# Water Conditioner



## Greenview (15 Jul 2011)

Is there a recommended water conditioner for removing chlorine / chloramine. I have been using Tetra aqua Safe but it is expensive with the quantity of water changes involved in a planted tank. Are there better OR cheaper products that others recommend?


----------



## hotweldfire (15 Jul 2011)

I use prime. Only need a tiny bit so decent value. Some people don't use anything though.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk


----------



## greenjar (16 Jul 2011)

hotweldfire said:
			
		

> I use prime.



+1 for Seachem prime.....this lasts forever


----------



## spyder (16 Jul 2011)

I use API water conditioner. 1 drop per US gallon, goes a long way.

http://aquariumpharm.com/products/Produ ... oductID=46


----------



## Greenview (16 Jul 2011)

Thanks, guys. these sound like a far better idea.


----------



## snakey (16 Jul 2011)

It depends on the volume you need to change if your only talking 25-50ltrs a day then yes it probably is still cheaper if you need to change more than that then what we discus boys use are HMA filters the unit I have id a Devotedly Discus HMA80C this unit is a 3 pod filter with a fine particle filter followed by a chorplus cartridge followed be a heavy metal remover this will treat 80,000L of water and although costs about £90 initially it for most will treat your water for about a year to 18 months, the pentec chlorplus cartridge will remove the chlorine and chloramine from your water, basically it removes most of the undesirables from your water without creating any waste


----------



## idris (16 Jul 2011)

The advice I've seen is to just go for the bottles sold for ponds - cheaper and just as effective. 
(Someone may correct me on this.)


----------



## Johno2090 (16 Jul 2011)

Or just don't bother using water conditioner....


----------



## idris (16 Jul 2011)

Johno2090 said:
			
		

> Or just don't bother using water conditioner....


Don't know if it's an issue in this case, but surely that's only ok if you have no fauna?


----------



## Johno2090 (16 Jul 2011)

I have 4 tanks, never used water conditioner...I have lots of very happy fish, lots of egg laying and hatching. Even have shrimp which I use plain tap water. I just don't see the need in conditioner tbh I feel like its just another "buy me or you'll kill everything" product like test kits.

I understand it on a "macrobe" scale, all that chlorine would maybe kill a few but if its safe for us to drink along with pets. Then the Chemicals involved can't ever be at a level that's dangerous or degrading to Cellular structure. 

I dunno just my Opinion, would be nice to know how many people use and don't use de-chlorinators and any noted issues.


----------



## greenink (18 Jul 2011)

Johno2090 said:
			
		

> I have 4 tanks, never used water conditioner...I have lots of very happy fish, lots of egg laying and hatching. Even have shrimp which I use plain tap water. I just don't see the need in conditioner tbh I feel like its just another "buy me or you'll kill everything" product like test kits.
> 
> I understand it on a "macrobe" scale, all that chlorine would maybe kill a few but if its safe for us to drink along with pets. Then the Chemicals involved can't ever be at a level that's dangerous or degrading to Cellular structure.
> 
> I dunno just my Opinion, would be nice to know how many people use and don't use de-chlorinators and any noted issues.



I've never used it (in London tap), and all my fish and shrimp are fine. Though cannot get HC to grow properly... And have noticed that fish can sometimes 'gulp' a couple of hours after i do a big water change. So about to start using prime to up water quality. I'll post back in a while.

The important thing (I think) is never to wash the filter media in tap water... Only in tank water


----------



## dw1305 (18 Jul 2011)

Hi all,
Chlorine or even the "standard" dose of chloramine used in tap water isn't really a problem in planted tanks. Most of the problems have come when there have been water main work and people have been keeping sensitive, rheophilic fish.

The limits on bacterial counts are very tight now, so to counteract this if there is any threat to the integrity of the water main, where  organic matter may enter the main, the water companies add a large dose of chloramine. This is persistent (which is why they use it) but breaks down in to chlorine (which out gases) and ammonia, which enters the nitrification cycle. If you have a lot of extra ammonia it can de-oxygenate your water to some degree and if you keep rheophilic fish in non-planted tanks, in warm water, like a lot of people keep _Hypancistrus zebra_ etc it can rapidly lead to fish deaths.

There was a spate of this in the winter, and I know at least one of the people effected and he is a very experienced fish keeper and breeder.

cheers Darrel


----------



## dw1305 (18 Jul 2011)

Hi all,
I should also have said that the US uses vast amounts of chlorine or now more frequently chloramine in their municipal supply, so anything from the USA isn't directly relevant to us.

For more details have a look here: <http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/es/science/lc/Outreach/5Trng/CL2Chemistry.pdf>

cheers Darrel


----------



## bnz (19 Jul 2011)

There has been a water main burst in one of the larger pipes supplying my native Liverpool. I'm now a bit worried about any possible increases in chloramine levels in tap water. I'm not that experienced, any advice guys?


----------



## dw1305 (19 Jul 2011)

Hi all,


> There has been a water main burst in one of the larger pipes supplying my native Liverpool.


 I'd up the aeration and turn off the CO2 if you use it, this should help with diffusion of O2 in and CO2 out of the fishes gills. 

I'd go for small volume water changes (no more than 20% in one go) and treat your tap water with Pond "Prime" as a de-chlorinator. (Pond Prime is the same as Aquarium Prime but in bigger containers and a lot cheaper to buy on a volume/volume basis). 

"Amquel" would be another possibility, or any indeed conditioner that contains  hydroxymethane sulfonate and EDTA as well as sodium thiosulphate.

There are more details here: <http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=13142&p=137696>.

cheers Darrel


----------

