# Other Aquarium Forums > Fish Care, Nutrition and Water Management >  Aged water - How to prepare it?

## Toshika

I was wondering how you all make the aged water for a qurantine tank for your wild specimens?

Step1: Collect tap water directly from your household taps
Step2: Add in anti-chlorine
Step3: Allow filter or air pump to run?

T*han*ks in advance..i trying to qurantine my altum angels.

----------


## ahyann

yea me also interested in the aged-water process, some say use internal pump + air pump?

----------


## bossteck

Hi, 

What kind of water condition are you hoping to achieved with the aging process? 

Since you're planning to keep altums, you need to make sure that your pH is between 5-6.2, and dH to between 1-5. 

I don't think the hardness will be a problem, but pH will be, you probably need to lower it somehow. 

Suggest you get the necessary test kits and take a reading of the water parameters of your tap water first, and decide on what you need to adjust. (Test kits will definitely be cheaper than altums  :Razz:  ) 

Generally speaking, aeration and anti-chlorine do not alter the pH of the water.

----------


## ahyann

oh... then why do people used aged water?? if lets say we do not want to alter the PH value?

----------


## taygu

This si what I am doing.

1) Collect water from tap.
2) Pour it into water aging drum.
3) Put in peat moss.
4) Run an air bubbling through the water for at least 3 days before use.

How this will help, you need still need to measure the PH, kh etc.. to ensure..

----------


## bossteck

> oh... then why do people used aged water?? if lets say we do not want to alter the PH value?


Frankly I do not know why people would want to use aged water in those cases.

Could be: 

They want to ensure approximately same water tempreature between their water supply for water changes
They do not believe that anti-chlorine/anti-chloramine solutions works instantenously.

----------


## exotic_idiot

I don't use any aging water for my tanks, all straight from the tap but i add in anti-chlorine first and BB...
So far so good..

----------


## Panut

I heard that aging water needs aeration.. otherwise it will become dead water(which is bad)..

anyone have any comments? Is aeration really that needed?

----------


## Merviso

I just use a pail to collect tape water, put in anti-chlorine, and keep it overnight for the anti-chlorine to take effect. These water will be used to top up my tank anytime I want to and for any minor water changes. The water in the pail is then top up again with tap water and add anti-chlorine accordingly and the cycle continue. Not much effort anyway.

Good things is that if someone reported that the water on that day is giving problems, like more chlorine or higher PH or whatever funny problems, I just pour the water away or use it to water plants... just playing safe for my fish...  :Grin:

----------


## Interestor

> I heard that aging water needs aeration.. otherwise it will become dead water(which is bad)..
> 
> anyone have any comments? Is aeration really that needed?


 

Of course need.

----------


## Interestor

[quote=Toshika;356174]I was wondering how you all make the aged water for a qurantine tank for your wild specimens?

Step1: Collect tap water directly from your household taps

got any other source ?

Step2: Add in anti-chlorine

depends on duration

Step3: Allow filter or air pump to run?

as long got circulation.

T*han*ks in advance..i trying to qurantine my altum angels.

Good Luck

----------


## raglan

question. Why age it ?

several reasons.
1) In some locations, chlorine is used, which will dissipate into the air with aeration. Chloramines are becoming more and more used instead, and they won't come out with aeration. Still, many people might think they have chlorine, or still just follow routines from before, in the books and so on.

2) In some locations, CO2 dissolved in the water makes the water appear to be lower pH straight out of the tap than it will be once it gets aerated. It will rise in pH overnight if you aerate such water.
People are scared of pH swing, so they aerate..even though pH swing will not hurt the fish, IMO, what is happening is that when they did not degas, there were gases in the water, CO2 included, maybe nitrogen , I don't know...but as you see when you add cold tapwater to a new tank..bubbles all over as it warms up..I think I've killed fish with that TOO BIG right out of the tap change. I do much more drastic pH change with no visible bad effect. I see NO effect on freshwater fish from sudden pH change.But they think they aerate out the pH swing and "make it safe" that way. I thinkthey DO make it safe that way, but not for the reason they think !

3) some people may be cautious of mixing the chemicals stright into the tank and adding water. That is a resonable thing, IMO, to be cautious of. They may prefer to let all the chemical transactions occur outside of the tank and maybe dissipate somewhat.

----------


## stonespot

hee hee mine more funny. Use a ice mountain bottle filled it up with filter treated water (drinking type) then place it in the refrigerator. Next day when need to add water, pour the cool water in and add few droplets of anti-chlorine near the rainbar. The shrimps always happy eating when i pour the water. It helps to lower the temp for 1 or 2 degrees for at least 2 hours. (mine 1.5ft tank using 2232 ehiem)

----------

