How To Know If there Is Chlorine And Chloramines?

[Rollxr]

Hi, I have a question, how can i know if there are chlorine and chloramines in MY FISH TANK? Can i just test my fish tank for ammonia, and if there is ammonia then does that mean there is chloramines/chlorine present? Would this method work or no? And how can i know if there chlorine and chloramines in my tap water? Also, how do I know if my fish are suffering from chloramine poisoning!?

 

[GaryE]

You check with the water supplier where you live. If you're on a well, no problem.

 

[Rollxr]

You check with the water supplier where you live. If you're on a well, no problem.

Well, I also wanted to ask, that how do you know if your fish are being chloramine poisoned?!

 

[Rollxr]

Well, I also wanted to ask, that how do you know if your fish are being chloramine poisoned?!

Like if Chloramines are poisoning them, how would you know?

 

[jaylach]

Like if Chloramines are poisoning them, how would you know?

One indication is if the fish are at the surface gulping air away from where you add the water but I'm sure there are other indications.

Best bet is to always use a water treatment specifically designed to kill chlorine AND chloramine such as Seachems's Prime when adding new water. Always read the fine print on what the product actually does. For instance, while VERY popular, stay away from such products as Stress Coat and any others that contain free aloe. WHile aloe CAN be helpful to replenish the natural 'slime' on a fish it can also build up in the gills which, over time, will hurt the fish.

As to actually testing tank water for chlorine or chloramine I have no clue and don't worry about it as I use Prime to remove both before adding to a tank.

 

[GaryE]

If you are worried you may have been poisoning the fish without neurtralizing chloramines, there are no take backs. You just have to treat the tank and treat all water going in from now on. You would expect to see respiratory distress, red, burned gills and gasping at the surface.The only treatment is time in good water.

A large part of the USA has chloramines.

I have simple chlorine here, and it doesn't worry me. It is easily handled and mostly gasses off in contact with air.
I wonder if a swimming pool chlorine kit would work, for the curious? It wouldn't tell you if you had chloramines or chlorine, but it might give concentrations. I don't know.

 

[emeraldking]

It is easily handled and mostly gasses off in contact with air.

Exactly...

 

[Rollxr]

If you are worried you may have been poisoning the fish without neurtralizing chloramines, there are no take backs. You just have to treat the tank and treat all water going in from now on. You would expect to see respiratory distress, red, burned gills and gasping at the surface.The only treatment is time in good water.

A large part of the USA has chloramines.

I have simple chlorine here, and it doesn't worry me. It is easily handled and mostly gasses off in contact with air.
I wonder if a swimming pool chlorine kit would work, for the curious? It wouldn't tell you if you had chloramines or chlorine, but it might give concentrations. I don't know.

What do you mean by respiratory distress and gasping at the surface? I observe my fish, throughout the day, they mostly peck at gravel and rocks, but then after a little while, they go to the surface and “nibble” they like bite the surface. I also do not see rapid gill breathing or red gills on them. One of my platies do sometimes sit under my driftwood and, kind of, half clamps their fin, the fin is clamped but halfy clamped. But the fin is mostly raised. But that same platy goes throughout the day and pecking everywhere, and my two other fish also peck everywhere but they kind of go to the surface and nibble it? I’d say. I see their gills, and there is no rapid gill breathing for all fish. From the observations, is this chloramine poisoning or fine? Please read the entire thing so you can be properly informed. I know it’s a lot, but please read everything.

 

[GaryE]

I always try to read the whole thing!

Chlorine/chloramine injured fish hang at the surface, gasping. The respiration is laboured, and the tail usually droops. They are slow and lethargic.

What did you find out from your water company or municipal water treatment plant? I called the one here when I moved, to confirm they just used chlorine, and they were very helpful. That will tell you whether you need to be concerned - we have no idea where you are and what your conditions are. If the water is treated with chloramines, you must chemically neutralize it. If it's chlorine and you are changing less than 25%, I never worried about it and have never had issues. Above 25%, treat with a sodium thiosulphate produxct - there are dozens of brands.

 

[Back in the fold]

Call up the city and ask. That's what I did. My town even puts a water quality report on the city's website that has more info about the water than I knew there was to know.

 

[Rollxr]

I always try to read the whole thing!

Chlorine/chloramine injured fish hang at the surface, gasping. The respiration is laboured, and the tail usually droops. They are slow and lethargic.

What did you find out from your water company or municipal water treatment plant? I called the one here when I moved, to confirm they just used chlorine, and they were very helpful. That will tell you whether you need to be concerned - we have no idea where you are and what your conditions are. If the water is treated with chloramines, you must chemically neutralize it. If it's chlorine and you are changing less than 25%, I never worried about it and have never had issues. Above 25%, treat with a sodium thiosulphate produxct - there are dozens of brands.

Well I did ask my water company, like for instance. I live in Monroe Township, New Jersey. and I called them anf they said they only use chlorine to treat tap water. But I also read my township’s water report. Also when you say that the fish have laboured breathing, I do not see them struggling or labouring to breathe. I am just seeing their gills are moving at a appropriate rate. For my Township, I saw that they use chlorine but I also saw that there is lead in the tap water?! What are the symptoms of lead poisoning? And how to exactly treat it?!

 

[Rollxr]

Well I did ask my water company, like for instance. I live in Monroe Township, New Jersey. and I called them anf they said they only use chlorine to treat tap water. But I also read my township’s water report. Also when you say that the fish have laboured breathing, I do not see them struggling or labouring to breathe. I am just seeing their gills are moving at a appropriate rate. For my Township, I saw that they use chlorine but I also saw that there is lead in the tap water?! What are the symptoms of lead poisoning? And how to exactly treat it?!

Also here are some screenshots of my city’s reports. It’s recent, from 2022. Any Idea how much lead is there? It’s the one with the mark.

 

[GaryE]

Any place with older pipes has lead. It was standard for decades. If you read the whole report, you'll see it is in the usual guideline amounts.

So, back to the question - just chlorine. Treat the water, and all is good.

 

[StevenF]

Can you provide a line to the actual report. The pictures a unreadable iafter I zoom it to read it. So the information about lead is so blurry I cannot read it.

You can test your water with chlorine test kit and an ammonia test kit. If only the chlorine test is positive they are use chlorine.If both tests are positive and read about the same then you have to ask the water supplier.



Heating the water does work abut tekes time to remove chlorine. Otherwise you can use an off the shelf water conditioner to remove chlorine.

 

[jaylach]

Does this help on reading the lead? Click the below image to expand. Advantage of being able to switch my computer to my 55 inch display and PainShop Pro to sharpen a bit...