Re: [Killietalk] Cloromine (sic)

[Wright Huntley <whuntley at verizon_net>]

Robert,

Robert Tucker wrote:

> This thread's timing is pretty welcome. In my area the water works is
> starting using chloramine today. Since I live in a flat my options are
> limited to containers, no changes to plumbing. Would using a storage barrel
> and Amquel be enough? I imagine seeding the barrel with tank water and
> letting the water age some may help to change the ammonia to nitrite and
> then nitrate but I don't know if this would be enough. What other options
> might work?

I prefer to avoid "Amquel" o/e when possible. It seems to kill the small 
critters we call infusoria, so deprives babies of some early essential 
variety in their diet. It is wonderful stuff for safe shipping, but I 
have gradually reduced its use in home tanks to nearly zero. [Well, I do 
use it to kill hydra if I'm out of worm medicine. :-)]

Can you devise a simple carbon filter, using a pond waterfall pump, to 
recirculate water in your storage barrel? For the filter, see Lee's 
design in the gallery, or look for "Taste and Odor" filters at Home 
Depot o/e. That and a chlorine test kit should be all you need. Fill the 
reservoir and run the pump until the water tests free of chlorine. 
[Ammonium tests are not practical and are also an environmental hazard 
if they contain Nessler's Reagent.]

Sometimes you can find carbon filters in garden shops, with hose 
fittings on both ends. An adapter on your sink faucet and running the 
water slowly through such filters to fill your barrel, can take the 
levels down to safe amounts with minimum fuss. Again, test for chlorine 
to be sure you are not running it too fast.

Biofiltration can eventually reduce ammonium, but it takes a long time 
and would be hard to use for enough water for water changes. Bare 
barrels don't normally get enough food and light to sustain a safe 
population of bacteria, so there would always be wild fluctuations.

Wright

--
Wright Huntley -- 760 872-3995 -- Rt. 001 Box K36, Bishop CA 93514

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