Dechlorinator, why use it?

You will hear stories of aquarists of old claiming that they never use dechlorinator and never have a problem, where some more modern aquarists will go white as a sheet if you say you dont use dechlorinator.

Dechlorinator is a chemical you add to tap water to make is safe for your fish. Tap water contains chlorine and chloramine, both bleaching agents that make tap water safe to drink, however over time it is not good for your fish or your filter. Chlorine and chloramine are used to eliminate bacteria, however it is not smart and will happily eliminate the good bacteria in your filter if added to your tank in large enough quantities. There is not only the chlorine and chloramine is to worry about, many water companies supply water laidened with heavy metals, also harmful to your fish. Good dechlorinators also eliminate harmful heavy metals.

Chlorine and chloramine will over time strip away your fish's slime coat, leaving the fish more prone to attack from ich, sores and bacterial infections. It will also over time damage the delecate membranes in the fish's gills, leaving them struggling to get enough oxygen into their systems.

Heavy metals will be ingested by the fish over time, and settle in the fish's liver or swim bladder producing problems in later life.

When doing a water change, add enough dechlorinator for the amount of water you are adding back into the tank, not the whole tank. There are many many different dechlorinator products on the market from aquarium dechlorinators to pond dechlorinators, all do the same job. I personally use pond dechlorinator as I have so many large tanks. Read the instructions as to the amount you need to use.