Dechlorinating

[FishGeek]

I have heard from a few people now that they have never used dechlorinator in their tanks. Just straight tap water. Now I was wondering how many people out there do this? Is dechlorinating a mith? Some placebo product put out there by aquarium companies to make money? I talked to people both in Calgary and Edmonton about this.(We have totally different water)
If you think about it, most people put the dechlorinator in and then puor it in their tanks right away! Most chemicals need some time to mix and start a reaction. So urban legend or neccesity?

Simon

[FishGeek]

Also has anybody ever tested for chlorine or chloramine before and after?

Simon

[Seaquest]

Hi

If your serious about keepeing Fish salt or fresh, or even a reef tank, you can't go wrong by using a R/O unit follwed by a Di canister mixed or seperate bed. This will give you excellent water quality your fish will flick there fine in joy .

[BCReefer]

I use a tap purifier for the past 4 months but prior to that did not use anything for about 5 months. I am not sure if I was just lucky and didn’t have a problem or was it the water in Langley. It comes from a water shed not to far away. I also don’t smell chlorine in the water compared to large urban centers like Chicago. If you have ever been there you will know what I mean.

There are supposedly several other “things” in our water that we shouldn’t have in a closed system that the purifier cleans up. I have spoken to some people who have never used any form of purifier for years and never had a problem. I just use mine for a piece of mind.

Patrick

[Jack]

Chlorine evaporates from the freshwater if you stir it every while in a bucket. That is why dechloronators are a gimmik. But it's up to you, Chloramine, on the other hand, needs to be nutralized, it doesn't evaporate. But I don't think I have ever heard of Chloramine being used in our tap water. I use an RO/DI so the carbon filter removes the chlorine for me.

[Marianne]

The whole thing is really source water.

Lets say you are collecting rain water, then NO PROBLEM. You would have very low TDS, no chlorine and it should be very simple to perform any pH adjustment you may need (no buffer in rain water)

On the other hand.

Hard water can be a problem. there is a high dissolved solid content. As you top off, the TDS level will continue to rise. Until you get pee soup.

Chlorine is required by the US safe water drinking act (0.5 ppm to every tap on the system). It only has 1 purpose to kill. It is a disinfectant. It is fairly easy to get rid of, aeration or reacting it out.

Now there are chlomines, this is chlorine and ammonia mix, it is designed to stabilize chlorine. So you can strip the chlorine with carbon, but the ammonia remains. Nasty stuff. I have done experiments with Discus people, glad to share if you guys want.

Hope this helps.

[Rainman58]

I live in Abbotsford where we have two different water sources. On the west side where I live the water is supposed to be pretty good but I still use a product called Aqua Plus (Chlorine and Chloramine remover) everytime I add new water to my tank. I`ve spoken to people (Pet Lovers etc) who are on a different water source than myself and they have told me if they didn`t use any tap water conditioner when doing water changes their fish would be dead in an hour! Guess it all depends on where you live but i`ve got wayyyyyyyy too much invested in my tank to be taking any chances.

[StirCrazy]

Originally posted by Jack:
But I don't think I have ever heard of Chloramine being used in our tap water. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Chloramine, is what is used down here Jack, the reason for using it is you canuse a lot less (because it is bonded and stays in the water. because chlorine will disapate from standing water in as little as one hour you havee to use a lot more of it and then you will start to smell it.

by using Chloramine, they can keep the dosagge down low enuf that you won't even notice it.

Steve

[Jack]

Wow, I didnt know that. Geez, woops. Sorry 'bout posting misleading info.

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

Yes...use dechlorinator. In my past experience, it only takes a couple of hours (less than 4) of slightly chlorinated water to shutdown a reef. And then it took 4 months to recover. Basically, my tank went in to another cycle.... I accidentally did that when I first started reefs. RO or DI or RO/DI water will fix the problem. So will the dechlorinator stuff.

- Victor.

[Delphinus]

As has been mentioned it depends on your source water.

CALGARY water is awesome. I don't know how it is up there in Edmonton but it can't be too different methinks. But it wouldn't hurt to contact your municipality and try to get ahold of a water analysis report and then at least you can make an informed decision.

I pity the fools who live in BC or Ontario and have crappy tap water or water treated with chloramine. It's not too often we get to gloat over you guys, so I'm going to enjoy the moment. So what you guys have an actual spring season?! WE in Alberta can use our TAP water!! nyah nyah nyah! tongue.gif

( :D )

PS. Is it true that Kelowna hit 18C last week? How can you guys LIVE in that kind of sweltering heat? I hope people's reefs aren't too heat stressed!!!

[StirCrazy]

Originally posted by delphinus:
I pity the fools who live in BC or Ontario and have crappy tap water or water treated with chloramine. It's not too often we get to gloat over you guys, so I'm going to enjoy the moment. So what you guys have an actual spring season?! WE in Alberta can use our TAP water!! nyah nyah nyah! tongue.gif
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">um have you seen our water reports? there is nothing in it.. 17ppm is what my water tests out at.. 6.8 PH damn near RO water.. smile.gif I lived in edmonton and I spent a lot of time in calgary also.. the water back there is no whare near the water I have here.. now I can't speak for the rest of BC or even different places on the island but the reason they use chlorimien here is they don't do any other water treatment.. if you look at edmonton water works or calgary's for that mater I think you will find they have a intensive tratment process..

Steve

[Delphinus]

But for chloramine you do need dechlorinator.

I can still use my TAP water for my reef without a dechlorinator, so there. And, might I add, we also know how to SPELL chloramine out here in Alburrrrda.

Of course, I am sooooooo glad that my municipality puts FLUORIDE in the water. At least my fish and reef will have teeth with no cavities. :rolleyes: Stop gloating now and go back to tending your grow op, or whatever it is that you BC hippies do out there when you're not acting smug over Albertans... tongue.gif ;)

(PS. If you cannot tell, I am just KIDDING with you.)

[Delphinus]

I'm actually going to try RO water in my freshwater tank because of the phosphate reading.

However, I have YET to get a phosphate or silicate reading in my reef tanks. The oldest tank is >4 years old now. Water straight out of the tap for all this time for topoff and water changes. So where is the phosphate and silicate going? My theory is that if there is any being imported into or produced within the system it is being eaten up pretty quickly, maybe by the softies (maybe that plague of blue mutant mushrooms is good for something after all).

I don't doubt that in some places going RO is an absolute necessity.

[StirCrazy]

Originally posted by delphinus:

go back to tending your grow op
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">you didn't think all thoes tanks in my stand were just for fish did ya :D

actualy I can thank Alberta for putting FLUORIDE in the water.. I am 35 years old and never had a cavity :D ( I lived in Edmonton till I was 21)

Steve

[Chin_Lee]

For anybody who lives in the Surrey area, have anybody actually tested the tap water to see if there is any phosphate or silicate?

[Tau2301]

I was almost dupped into buying an RO/DI unit until I had a look at the Calgary Water Analysis Report. Look likes we here in Calgary have it pretty good.

The reasons for not buying an RO/DI unit is that it wastes water on an average of 4 to 1 ratio. It strips out Mag and Calc which have to be replaced with additives of your choice/brand.

I just put my tap water into 5gal buckets and let it sit over night and like magic I have pure water, rich in Mag and Calc.

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

RO or DI or RO/DI is important in keeping a reef in the long term. The problem is that water quality can change over the seasons and time. During the spring, there is more run off from the mountains...so there is relatively good (after a good flushing). In the summer...the water is a bit more stale, so the water tends to be not as good. ROing ensures the same quality water enters your tank regardless of the seasons, storms and etc.

Also, we have fairly soft water (i.e. low in calcium and magnesium) in BC. But, I still filter to get rid of phosphates, silicates and heavy metals. Phosphates and silicates promotes unwanted algae growth (hair algae and such).

Those who don't use filters...how do you take care of excess phosphates and silicates in your system ?

- Victor.

[canadawest]

Hey Chin,

I've tested our Surrey water and it is very clean. Only 17ppm TDS coming out of the taps, but it does still have two things bad for our tanks, chlorine and phosphates.

I use an RO/DI unit now to ensure that I am not adding any heavy metals or phosphates to my system.