# Chlorine's effect on plants?



## Tom (7 Jul 2011)

I know many people don't use a dechlorinator now, but I just wanted to find out what chlorine would actually do to plants?


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## ceg4048 (7 Jul 2011)

Hi mate,
          As always, in chemistry, It's important to realize that there is a big difference in the various forms of Cl. In it's elemental form, Cl2, it's a highly toxic oxidant and is to be avoided entirely, whether by plants or animals. In swimming pools and municipal water supplies there are Chlorine compounds which are germ killers, so this is bleach in the form of a Chlorine-Oxygen ion "hypochlorite" (ClO-). Again, in minor amounts seen in the water supplies this is not too big of a deal. High concentrations of course does do major damage via cell oxidation, so sometimes people try to either sterilize the plant of pathogens/snail eggs, or to clean algae from the leaves, and if not diluted sufficiently they inflict damage to the plant. In it's basic ionic form, such as dissolved table salt (NaCl), the Chlorine exists as "Chloride" (Cl-) which is actually a micronutrient and plays a role in osmoregulation and other functions.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,


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## Tom (7 Jul 2011)

Cheers Clive


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## greenink (18 Jul 2011)

Tom said:
			
		

> Cheers Clive



It basically kills lots of the bacteria in your set up, and so reduces their ability to clean your water. So it's the secondary effect, rather than the primary one, that's important


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