# Do I need dechlorinator?



## James87 (14 May 2013)

Been searching for a while but can't find a specific answer to this.

My tank is currently a plant only tank with pressurised co2, dosing neutro and liquid co2 daily. Do I need to use Prime when I do water changes? How will this affect the cycle if I don't use it, will it kill off the bacteria I have been growing for when I add some shrimp?

Prime is pretty expensive so don't want to be using it unnecessarily. Would it be better to not use it and then to do a week long mini-cycle with pure ammonia before adding shrimp?

Thanks


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## ian_m (14 May 2013)

Yes you need to use a dechlorinator or else you will kill the bacteria in your filter (and substrate).

If you don't want to buy Prime (look out for Zooplus two for one offers on Tetrasafe, I have a cupboard full) you can also prepare water by bubbling air through it for 24 (or more) hours before use (assuming you water company used chlorine rather than chloramine) or buy sodium thiosulphate from Ebay and make your own dechlorinator.

Dealing with chlorine and chloramine | The Skeptical Aquarist


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## kirk (14 May 2013)

I haven't used declorinator since I've been on here . I just put a heater in a 5 gallon drum of water and an air pump. 2 hrs later its in the tank. No deaths here, I keep rasboras, neons, rili and cherry shrimp.


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## OllieNZ (14 May 2013)

I never bother on my 4ft and never have any issues 50%wcs. If you worried about cost, buy pond dechlor its the same stuff just more concentrated.


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## Henry (14 May 2013)

Prime is pretty highly concentrated. £7 every 6 months isn't bank breaking stuff. I'd be concerned about heavy metals in the water supply, not just chlorine/chloramine.


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## OllieNZ (15 May 2013)

Henry said:


> Prime is pretty highly concentrated. £7 every 6 months isn't bank breaking stuff. I'd be concerned about heavy metals in the water supply, not just chlorine/chloramine.


Check your water report if your really worried, if it was that bad we wouldnt be able to drink it. Ill have to dig out my pond stuff but I think it was enough to treat 10000 litres for around £7


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## Andy Thurston (15 May 2013)

I use interpet bioactive tapsafe £12 treats 4500l and it deals with heavy metals too.
I havnt looked at pond ones


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## Henry (15 May 2013)

OllieNZ said:


> Check your water report if your really worried, if it was that bad we wouldnt be able to drink it. Ill have to dig out my pond stuff but I think it was enough to treat 10000 litres for around £7


 
Humans are able to tolerate much higher heavy metal and chlorine compound levels. We drink small amounts of it, we don't live in it and rely on it for respiration.


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## ian_m (15 May 2013)

500ml of Seachem Prime (@£18 from AquaEssentials) treats 20,000litres of water.


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## Juliusz (15 May 2013)

ian_m said:


> 500ml of Seachem Prime (@£18 from AquaEssentials) treats 20,000litres of water.


And the only problem I have with it is that you need 2 ml per 10 litres - it is hard to measure when you do partial water change.


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## ian_m (15 May 2013)

Juliusz said:


> And the only problem I have with it is that you need 2 ml per 10 litres - it is hard to measure when you do partial water change.


For 10litres of water you need 5ml/200l * 10/200 = 0.25ml.
Either get a 1ml syringe (I use them to add hardener to casting resin, need only say 0.3ml in 30ml resin) or dilute with distilled water before use. For example mix 1ml of Prime with 100ml of water (x100 reduction in strength) and dose 25ml to your 10l of water. Easy.


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## Juliusz (15 May 2013)

Ian, you are absolutely right - 0.2ml (memory served me wrong). Still not much fun to use. (I am on RO + Replenish water now)


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## markj (24 May 2013)

Hi i use this




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## ian_m (24 May 2013)

Juliusz said:


> Ian, you are absolutely right - 0.2ml (memory served me wrong). Still not much fun to use. (I am on RO + Replenish water now)


To make it easier and quicker to dose, dilute 10ml Prime with 1000ml of distilled water and put in lots of 20ml in bottles like these 30ml natural round plastic bottle with standard cap, (50 bottles  ) prepared in advance, so at water change just empty one bottle per 10l, job done.

I did this with ferts to allow neighbour to dose when I was away.


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## Juliusz (24 May 2013)

ian_m said:


> To make it easier and quicker to dose, dilute 10ml Prime with 1000ml


 
Brilliant hint - thanks!


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## Spnl (24 May 2013)

People have offered suggestions for cheaper alternatives, but your question was do you need dechlorinator atall?
Good question. UK tap water contains much lower levels than in some countries, <1ppm, often a lot less, you can look at the Drinking Water Inspectorate report or check with local suppliers. Chloramine is not often used in the UK. When you read on the web about chlorine levels, it often refers to eg US water were 4ppm could be more likely.
I just leave my replacement water outside to gas off for a week, I basically just fill up water containers as soon as I have done the water change and leave them outside. My London/SE water gives a pos Chlorine result on a Tetra 6 dip stick straight from the tap (I wouldn't pay too much attention to the actual value) and is neg after a week. 
But I doubt it is necessary to even leave it to gas off, as some of the above replies show.
If you really want to use something, Google "dechlorinator" and there is loads of advice on using sodium thiosulphate, a cheap chemical.
Is this yet another example of we aquarists paying through the nose for cheap chemicals?

What do people with lots of tanks do?


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