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Re: Chloramine
Dave Wittaker writes:
> >Chloramine breaks itself down. Again, at concentrations that it is in
your
> >tap water, you can do a 20% change, and it will not hurt the fish (or the
> >filter bacteria). It will breakdown and dissipate before 24 hours has
gone.
>
> >Ask someone who owns a swimming pool how much chlorine he/she goes
through,
>
> >just because it dissipates out.
> >
> >Bob Dixon
>
> Am I correct in assuming that you meant chlorine and not chloramine?
No. Chloramine is made of chlorine and ammonia. A certain percentage of it
naturally breaks down into the two main components, until it reached what I
think the chemically enlightened call "equilibrium". Then the chlorine
dissipates, and the ammonia is removed by your plants and/or biological
filter. This takes the "equilibrium" away, so more chloramine breaks down.
Then more dissipates/gets removed, then more breakes down. It isn't in a
staggered process like I'm compelled here to describe it. It is a continuous
reaction, or perhaps chain reaction. I've lived where there have been
chlorine, and where there has been chloramine. It has been close to 20 years
since I have used any kind of de-chlorinating agent. I let new tanks stand
overnight, and anytime I make a water change over 30%, I have fresh "aged"
water standing by.
If the chlorine/chloramine threat were as great as the makers of Novaqua want
you to think, the makers of the Python No-Spill Clean and Fill would have
gone under a ling time ago. This handy product lets you put water into your
tank from a kitchen sink or a garden spigot. The chlorine/ goes in right
with the water, and by next day, it's all gone. Chloramine takes a little
longer, but it still removes itself.
Bob Dixon