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Re: Chloramine.
>
> Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1999 16:57:58 -0400 (EDT)
> From: "Richard J. Sexton" <richard at aquaria_net>
> Subject: Chloramine.
>
> >From: Dave Gomberg <gomberg at wcf_com>
> >Subject: Dealing with chloramine
> >
> >As a planted tank fish keeper who will have to deal with chloramine treated
> >water in a couple of years I have some questions.
>
> Amquel. Period.
>
Sorry Richard, but you snipped the more pertinent parts of Dave's
question. In connection with *plants*, the use of "Amquel", "Prime" and
other ammonia grabbers is questionable, at best.
IMHO, overuse can even kill rugged plants like Java moss, by
sequestering all the nitrogenous macronutrients from the water. I have
oscillated between careful carbon filtering and "Amquel" to treat my low
level chloramine, here. My preliminary observations are that my plants
grow considerably better in the carbon-filtered water.
Some of this is confused because I was often using "Novaqua" with the
"Amquel" and it can trap essential micronutrients, also. I *think* the
effects were additive, but am not really sure.
The trouble with carbon-cartridge filters is that they can "punch
through" when old or when the flow rate is excessive. I use two in
series, with a tap between to test for chlorine. When #1 is leaking some
thru, I replace with the essentially unused #2 and add a new one there.
A valve restricts flow to very slowly fill my trash-can reservoirs. A
swamp-cooler valve prevents overflows due to my poor memory.
One problem is remembering to test. My cartridges are lasting for up to
a year, so testing must be disciplined, even though that leaves lots of
slack.
Wright
--
Wright Huntley, Fremont CA, USA, 510 494-8679 huntley1 at home dot com
Stop passing new laws!
Repeal some disfunctional ones. It will do far more good.
http://www.self-gov.org/libertarianism.html