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Amquel and Plants
Wright wrote:
....<snipped discussion on acclimation> Not wishing to vigorously
aereate for three weeks, I have been using "Amquel" and "Novaqua" in
both barrels. Lately, I dropped the "Novaqua" for it is supposed to tie
up metals, and I have been suspecting it of removing trace minerals that
my plants need. It's the "Amquel" that really has me worried. According
to John Kuhns, the inventor, it leaves the bound ammonia available for
bacterial conversions to nitrites/nitrates. He says they have no
evidence of whether the loose binding leaves the ammonia available for
plants! Maybe it is grabbing the fish-produced ammonia my plants need! I
was using two carbon filters in series to remove the chloramine for some
months. When I changed to using the "Amquel"/"Novaqua" combo, I
perceived a noticeable drop in plant growth and vigor. In particular, I
even had Java moss dying where it had been thriving....are we killing
our plants when we use "Prime," "Amquel," "Novaqua," "Stress Coat,"
o/e?....<snip>
--------
Hello Wright,
Living in the SF Bay Area I also have to deal with chloramine in the
water supply. Long before the local water company instituted chloramine,
I used AmQuel to detoxify chlorine in one heavily planted tank and noted
subdued growth of faster growing species, as opposed to a similar set-up
plant tank which which received water changes with no additives
instituted for Cl "neutralization." While I did not conduct rigorous
scientific tests and though I know of those who use AmQuel in planted
aquaria with no ill affects, I believed at the time that Kordon's AmQuel
negatively affected the plants perhaps through limitation of trace
elements (introduced through water changes and via fertilization) or
compounds such as ammonia/um, which it was (and still is) designed to
"bind." I cannot prove that the AmQuel was responsible, but I remain
convinced that it was playing a role in plant growth and overall
well-being.
Sometime after I switched to pure sodium thiosulfate (Na2O3S2) and
observed a significant recovery of plants within the previously AmQuel
treated tank. I have used sodium thiosulfate in various tanks since and
have never encountered problems with regard to Cl (and now NH3)
toxicity. I am particularly wary with regards to discus fishes, but feel
very comfortable using the s. thiosulfate to treat water during *very
large* daily water exchanges on discus tanks.
Moreover, smaller and more active fishes which respire at faster rates
(usually the first to exhibit signs of Cl toxicity) show no adverse
reactions to water (containing either chlorine/chloramine) treated with
s. thiosulfate. When treating water containing chloramine, s.
thiosulfate severs the Cl-NH3 bond and neutralizes the Cl. Subsequent
errant ammonia is then converted by nitrifying bacteria within a well
established tank that is amply endowed with such organisms, or perhaps
quickly utilized by plants. NH3 is even less of a concern when present
in water that is pH=<7 (you mention using R/O & tap water in
combination, achieving water of approx. pH=5 for betta, killies and
others).
Unless you are working with water which is potentially toxic with
regards to high levels of copper and other metals--wherein using a
product such as AmQuel is not a bad idea--or are using NovAqua to help
rehabilitate fishes with injuries/abrasions and/or perhaps to buffer
slightly acidic water, I see no reason to use either product
individually or in combination. Exceptions to this might lie in the
treatment of water with chloramine for recently setup aquaria wherein
nitrifying bacteria may not have yet established in ample numbers,
whereby the addition of free NH3 might compound related toxicity
problems, particularly following large water exchanges; in tanks with
very heavy fishloads already taxing biological filtration; with water
that is quite alkaline (and remains alkaline, either for a particular
species or otherwise); or with water that is high in metals approaching
toxicity. In these instances the use of AmQuel or similar products might
be beneficial and/or necessary.
I am personally hesitant to use GAC as I'd need to monitor such media in
order to replace it before saturation and see a greater potential for
human oversight, though I know discus breeder Bing Seto uses it for
chloramine removal in his hatchery. If your water is otherwise "safe" my
suggestion is to try sodium thiosulfate either in crystalized or powder
form, or in commercially prepared formulations (i.e. Kent Marine's
"Chlorinex," or Wardley's "Chlor-Out") for chloramine breakdown. It is
inexpensive and effective. Chlorine ppm is not static and tends to vary
where deemed necessary by the water company; sodium thiosulfate is safe
for aquarium fish if slightly overdosed as a cautionary measure.
Frozen like a popsicle in California,
Erik Leung
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