Question:
Have anyone use household water filter to filter the tap water before it goes into the tank? I was wondering it this is better/cheaper than to use tap water straight from the faucet and then add a bunch of dchlorine remover.

Answer: You should be careful about what your "household water filter" does. For example, my countertop Brita filter not only removes clorine, metals and organics, it softens the water and lowers the pH from 8.1 to 6.4 (the filtered water actually tastes somewhat sour). You certainly wouldn't want that!

I haven't paid attention to the output of my Brita filters, but I will before I use them to add water to my tank. Thanks for the info.

I use a household filter fitted with carbon cartridges to fill my tank. I don't have a chlorine/chloramine test kit, but my fish show signs of relief (mating behavior) rather than stress (clamped fins, rapid breathing) when I do my weekly 20% water changes. My plants also bubble more during and after water changes than before