How long should I let my treated water sit before adding fish?

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It doesn't matter where you go in life... It's who you have beside you when you get there.

Karrie's Photos

Well I tested the water with a test strip it said it had 0 chlorine in it, and I put in conditioner let it set for 24 hours and they are in. You pegged me couldnt wait. Actually the kids couldnt wait. So I will see what happens. Thanks for your help.

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It doesn't matter where you go in life... It's who you have beside you when you get there.

Karrie's Photos

I waited 3 days to add my plants, and 3 more days to add my fish!

Those things are tough. They'll be fine. My brother once had one in a bowl, and it never got fresh water and it was fine.

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Real women don't have hot flashes -- we have power surges!

Well they are in there today doing just fine! Thanks guys! I didn't want to be momma the fish killer. My kids are harsh! lol

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It doesn't matter where you go in life... It's who you have beside you when you get there.

Karrie's Photos

there is absolutely no reason to let the water sit if you use a water dechlorinator. the only reason you MIGHT let it sit with now fish is if you didn't have a dechlorinator and had chloramines in the water, which take about a week to break down and gas off.

some might say you have to let it sit and "cycle" before adding fish, but this is false, because a cycle only takes place once the fish are added. a cycle is the process by which good, nitrifying bacteria grow a colony in your pond/aquarium once food has been introduced. these bacteria are present in the water at all times, but in very, very tiny ammounts. when ammonia from fish waste is introduced to them, they begin to establish a colony on the hard surfaces in the tank, usually the filter, but also in the gravel and on the walls, plants, and rocks. the first bacteria eat the ammonia and process it into nitrIte. both ammonia and nitrite can and will kill fish if allowed to get too high. that's why lots of water changes are necessary. once the nitrites start rising, a second type of bacteria will begin to establish and convert the nitrite into nitrAte, which is much less hamful. plants will use nitrAte for food (it is the first number in all fertilizers, nitrogen) and if the nitrate gets to 0ppm you may have to start adding fish-safe aquatic plant fertilizers.

in a fully cycled pond/aquarium there should be 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and less than 30ppm nitrate. now, even though the plants use nitrate, you STILL have to do regular water changes. in a large enough pond, you may only have to do them once a month, or once every two months. the smaller and more heavily stocked the container, the more water changes you have to do.

also, NEVER throw out the filter sponges. that is where your bacteria live. if you replace them, you have to start all over.