# Is it ok to not add water conditioner?



## TinaMaxis (Jul 14, 2011)

I feel like that's a stupid question. I know I should add it every water change, but right now I've got a male that I'm keeping in a one gallon bowl.  I can't get anything bigger until September.. and I've got one more water conditioning tablet left and I need that for my ten gallon's water change. So the problem is I can't keep buying water conditioner because I don't have a car to get to the pet store whenever I need, so I don't know when I'll be able to get some more as the nearest Petco will be over an hour and a half on the bus. I'm changing my male's water every day, all of it, and I don't know what to do, because today I didn't add water conditioner. Is it ok? Will he be ok until next month if I can't get any more?


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

No. Without conditioning the water he will start (if he hasn't already) to get burns from the chlorine and other "problems" in the water. If you wait a month he probably won't make it. It probably won't last a week.

You have to buy food, right? See if they have something at your local supermarket.

When you do finally make it to the petstore, buy Prime. It will cost about the same as the other dechlorinators but it lasts for a really long time since you only need 2 drops on a 1 gallon tank.


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## TinaMaxis (Jul 14, 2011)

Ok, thanks. I'll see if I can work something out. I've been using half the conditioning tablets before because I'd use a whole one on my ten gallon, so I figured a one gallon wouldn't need a whole one. So I'll just use half of the one I've got left and try to pick something up when I can.


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

The other thing I just thought of would be to use some sort of bottled water. You can get bottled water anywhere. However, wait until someone else posts to suggest what you should buy. I am not sure which bottled water is safe for fish. Some of them don't have the right minerals for the fish.

With that being said, it would probably be cheaper for you to find some other way to condition the water. 

Oh, and depending on your level or chlorine in the water, you could possibly just leave the water out overnight (or maybe 2 days, just do a water change every 2 days) and enough of the chlorine should evaporate to make it safe. This might not be the case if your tap has chloramines... As in, if it does it would not work to leave it out.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

is there a walmart near by? As bad as they are for their treatment of bettas, they do sell dechlorinator. I've also seen some at the supermarket, just search every where that has a pet section, I'm sure you can find some kind of dechlorinator.


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## SmokeNLark (Jul 22, 2010)

I agree that supermarkets have it. Don't buy tabs. They don't last long. Liquid ones last soo much longer. 

Don't buy bottled water for them. Some have a lack of nutrients for them and possibly more chemicals. Sitting water out over night does help, but it does not get rid of all the bad stuff by any means, and isn't necessary when you have a declorinator. Declorinator also gets rid of other heavy metals, so letting the water sit is NOT enough.


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## TinaMaxis (Jul 14, 2011)

Ok, thanks guys. There actually is a Walmart nearby, luckily they've never sold Betta's there, but I could go and see if they've got dechlorinators.


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## TinaMaxis (Jul 14, 2011)

So I my sister took me to Target today! I bought TetraAqua water conditioner, it's seven drops per gallon, but that's ok, I'll just get a better kind when I run out. 

So I've got another problem, I hope it's ok that I don't start a new thread for this question. The tank. Right now my boy, Nightcrawler, is in a one gallon bowl, I want to buy something that's still small like 3 gallons, but everything small is so expensive! At target there was a 1.5 gallon container for $22 something! And I was looking online at Petco and they have a 2.5 gallon for $33, and all the one gallons are at least $15. It's really annoying, because I got my ten gallon for only ten dollars, so I don't understand why the smaller tanks cost more than the bigger tanks. I don't want to put another ten gallon tank in my room, I don't know what to do. I went to Michaels art store, and they had this big glass bowl for around $16, it looked like it was maybe 2 and a half gallons. Maybe I'll look at Walmart or Petsmart. Any suggestions for cheap tanks? Should I look for a use one, maybe?


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## Littlebittyfish (Jan 5, 2011)

TinaMaxis said:


> So I my sister took me to Target today! I bought TetraAqua water conditioner, it's seven drops per gallon, but that's ok, I'll just get a better kind when I run out.
> 
> So I've got another problem, I hope it's ok that I don't start a new thread for this question. The tank. Right now my boy, Nightcrawler, is in a one gallon bowl, I want to buy something that's still small like 3 gallons, but everything small is so expensive! At target there was a 1.5 gallon container for $22 something! And I was looking online at Petco and they have a 2.5 gallon for $33, and all the one gallons are at least $15. It's really annoying, because I got my ten gallon for only ten dollars, so I don't understand why the smaller tanks cost more than the bigger tanks. I don't want to put another ten gallon tank in my room, I don't know what to do. I went to Michaels art store, and they had this big glass bowl for around $16, it looked like it was maybe 2 and a half gallons. Maybe I'll look at Walmart or Petsmart. Any suggestions for cheap tanks? Should I look for a use one, maybe?


I got a 3 gallon critter keeper for around 11 dollars at petco..I think they make nice betta homes...and 3 gallons is a nice size.


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## Loralyn94 (Jul 22, 2011)

I seen a lot of people suggesting kritter keepers as good cheap tanks. I'm not sure exactly what prices are but i believe theres a 3 gallon one thats like $12-$15. Also try looking on ebay or craigslist, sometimes you can find pretty good deals on tanks there. I'm not sure what type of second hand stores you have there, but i'd try them, you never know what you could find there


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## TinaMaxis (Jul 14, 2011)

I found one of those at Petco online, but it doesn't state the gallons for each of the sizes(small, medium, large) is the largest one the 3 gallon?
http://www.petco.com/product/12031/PETCO-Pet-Keeper-for-Aquarium-Fish.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

Also, if I get a three gallon, how often do I do water changes if I don't get a filter, like every three days or so? Can I get a heater for the critter keeper?


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## Littlebittyfish (Jan 5, 2011)

I believe the large is the 3 gallon one...I do two water changes weekly on my 3 gallon..one 50% and then one 100%.


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## TinaMaxis (Jul 14, 2011)

Oh ok, thanks. How can I put a heater in there, though? And can someone explain what air stone's are all about? What's do they do, improve water flow?


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## Loralyn94 (Jul 22, 2011)

TinaMaxis said:


> Oh ok. Hey can someone explain what air stone's are all about? What's the point of them?


Airstones are used to add oxygen into the water. Bettas don't necessarily have to have them as they have the labrynth organ. They do however help give oxygen to the good bacteria thats in a cycled tank and are a really good thing to have if you have fish like tetras that can only get oxygen from the water. I have/had (the stone broke so have to get a new one) in with my tetras and glofish and it will go in with my bettas once he's cured and the tetras are switched over, but atm my betta doesnt have one and he's perfectly fine


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## TinaMaxis (Jul 14, 2011)

Oh thanks. Good to know!  So I found a five gallon for sale on craigslist, for ten dollars, the seller lives nearby, so I might get that, yay! Is it alright if I don't have a filter for that? I know I still need a heater. And would changing 50% of the water twice a week be ok? Would only once a week be fine, too?


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## TinaMaxis (Jul 14, 2011)

Ok, I'm actually getting a six gallon! Yay! It's still for ten dollars, from someone else, and the very kind lady says she can drop it off at my place! It works out perfectly. Tomorrow I'm going to try and get some gravel for it, and whatever else I can afford.


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## dsgems (Jul 14, 2011)

TinaMaxis said:


> I feel like that's a stupid question. I know I should add it every water change, but right now I've got a male that I'm keeping in a one gallon bowl.  I can't get anything bigger until September.. and I've got one more water conditioning tablet left and I need that for my ten gallon's water change. So the problem is I can't keep buying water conditioner because I don't have a car to get to the pet store whenever I need, so I don't know when I'll be able to get some more as the nearest Petco will be over an hour and a half on the bus. I'm changing my male's water every day, all of it, and I don't know what to do, because today I didn't add water conditioner. Is it ok? Will he be ok until next month if I can't get any more?


 
If it is chlorine you are worried about, just leave a container of water sit open for a couple of days. the chlorine will evaporate leaving the water chlorine free. It is still better to use the conditioner for other conditions.
Best of luck


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