Re: [Killietalk] Water conditioningmedia

[Wright Huntley <whuntley at verizon_net>]

John,

You are extraordinarily lucky. Either (or both) your water has no other 
ammonium and/or is low pH (below 7.8).

When you use an old-fashioned (sodium thiosulfate-based) dechlor 
product, it doesn't kill or sterilize your fish. Charles Harrison gets 
the same results. If it burns their gills a little, you may not even see it.

Folks with harder water cannot use your old dechlor product without 
risking more serious damage to their fish.

I have dealt with the anguish of folks who "had been using it for many 
years with no problem." Some, who used massive water changes, suffered 
whole fishroom wipeouts. Others had mysterious outbreaks of total sterility.

Bottom line: Carbon filtering is even cheaper, and changes in chloramine 
concentration will never wipe out your favorite species.

I almost never use the modern dechloramine products, like Amquel, Ammo 
Lock 2 or Prime in my tanks, because they all wipe out all the essential 
infusoria that babies need. OTOH, I consider them essential for 
shipping, as they all deal rather well with ammonium. Fish starved long 
enough to not produce it also may not withstand shipping shock.

Wright

John Wubbolt wrote:
> Tom
>
> I live in the adirondack mts in upstate NY, we've got nice soft clean
> water that is slightly acidic.   My tap water comes out around 6.8 to
> neutral and is about 40-60 ppm hardness.   I can breed discus in my tap
> water.   In a well planted tank, ive had pH drop to 4.0 without doing
> anything to it....    Because of my water conditions, im into alot of
> mop spawners and fisht that love soft water.   I keep lots of
> anabantoids and south american cichlids and tetras as well as my
> killies.   Easier to find fish that do well in my water then try to
> change my water to keep fish that need it more alkaline or harder.   I
> live in a small town that uses local river for water source before the
> water filtration plant treats it.   Chlorine and chloramines are in the
> water, I use Aquarium Pharmacuticals "Tap Water" conditoner to treat my
> water.   Been using it for 18 years now... works well for me so i never
> saw a need to try something else.  Plus its pretty cheap.... a gallon of
> it runs like $25 and lasts me at least a year.    For fish that do
> require some harder and more alkaline water, i use box filters with
> dolomite or crushed coral in it.   That works fine for what i need it
> to..
>
> John Wubbolt
> Tupper Lake, NY
>   


-- 
Wright Huntley - 805 Valley West Cir., Bishop CA 93514 
whuntley at verizon_net 760 872-3995. Cell 760 937-2276

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