Loaches Online Forum

This question is about products such as Tetra Aquasafe which condition tap water to make it safe to put in the tank.

I recently saw that a British online retailer is selling a product with the comment that the packaging is being changed and some old stock may say it's for ponds, but don't worry it's the same stuff as for aquariums.

Now this leads me to think that pond water conditioner would be much cheaper to use as it is made to treat much larger volumes. I wonder if anyone uses pond conditioner for aquariums, and whether there are any possible dangers in doing this.

Alternatively, is there anywhere in England to get larger, more economical quantities of aquarium conditioner than the 500ml bottle which seems to be the maximum and does not last long.

Thanks for any help,

Mark

I can answer that question in terms of what is available in the US.

There are several sorts of water conditioners.

The simplest just lock up chlorine. If your tap water has chlorine added, this may be all you need. Look for the cheapest product that does this. You are right, pond products will usually be less expensive than smaller packaging for aquariums. The product will probably be more concentrated, and in a larger container. It will last a long time.

In the US many water companies use chloramine, a chemical with a chlorine-ammonia bond to sterilize the water. The older dechlorinators, or a product that ONLY deals with chlorine may not be the best to use if your tap water contains Chloramine. They will lock up the chlorine, but leave the ammonia free in the tank. If I did this, a 50% water change with my tap water would create .5 ppm ammonia in the tank!
Products that split the chlorine-ammonia bond, then lock up both the chlorine and ammonia are the right product for Chloramines. The label will often say how much of the product will neutralize how much ammonia. If you have excess ammonia in the tank, these products may say how much (often a double dose) is safe, and helpful until the problem gets sorted out.

Many water conditioners contain other products that are optional or even questionable in an aquarium.
Slime Coat enhancers are of 2 sorts. Goo (Aloe vera or other) that might stick in the gills, in the filter media (Seachem Purigen warns about this) or cause other problems. Or Irritants. If the skin is irritated, fish will produce more slime coat. Healthy fish in a good environment do not need slime coat enhancers.
Heavy metal chelators. If you have proof that your tap water has heavy metals then this may be helpful. Chelators are also available (in the US) as a separate item.
Salt.
Electrolytes.
Vitamins.
None of those are needed for a healthy aquarium.

Several months ago I googled a lot of dechlorinators and figured out the cost to treat 10 gallons of water.
Seachem Prime, Clear Pond Chloramine Buster, and some dry products (good for 40,000 gallons) all came in at around 2 cents to treat 10 gallons.
Amquel and others with some of those added materials were about 8 times that price. (around 16 cents to treat 10 gallons)
The worst were some tiny bottles specially packaged to appeal to Betta owners. $1.50 to treat 10 gallons.
(All these prices did not include shipping)
This was more to show that there is a really wide range of products out there, and it is worth shopping around.

I can buy Chloramine Buster in a 16 ounce bottle that treats 8,000 gallons in local stores. I have also found it on line, but the local price is cheaper, if I watch for a sale.

Many fishkeepers use pond dechlorinators for their aquariums. As Diana has mentioned, just ensure that the one you use is suitable for removing chlorine and chloramine.

The most cost effective dechlor. option for me has been Seachem Prime.

Many thanks Diana and Bully for your thoughts on this. Diana, your insights into fishkeeping are always brilliant - you should probably write a book, your posts are far more useful than many books I've read.

It sounds as if a carefully chosen pond product would be fine. I have found Seachem Prime advertised in a 2 litre size for £49-50 - a lot of money, but it does treat 75,000 litres.

Does anyone know of an alternative pond product in the UK which will deal with the chloramine?

Thanks

Mark

You can get 500ml of Prime for a lot less:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEACHEM-PRIME-500 ... plies_Fish

Prime deals with chloramine

If you do decide to use pond water conditioner for your aquarium, make sure to carefully read the label and dose it according to the instructions for aquarium use. It's always a good idea to test your water regularly to make sure the conditioner is working properly and that the water parameters remain stable.
As for larger quantities of aquarium conditioner, you may want to check with your local fish store or online retailers to see if they offer larger sizes or bulk purchasing options. Some manufacturers may also offer larger sizes for commercial or institutional use. tunnel rush