Water conditioner for small tanks

[Wills]

Hi I have a 30 litre tank and I need a water conditioner that means I dont have to measure a fraction of a millilitre when I do water changes on approx 15-20 litres.

Any one got any suggestions?

Wills

 

[Essjay]

API Tap Water Conditioner. The dose rate is 1 drop per 3.8 litres. The 30 ml bottle has a dropper lid and the larger bottles have measuring cup lids. I bought a 30 ml bottle, then when that ran out I got a more cost effective bigger bottle and refill the smaller bottle from that.


Image from API's website

 

[Mikeyboy123]

Get a small bottle, use it to dilute the conditioner down. I had a spare 60ml screw cap lying around so I put 6ml of neat prime and 54ml water. 1 ml of this to every 4 litres. I keep the diluted stuff in the freezer and take it out for an hour or so before I need it. I only use 2ml per water change for my nano.

 

[Byron]

Get a small bottle, use it to dilute the conditioner down. I had a spare 60ml screw cap lying around so I put 6ml of neat prime and 54ml water. 1 ml of this to every 4 litres. I keep the diluted stuff in the freezer and take it out for an hour or so before I need it. I only use 2ml per water change for my nano.

If you add water to the conditioner, the latter dechlorinates the water. given that dechlorinators are usually said to be effective only for 24 hours more or less, it would seem to me that the mixed water/conditioner is no longer effective.

Using a medicine dropper is about as easy as anything could be, and one drop treats 3.8 liters (= 10 gallons).

 

[Essjay]

one drop treats 3.8 liters (= 10 gallons).

Errrr, 3.8 litres = 1 gallon

 

[Oblio]

If you add water to the conditioner, the latter dechlorinates the water. given that dechlorinators are usually said to be effective only for 24 hours more or less, it would seem to me that the mixed water/conditioner is no longer effective.

Using a medicine dropper is about as easy as anything could be, and one drop treats 3.8 liters (= 10 gallons).

IANAChemist, but wouldn't the unused reagents remain in solution? There would be a negligible reduction (that used to dechlorinate the diluting water) in available reagents but that could be ignored.

 

[Byron]

IANAChemist, but wouldn't the unused reagents remain in solution? There would be a negligible reduction (that used to dechlorinate the diluting water) in available reagents but that could be ignored.

I am hoping one of our chemistry-knowledgeable members can enlighten us.

 

[Byron]

Errrr, 3.8 litres = 1 gallon

Yes, that was a slip, but one that could cause trouble if not corrected...thanks!

 

[Mikeyboy123]

IANAChemist, but wouldn't the unused reagents remain in solution? There would be a negligible reduction (that used to dechlorinate the diluting water) in available reagents but that could be ignored.

Exactly. 6ml of prime isn’t going to be exhausted by 54ml of tap water. Or maybe my shrimp, fish and filter bacteria are immune to chlorine.

 

[Oblio]

I am hoping one of our chemistry-knowledgeable members can enlighten us.

I took Chem 5 in engineering school in '79, and Brilliant course a month or two ago that discussed reaction rates and concentrations - Does that count? lol

 

[Colin_T]

Errrr, 3.8 litres = 1 gallon

3.785 litres = 1 US gallon

4.5 litres = 1 UK gallon

 

[Slaphppy7]

"I keep the diluted stuff in the freezer and take it out for an hour or so before I need it."

THIS is what I'm wondering....does frozen, treated tap water retain the same chemical properties as the time it was frozen, when thawed?

 

[Slaphppy7]

API Tap Water Conditioner. The dose rate is 1 drop per 3.8 litres. The 30 ml bottle has a dropper lid and the larger bottles have measuring cup lids. I bought a 30 ml bottle, then when that ran out I got a more cost effective bigger bottle and refill the smaller bottle from that.


Image from API's website
View attachment 162629

Prime has worked well for me for 9+ years, but when this last bottle runs out, I'm switching to this

 

[Oblio]

"I keep the diluted stuff in the freezer and take it out for an hour or so before I need it."

THIS is what I'm wondering....does frozen, treated tap water retain the same chemical properties as the time it was frozen, when thawed?

Probably - Disassociation is more likely due to heat which increases the kinetic energy of vibrating molecules. It is possible that freezing could also cause this due to the crystal lattice structure of ice.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Probably - Disassociation is more likely due to heat which increases the kinetic energy of vibrating molecules. It is possible that freezing could also cause this due to the crystal lattice structure of ice.

So, theoretically, I could treat a 10G tank with 1 ml of Prime, have it frozen solid within an hour, and when thawed, say in an hour, Prime would still render any ammonia inert for 22 more hours?

Or would ammonia be present in ANY form, after freezing?