tinytawnykitten Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 I use water ager religiously for every water change but I want to do a water change and have run out of water ager and won't be able get out to buy some until Friday. Is it completely necessary? I am guessing it is but I thought I would check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johannes Visser Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 I use water ager religiously for every water change but I want to do a water change and have run out of water ager and won't be able get out to buy some until Friday. Is it completely necessary? I am guessing it is but I thought I would check. I would let the water sand in buckets a few hours before using it ! we never put tap water straight into the tank :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simian Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 A very good question, I used to spend a fortune on it, but am starting to use it less and less. In my 200l ancistrus breeding tank i am doing 20l changes daily without any ager, Im not noticing any difference...but then again I dont have gills. Many people dont use ager. I was doing a job for the Hamilton water treatment station the other day and asked one of teh techs what the chlorine rates were, he said 18ppm. Anyone know how good/bad that is for our feeshes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 i change more than 500 litres total out of my tanks a week minimum no water ager Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 If you're not certain, why not just put off your water change? When was the last water change? Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted May 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Yeah I will put it off, although I might be able to send hubby to get some Masterpet brand from the supermarket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreedingFrenzy Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 It may be cheap but it works fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 I don't use it and haven't used it for ages, I only used it on my discus tank it was a PITA to use when I did water changes straight from the tap.. I have never had a problem. I always top up the (this is going to sound bad) more disposable fish tank first just in case there is an excess chlorine problem or something random going on but have never seen it. I do have dechrolinator on hand just in case, and I would recommend the stuff I have it goes a long way and costs stuff all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Wellington/Lower Hutt is on unchlorinated anyway I think? Only Upper Hutt and Porirua etc get the chlorinated stuff? But anyway, I only use water ager when changing more than 20-30% of the water. Not using water ager on 50% changes (for example) usually results in a nitrite spike over the next couple of days. For everyday water changes I never waste my water ager. Keep it for big changes only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 18 ppm chlorine is high. The aim is to have some free available chlorine at the point of use and so they add more to allow for the chlorine demand. I would only expect 1 or 2ppm at the tap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Personally I dont use it, but it really depends on your local water supply. I dont think any of the local councils in NZ use Chloramine as a water treatment, and by world standards our water is pretty good to begin with. The local water is generally only chlorinated, so the old school way of spraying it into the bucket with lots of splashing or letting it sit for a while will dissapate plain chlorine. If the original water source is suspect, then chlorine may form low levels of chloramine in the water and you should use water conditioner. Likewise take care in bad weather or any time the council is working on the water system, extra chlorine may be added to make dirty water safe to drink. If it smells funky coming out of the tap, dont use it. I live in Stratford, and although our water technically doesn't make the drinking water grade due to the filters not straining out ALL the floaty bits, the water is generally very clean and I have done 90% water changes without loosing any fish. Water conditioner will never cause any harm, but for most people in NZ it doesn't seem to be vital. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 I only use it if I can smell chlorine in the water - and that hardly even happens. I use water straight from the tap and if I can smell chlorine I tip in some dechlorinator. I haven't had any fish losses that I could put down to that. Jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant N Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 Just let the buckets stand iver night. Chlorine is a gas in solution and it will disperse out by itself,agitating the water will make this happen faster. If you have chlorimine you will need "ager"? , neutralizer. This is not often added to the water supply . I only worry about it if there has been works in the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K R Brown Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 i do then i brought an filter that clips on end of hose does same job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 Chlorine is a strong oxidizing agent which reacts with nitrogen compounds in the water to form monochloramine which reacts with more chlorine to form dichloramine which reacts with more chlorine to form trichloramine. When this happens it is then possible to have "free available chlorine." As the chlorine disperses or is used up by other contaminants (like people urinating in a swimming pool, fish in an aquarium or aeration to remove chlorine) the equation moves back towards the monochloramine. The creation of chloramines (and other chlorine compounds) is called the chlorine demand. When you swim in a chlorinated pool and your eyes sting it is not too much chlorine, it is not enough and the equation has moved back towards the monochloramine. Any water supply which is chlorinated will contain chloramines. Monochloramine is added to water supplies in the United states as a disinfectant rather than chlorine to avoid the creation of some of the other chlorine compounds. It is a disinfectant (not as good as chlorine) and as such cannot be doing your fish any good. If you wish your fish to swim in disinfectant that is your choice but if monochloramine makes your eyes sore in a swimming pool I would suggest that your fish would prefer not to be swimming in it. In my view any chlorinated water should be treated to remove chlorine and chloramines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 What you smell is not chlorine, it is chloramine. Chlorine is what killed grandad in the first world war. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindy500 Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 i dont use it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 Neither do I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 I dont Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 I do a 25% weekly water change (straight from the tap) on all my tanks without any probs and within 24 hours my Discus usually spawn ( and eat :evil: ) also never had any probs with any of my other fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 I use it, but usually less than recommended, but my water changes are usually 30-50%. I buy a $50 bottle of stress coat and it lasts for ages, way less of a pain than trying to stand 150L+ of water in buckets over-night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 Standing water overnight only gets rid of some of the chlorine and will push the equation towards the monochloramine if all the chlorine dissipates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted May 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2008 Got some water ager now. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simian Posted May 8, 2008 Report Share Posted May 8, 2008 Thats good this thread is pretty well flogged out now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted May 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2008 Thats good this thread is pretty well flogged out now Phew I'll say!!!! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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