# Python water conditioning



## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

So it's not really a python but it works the same and we built it. I was wondering if i need to use tap water conditioner every water change? My 29 gallon also currently has the ich. Because in the buckets I just used the appropriate amount of conditioner needed for the contents. Now I can't? Do I need to dose the entire tank? Or just what I put in there? Or not at all? Because that would use a lot of products..


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## Austin (Feb 1, 2010)

I use Seachem Prime and they recommend dosing the entire tank. I feel like you could probably get away with dosing what you're putting in, but it's better to be safe than sorry (I know people who hardly even condition the water...). But, I cannot answer for other water conditioners; it may be different. I have had no problems dosing the entire tank and then adding tap water.


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

Do you dose the tank before or after you put the tap water in?


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## Austin (Feb 1, 2010)

I dose it before I add the tap water, and I have not had any issues doing it that way. I typically prefer mixing the water with declorinator in a bucket and then adding it, since I don't want to expose the fish at all to the chlorine/chloramines, but sometimes I am lazy or don't have time and adding it directly works fine. Lots of people add it directly with the water conditioner and report no problems.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

I dose my tanks for the volume of the tank and then refill with my Python. No problem.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Ogre44 (Nov 5, 2011)

I dose the entire tank and then turn on the hose.
Works fine.
Just make sure that you aren't real splashy or that the water isn't creating a lot of turbulence as this can harm your fish and/or make them stressed during water changes.


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

But that's A LOT Of product! Especially for like 60 gallons


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## Ogre44 (Nov 5, 2011)

I use Prime by Seachem for conditioning my tap water and it's one ml per 10 gallons.
The bottle I have was $22 and treats 5000 gallons.
That's $0.0044 per gallon or 26 cents per water change with a 60 gallon tank.
If all you have is the 60 gallon tank and you were to dose exactly 6 ml per water change and do one change a week your bottle would last you 83 weeks.
What's the problem? :-D


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

Ogre44 said:


> I use Prime by Seachem for conditioning my tap water and it's one ml per 10 gallons.
> The bottle I have was $22 and treats 5000 gallons.
> That's $0.0044 per gallon or 26 cents per water change with a 60 gallon tank.
> If all you have is the 60 gallon tank and you were to dose exactly 6 ml per water change and do one change a week your bottle would last you 83 weeks.
> What's the problem? :-D


Haha, I also have a 20 and a 30, but mine is top fin and is a ml per gallon!


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

Ogre44 said:


> I use Prime by Seachem for conditioning my tap water and it's one ml per 10 gallons.
> The bottle I have was $22 and treats 5000 gallons.
> That's $0.0044 per gallon or 26 cents per water change with a 60 gallon tank.


Also where do you buy it? Online or at a LFS or at like petsmart?


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

You wont find it cheaper than here. It would cost you a little more than a quarter (the same 26 cents) to do complete water changes on all 3 tanks. Assuming you dose for the whole tanks volume (not a necessity), that bottle will last you almost a year. $1 per month.

Amazon.com: Seachem Prime 500ml: Pet Supplies


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## steelersx (Nov 7, 2013)

This is really what people are doing?

So if you have a 200 gallon tank and you are doing a 10% water change of 20 gallons, you are dosing for the whole 200 gallons and not just 20 drops for the 20 gallons going back in?

This seems off to me.

I add the water directly to the tank and then put in the exact amount of drops/teaspoons based on the amount of the water change.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

No, I would absolutely not dose the whole tank for small water changes. I do 80% changes, when I do them, an so I dose the whole tank because it's easier. For a 50% change, I dose somewhere between the gallons changed and the total volume, so say 75%. For a small change (less than 50%) which I almost never do, I dose the volume I changed.

It's one thing to "overdose" a small tank, but when you have big tanks like us, dosing the whole tank when it's not necessary is a waste, even of it's just a few dollars.

I don't waste time with drops - a capful treats 50 gallons, which means a half a cap treats 25 gallons. I'm happy to just estimate. I'm not counting out 100 drops


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

jaysee said:


> No, I would absolutely not dose the whole tank for small water changes. I do 80% changes, when I do them, an so I dose the whole tank because it's easier. For a 50% change, I dose somewhere between the gallons changed and the total volume, so say 75%. For a small change (less than 50%) which I almost never do, I dose the volume I changed.
> 
> It's one thing to "overdose" a small tank, but when you have big tanks like us, dosing the whole tank when it's not necessary is a waste, even of it's just a few dollars.
> 
> I don't waste time with drops - a capful treats 50 gallons, which means a half a cap treats 25 gallons. I'm happy to just estimate. I'm not counting out 100 drops


So contrary to what was previously said, only dose the amount changed? I do a 25%-30% because I heard that's good.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Vpaw said:


> So contrary to what was previously said, only dose the amount changed? I do a 25%-30% because I heard that's good.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


It doesn't matter if you dose the whole tank or just the water you've changed.

It shouldn't be a surprise that the direction tell you to use more than you need, since that leads to more sales. This is something to which common sense can be applied - if you change 10% of the water, why would you need to dose the 90% you've already dosed??


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## Austin (Feb 1, 2010)

I got mine on amazon for 11$ for the 500 mL bottle but I think right now it's priced at 16$. I buy a lot of things there so I usually reach the $35 free shipping thing (it was $25 a few months ago for free shipping).
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

If you buy from amazon often I highly recommend getting the prime membership.


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

I have one. It's ending soon though.


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## steelersx (Nov 7, 2013)

jaysee said:


> If you buy from amazon often I highly recommend getting the prime membership.


You can usually get free shipping anyway. you just have to plan accordingly


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Yes I did that for a while and wound up buying things I didn't need just to get the free shipping for the things I did need. However, it's nice to be able to buy one thing for $5 as soon as I need it and have it shipped 2 days for free.


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## steelersx (Nov 7, 2013)

jaysee said:


> Yes I did that for a while and wound up buying things I didn't need just to get the free shipping for the things I did need. However, it's nice to be able to buy one thing for $5 as soon as I need it and have it shipped 2 days for free.


Well, sort of free.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

steelersx said:


> Well, sort of free.



What do you mean?


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## Ogre44 (Nov 5, 2011)

You have to pay for the Prime membership.
My wife and I have one and we think it's great.
On top of the 2 day shipping you get loads of free stuff to watch on the Roku as well.
Usually the shipping pays for itself just by Xmas, not to mention birthdays and incidentals.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Yeah true, you pay for the membership. But it does pay for itself. Too, you can add family members living at other addresses on your account for the free shipping.


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## cyclesnipas (Sep 8, 2013)

Been doing water changes with a python for MANY years. I always condition to the tank size after refilling and have NEVER had a problem.


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## Vpaw (Apr 21, 2013)

cyclesnipas said:


> Been doing water changes with a python for MANY years. I always condition to the tank size after refilling and have NEVER had a problem.


Yes, but for me I'm more conserved about that I don't want to waste the product. So I was wondering if it's ok to dose less? Either way I ordered the seachem conditioner and it should be here soon 


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