The chemical does not cost
> > all that much...
> >
> > anyone doing this?
> >
> > Craig
>
> I treat the water. It only takes a few seconds and costs pennies.
>
> My extremely basic knowledge of chemistry tells me that the dechlor
> chemicals, if diluted sufficiently by adding untreated water, will
> eventually not be present in a sufficient concentration to be effective.
>
>

Because I have chlorinated water, I don't have any problems with weekly
changes of up to 25%, with some special cases getting 50% a week.
No experience with chloramines, so I would use a conditioner to be safe due
to the ammonia. Maybe someone could tell of their success/failure using
straight chloramine water for changes.

Jim

Chloe · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

"Craig" wrote in message@posting.google.com...
> Read in a fish book that if you are only doing partial water
> changes, that it is not necessary to treat the water for
> chloramine, chlorine, etc as there is enough in the water remaining
> in the tank to handle the new water.
>
> sounds like a hell of a risk, doesn't it? The chemical does not cost
> all that much...
>
> anyone doing this?
>
> Craig

I treat the water. It only takes a few seconds and costs pennies.

My extremely basic knowledge of chemistry tells me that the dechlor
chemicals, if diluted sufficiently by adding untreated water, will
eventually not be present in a sufficient concentration to be effective.

dr-solo · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 1445

a hell of a risk. cities dont add the same amount of chlorine or chloramines year
round. not to mention that dropping dead is not the only concern, lower levels just
fry gills and lower the health of fish. Ingrid

crw59@earthlink.net (Craig) wrote:

>Read in a fish book that if you are only doing partial water
>changes, that it is not necessary to treat the water for
>chloramine, chlorine, etc as there is enough in the water remaining
>in the tank to handle the new water.
>
>sounds like a hell of a risk, doesn't it? The chemical does not cost
>all that much...
>
>anyone doing this?
>
>Craig

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Gunther · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 137

In article , crw59
@earthlink.net says...
> Read in a fish book that if you are only doing partial water
> changes, that it is not necessary to treat the water for
> chloramine, chlorine, etc as there is enough in the water remaining
> in the tank to handle the new water.
>
> sounds like a hell of a risk, doesn't it? The chemical does not cost
> all that much...
>

I never heard of it, and I can't see that it's worth the
risk. As you say, a few drops of dechlor is nearly free.

D

Gunther · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 137

In article ,
gunther@his.house.org says...
> I never heard of it, and I can't see that it's worth the
> risk. As you say, a few drops of dechlor is nearly free.
>
> D

** This posting should not be interpreted as indicating that
** "gunther" is an alias or _nom_de_Net_". The stray "D"
** above was the result of a LSL2 error (Lefthand-Shift-Left-2)
** which translates g to D (as long as the shift lock is on).
** Got it? My real name is Gunther, not David Straussenborg!!
**

Thanx and a tip of the G-hat to Tinykins for pointing out
the need for this clarification. Wink