PH is supposed to be around 6 I think, but I never tested mine. I would fill my res up and wait at least 1-2 hours, but never longer... I mean, I never waited longer unless I didnt need to water, but, I would never water until 1-2 hours AFTER filling my res, bcs thats about how long it takes chlorine to evaporate when it hits oxygen. Lots of chlorine in the drinking water around here...
Yes, just leave the water out overnight to bring it up to room temp and let the chlorine evaporate out. (use cold water, hot water probably will grow bacteria). Here's a pic of my baby growing on tap.
Who's tap water?
City water? Well water? pH? EC/ppm?
How long is a piece of string? (more info)
Take your tap water to a *good* local aquarium shop and have them test it. Tell them you wanna set up a killer saltwater tank.
24-48 hours out, the chlorine will kill beneficial bacteria in the soil, just like it does in your intestines and stomach if you drink it. The chlorine kills your beneficial bacteria, and the fluoride kills your brain, luckily plants dont seem to have an IQ.