# What water conditioner do you use?



## Fred Dulley (26 Aug 2008)

Hey guys.
I was interested to know what water conditioners you were all using. After all it's such an important part of fishkeeping and I've not seen a topic similar to this (forgive me if I've missed it   ).
Water conditioner is the one thing that I run out of the most.
Just wanted to know what you're all using and if you like a particular one?
I'm using Tetra Pond Aquasafe, 10ml treats 200litres.


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## Garuf (26 Aug 2008)

I used to use the stuff but in the last few months I haven't bothered since I noticed no adverse effects when using it. That is not to say I don't have some knocking around "just in case".


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## a1Matt (26 Aug 2008)

I tried not using dechlor about 20 years ago (I was a teenager and had no money) and lost a few fish as a result. So now I always add dechlorinator. I have no brand alliance and use whatever is cheapest, the last purchase was 'pond doctor.'

Also, I have heard that... 
Chlorine can be removed by simply aerating the water or letting it sit for a while (don't know how long a while is!) before adding it to the tank.
Chloramine has to be treated to be removed.

There is a pond dechlor thread here: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=2575&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=pond+dechlor


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## aaronnorth (26 Aug 2008)

i too use pond doctor


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## a1Matt (26 Aug 2008)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> i too use pond doctor



I copied you when I bought it, having never used it before


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## Luketendo (26 Aug 2008)

I use Seachem prime 5ml per 200L.


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## Joecoral (26 Aug 2008)

I use Prime atm


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## GreenNeedle (26 Aug 2008)

Am I not right in thinking that not using a dechlorinator will lead to the chlorines/chloramines wiping out the bacteria colony within the filter and substrate therefore causing algae due to no bacteria to remove ammonia?

On the initial subject I use King British pond dechlor.

AC


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## Ed Seeley (26 Aug 2008)

SuperColey1 said:
			
		

> Am I not right in thinking that not using a dechlorinator will lead to the chlorines/chloramines wiping out the bacteria colony within the filter and substrate therefore causing algae due to no bacteria to remove ammonia?



It'd have to be pretty high levels to wipe out the bacterial colony; they're a lot toughter than we give them credit for.  Our water in Notts isn't too high in Chlorine/Chloramine and I used it once when I had no time to clean the sponges on an internal filter at school.  There was absolutely no problems and no traces of nitrite in the following days so I don't worry about doing that if I have to.


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## ceg4048 (26 Aug 2008)

Exactly as Ed says. I don't use conditioner, but Sussex water may not be chlorinated very much. I don't have any problems. Bacteria are pretty tough cookies and that's why you need something potent like Gluteraldehyde to clean hospital operating equipment...

Cheers,


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## Fred Dulley (26 Aug 2008)

Lots of info then, good stuff. Glad I brought it up. 
The Seachem Prime is quite expensive though  :? 
I personally wouldn't want to risk losing any bacteria, so will be continuing using conditioner. Also the fact that here in Somerset about 20mins from Bristol, I can noticeably smell the damn chlorine.


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## daniel19831123 (26 Aug 2008)

i don't use any dechlor. I knew someone who raised discus for a living and he's been raising his fish with normal heated tap water. He does a lot of import discus too. Own quite an extensive amount of tank (somewhere along the line of 500 tanks) and claimed that never suffer any problems with that. This obviously varies from places to places. Stoke water will kill any invertebrate where you dechlor or not. so since I'm not keeping any, I decided not to dechlor.


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## zig (26 Aug 2008)

I don't use any dechlor either, although I do let the water that I use for water changes sit overnight to let any chlorine that may be present evaporate off, it lets the water reach room temperature anyhow if nothing else. Never had any problems doing this that I am aware of, never lost any fish.

On the subject of dechloinators, I found that Seachem prime used to irritate my skin when I used to use it.


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## GreenNeedle (27 Aug 2008)

As per a previous poster I can smell the chlorine when I run the water into the bucket.  Â£10 for 7 years worth (500ml used at 1.3ml per weekly 10% 12Ltr bucket) isn't much anyway which is why I use the pond stuff.

AC


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## beeky (27 Aug 2008)

I never used to use any, but I mostly use rainwater anyway so the amount of chlorine is minimal. I now use a tiny dash of Tetra aquasafe, but only 'cos I got it free with something!


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## Egmel (27 Aug 2008)

Well I was using nutrafin aquaPlus, but having read some of the comments on here I think I'll be switching to pond doctor dechlor, much cheaper!


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## Wolfenrook (28 Aug 2008)

I use Wardley dechlor.  Around here there is so much chlorine present that it will leave a stink on any container the water has been sat in.   Seven Trent water though the same as Daniel, but I have no problem keeping invertebrates, you just have to be careful not to add too much in the way of traces of copper, and not use water from the hot tap, as the tap water in this part of Staffordshire has already quite high levels of copper present.

Ade


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## George Farmer (29 Aug 2008)

I use JBL Biotopol Plus that treats chloramines and chlorine.

I also use it after bleaching my CO2 diffusers.


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## steve2tanks (29 Aug 2008)

I'm going to be using pond doctor,but was using tetra aqua safe on my last tank, which works out loads dearer than pond doctor


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## Matt Holbrook-Bull (30 Aug 2008)

request a water report from your supplier, that will tell you how much/if your water has chloramine or chlorine in it.. then you can make your choices from there.. its likely that inner city areas will probably have more in it due to water recycling, rural areas less so.


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## PM (30 Aug 2008)

I use Seachem Prime, it's pricey, but my tank is teeny!  So it lasts forever


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## jay (30 Aug 2008)

I use Stress Coat. Good stuff, not too expensive.


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## Wolfenrook (3 Sep 2008)

Matt Holbrook-Bull said:
			
		

> request a water report from your supplier, that will tell you how much/if your water has chloramine or chlorine in it.. then you can make your choices from there.. its likely that inner city areas will probably have more in it due to water recycling, rural areas less so.



I got my water report a while back, Severn Trent make them freely available via their website.  That's how I know that our water contains quite a lot of chlorine, fluoride and copper (the copper is only a trace amount, but when combined with copper in plant ferts can reach toxic levels for inverts).

Ade


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## Garuf (3 Sep 2008)

Wolfenrook said:
			
		

> (the copper is only a trace amount, but when combined with copper in plant ferts can reach toxic levels for inverts).


Oh really? Do you think that could be why I can't keep shrimp?


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## Stu Worrall (9 Sep 2008)

ive used it in the past but was advised/convinced to go RO.  Just setting up my tanks again now so not sure whether to go RO again or just buy some dechlorinator.


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## LondonDragon (9 Sep 2008)

stuworrall said:
			
		

> ive used it in the past but was advised/convinced to go RO.  Just setting up my tanks again now so not sure whether to go RO again or just buy some dechlorinator.


I wouldn't bother with RO, just use your tap water and add some dechlorinator if you have fish in there.


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## Dan Crawford (9 Sep 2008)

I don't use anything. I used to use Tetra AquaSafe but when i was advised that it doesn't kill chloramines then i stopped all together.


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## LondonDragon (9 Sep 2008)

Dan Crawford said:
			
		

> I don't use anything. I used to use Tetra AquaSafe but when i was advised that it doesn't kill chloramines then i stopped all together.


Yeah I dose when I remember to add it while filling up the tank again whith a hose. Sometimes it bypasses me!


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## Stu Worrall (9 Sep 2008)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> stuworrall said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


i guess its time to sell the unused RO-man as well as the PH controller then   ill be able to put the proceeds towards more plants and a better substrate


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## mick b (9 Sep 2008)

Hi All,

I don't use any De-chlor either, but I do use an HMA filter cartridge (actual name Pentek CBR2-10, removes chlorine and heavy metals), I also use RO (but that's a discus thing  ).

IMO, Modern water companies, quite often mix & match from differing areas, dependant upon season, rainfall and 'ground-works' hence the water (particuarly Chlorine & Chloramines) can vary dramaticaly (don't trust the 6month avergae web-site tests!!).

Chlorine will de-gas over-night (with an added air-stone), but chloramines will not!

Check here for which is best for you!   http://www.pentekfiltration.com/cartcarb.asp

Better-safe than sorry,  Cheers,  Mick B   8)


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