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I heard that before putting new water in my RES tank I should let the water sit out for at least 24 hours. Is this true? If so, what kind of container do you usually keep the water in before hand? I always end up with a counter for of water bowls a day or two before replacing the water...

Letting the water sit 24hrs helps evaporate chlorine, which can irritate your RES and kill any beneficial filter bacteria. It does nothing if your water has chloramines, which is very similar to chlorine but does not evaporate. You need a water conditioner to neutralize chloramines.

how well would rain water do? if i put a large bucket outside to catch rain water, can i use it instead of tap water. im pretty sure rain water doesnt have any clorine in it unless god thinks wer'e a swimming pool.

I don't think I'd use rain water for a couple of reasons. Number one, what if it doesn't rain and your tank needs changing? Second, with all the air pollution there's probably a lot more crap in rain water than tap water. I use tap water and condition it with ReptiSafe. It's the easiest for me.

Tap water is tested and treated very often. Unless your area has a history of poor tap water, it should be OK. A water conditioner does add a measure of security for me.