dechlorinator too late if I fill tank via hose from sink straight to tank

I haven't used dechlorinator for 5 years now after I ran out. Fish "seem" fine.

Maybe it is affecting my plants?

Here is my thought. If I'm filling my tank straight from the sink all that water is already spreading around in my tank and doing damage to the good bacteria and the plants/fish. Even if I put the decholorinator in the tank some of the water with the chlorine is already spreading around.

But if I fill a bucket and then put the dechlorinator in the bucket before putting that water in my tank like most people do(takes much longer) then more of the water has been treated before entering my tank.

I'm trying to save money every where I can so I'm wondering does using dechlorinator really make a significant difference?

And if it does should I go back to filling the tanks after I have mixed dechlorinator with water in buckets?

Or can i just put dechlorinator in the tank and then hook the hose up and fill the tank?

This will be important when i dirt my tank and then have to do many water changes for a 75 gal tank

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Permalink Reply by 2apes2gp667wr on November 22, 2011 at 9:09pm

First off, do you have well water or is it from a municipal water supply? You don't need to use dechlor with well water. I still use Prime with every water change because as I'm pretty sure Dustin remarked, it's effing Prime! Before you start to add your water just add enough dechlor to treat the entire tank volume & then fill up.

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Permalink Reply by kmt on November 22, 2011 at 11:11pm

Municipal water, washington dc area,

Yeah, I saw that video too about how good prime is.

Thanks for the tip.

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Permalink Reply by Hmoobthor on November 23, 2011 at 12:53pm

wow..5 years?

dam..you must go through mini cycle every time you do it.

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Permalink Reply by brosaquaticuniverse on November 26, 2011 at 7:55am

5 years idk that was possible congrats. prime is the best and cheap you probably only need a 10 dollar bottle every 6months or so with a water change a week. i add the dosage amount to the aquarium before i fill it back up then another dose when its full so for a 75g a cap in a half before and after fill.

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Permalink Reply by 2apes2gp667wr on November 26, 2011 at 9:42am

Aren't you wasting the second dose of prime? If you add enough to treat the entire volume before adding the new water, won't the bond breakers just remain in the water column actively seeking chlorine to react with. Or does it dissapate with time? I know Prime will also break down heavier metals so maybe it will need a second dose. Any chemists out there let me know if this is correct.

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Permalink Reply by kmt on November 26, 2011 at 2:17pm

The fish are mostly hardy except for the neon tetras. I have 7 zebra danios, 2 mollies, 6 guppies, 9 neon tetras,1 siamese algae eater, 1 green emerald cory cat.

I have a lot of java fern rooted to drift wood.

I have newly added wisteria where the leaves steadily brown and fall off and corkscrew val which is growing slowly.

Just waiting for more caribsea peace river gravel to cap my dirt tank.

Thats just extra info

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Permalink Reply by kmt on December 3, 2011 at 12:28am

My water is treated with various chlorine/other chemicals, so I just bought

$20 worth of prime, should last a while. Thanks fish tank people

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Permalink Reply by brosaquaticuniverse on December 7, 2011 at 7:50pm

Nice! good luck man.

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Permalink Reply by abraham avelar on December 8, 2011 at 11:40am

also if u have a water softener in the house it will remove chlorine

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Permalink Reply by Aidan Schermerhorn on July 1, 2013 at 12:26pm

RO filters remove chlorine not water softeners, water softeners remove the pH in the water but in an article i read softeners replace the pH with sodium which your fish detest just as much.