Treating water when water changing and Ben bacteria?

[Stephan1973]

So I just started a new tank and struggling with Nitrites but ammonia and nitrates are in safe range. Been doing water changes and have been adding benificial bacteria. 
My question is I’m treating my tap water with a dechlorinator since I have chlorine in my tap water. I’ve put the dechlorinator in my buckets before I add the water. Should I be adding once in tank or before like I am and is this water possibly killing off my benificial batlcteria?  If so how long should I wait to add more benificial bacteria? Any help in this would be great.  Never had this happen before and I’m doing nothing different 

[AndEEss]

Dechlorinator doesn't kill BB. I add it directly to the tank and fill the tank from a hose from my faucet.

Also, you should be constantly feeding your BB with ammonia; you should be dosing 1-2ppm/day and seeing 0ppm ammonia and 0ppm nitrite the next day. 

Edited July 27, 2023 by AndEEss

[Stephan1973]

My ammonia is at .25 with the API test kit and I have fish in. For some reason my test kit shows .25 most of the time even after several months even. Not sure if it’s my vision or lighting affecting the reading of the test

I wasn’t implying that the dechlorinator would kill the benificial bacteria. What I was wondering is the tap water killing it even though I treat the water at time of putting it in.  Not sure how fast the product works

Edited July 27, 2023 by Stephan1973

[lefty o]

dont over think it, it'll drive ya crazy. do what ever is easiest for you. dechlorinator in a bucket of water, or add the dechlorinator to the tank while adding water. it all works, pick a method and run with it.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 7/27/2023 at 10:15 AM, AndEEss said:

I add it directly to the tank and fill the tank from a hose from my faucet.

I do this too, and my filter is turned off during the water changes.

On 7/27/2023 at 10:15 AM, AndEEss said:

Also, you should be constantly feeding your BB with ammonia; you should be dosing 1-2ppm/day and seeing 0ppm ammonia and 0ppm nitrite the next day. 

Only do this if there are NO tank inhabitants (but plants in the tank are OK - they consume ammonia).

[AndEEss]

On 7/27/2023 at 9:43 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I do this too, and my filter is turned off during the water changes.

Only do this if there are NO tank inhabitants (but plants in the tank are OK - they consume ammonia).

Correct on both counts. I kill the power to both filters and get my hose going into the water, and dump Safe directly into the outflow. The OP didn't mention any fauna and as he said he just started it, I assumed he was in the process of cycling it.

[Stephan1973]

The tank is about 3 weeks old and fish have been in it for 2 weeks. I usually start the tanks fish in but this time I had the chance to slow down a bit. The tank is 45 gallon and planted.

[AllFishNoBrakes]

For my smaller tanks I use buckets, and I just squirt the dechlorinator in the bucket as the water runs from the tap. Never had an issue. 
 

For my larger tanks I use a Python, and I dose for the whole tank. I put it in as soon as the water starts hitting the tank. Again, I’ve never had an issue. 

[Stephan1973]

Thanks so much for all your answers. I guess I just need to keep doing what I have been. 

[lefty o]

On 7/27/2023 at 1:14 PM, Stephan1973 said:

Thanks so much for all your answers. I guess I just need to keep doing what I have been. 

if its working, its not wrong!