# First flood, water temp and dechlorinator ?



## Paul195 (4 May 2016)

Hi

When filling for the first time, should the water be heated to the intended running temperature and dechlorinated before adding, or is it OK to fill with cold water straight from the tap and heat/dechlorinate in the tank ?

Paul


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## ian_m (4 May 2016)

Technically you should really dechlorinate and warm the water before putting it in your tank (that's what I do at each water change). So you are not adding any chlorine (or heavy metals if you have really really poor quality, probably none UK water) into the tank. 

However, many people dose a whole tank dechlorinator dose into the tank, turn filters off and just run a hose pipe of cold water straight into the tank, no issues.


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## Paul195 (4 May 2016)

I was just wondering if adding cold chlorinated water would cause a problem (or shock) for the plants for the period of time it takes me to plant (perhaps fill just above substrate) and then fill. If there is any risk to the plants then I would rather take the safer option, and prepare the water in a container.


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## ian_m (4 May 2016)

Plants are reasonably resistant to chlorinated water, after all people water their lawns/plants from tap water with no issues, its just your filter and to a lesser extent your fish that will have issues. I would say that, provided you have no fish and no mature filter and no mature substrate you needn't bother with dechlorinator or heating, the chlorine will probably gas off or react with organics pretty quickly once in the tank.

However dechlorinator in form of Prime doesn't cost much so just add Prime to tank as it is filling.

As for heating the water, yes, as it stops your hands freezing off if you need to do plant fiddling. Plants just grow slower in colder water.


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## Paul195 (4 May 2016)

Ok cool, I've got some prime so will just dose that in when filling. Cheers for the advice 

Paul


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## Tim Harrison (4 May 2016)

Probably shouldn't share this, but...I've never used dechlorinator except for Purigen after recharge.
I don't think it was invented or available when I first started the hobby, and as far as I know I've never had any issues...
...I've got fish that are well past their expiry date and still going strong.
It's pretty volatile stuff and I reckon that if your tank is well oxygenated and balanced dechlorinator probably doesn't make that much difference...but just my experience.

P.S. so I just use the mixer tap and gauge the temp by hand, sounds a bit hit and miss but I've got pretty good at it over the years.


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## Paul195 (4 May 2016)

Troi said:


> I just use the mixer tap and gauge the temp by hand



That's how I've been doing it in my 5ft tank which has been a disaster so the tendency is to want to do everything on my new tank differently.
Despite of this, transporting water from tap to container to tank, using tube heaters and the time associated with this process seems like a pain if it isn't absolutely necessary. 
Sounds like many people are filling from the mixer tap and adding dechlorinator to the tank with no problems so I think I'll continue with this method.


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## chrismiller12341 (6 May 2016)

I have never used dechlorinator  either. After my wc I fill my bucket back up and let it sit untill next wc. Never had a problem.


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