Are Cheaper Dechlorinators Just As Effective As More Expensive Ones?

[Amerce]

I buy the 1 litre bottle of Tetrapond, but then I run around 14 tanks of various sizes.

 

[Tolak]

If you just want to remove chlorine & chloramine, and aren't bothered by the ammonia left from the chloramine, sodium thiosulfate & distilled water is the way to go. Mix it together, for under $10 you can dechlor from 30,000 to 150,000 gallons of water, depending on the concentration of disinfectants in your water.

This is your cheap dechlorinator, packaged pretty for sale to the consumer. Better dechlorinators convert the ammonia to ammonium, the chemical used is hydromethane sulfinate. Mix some of this into your gallon, last time I checked it adds on another $12 or so.

The dechlorinators that bind up metals use ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, say that three times fast. It is more commonly known as EDTA, a chelating agent. I haven't looked up prices on that in quite some time, and don't recall the price for the amount needed to mix into a gallon to make for a liquid that neutralizes metals in the proper proportion to the other two chemicals added.

So, to answer your question, yes and no, depending on what you are looking for.

 

[River Dog]

I use Seachem Prime, I know its expensive for the larger bottle, but it lasts a long time. I am changing nearly 200 gallons a week and a bottle of Prime will last 6 months used as directed on the bottle.

 

[indigoj]

I also use prime - it is about £14 on ebay for the 500ml but lasts ages as you only need a little bit.