Water conditioner safe for fish?
- Thread starter Barry Tetra
- Start date
According to the interweb thingy, it;s a flocculant (causes fine particles to clump together and drop out of suspension).
The only reason to use something like this is if you have very fine particles like clay in the water and you want them to settle. And most people don't have clay in their tanks.
Everything else that is suspended in the water can be removed with big water changes.
I would not be adding it on a regular basis. Flocculants normally get used once and that is all they need to be used.
The only reason to use something like this is if you have very fine particles like clay in the water and you want them to settle. And most people don't have clay in their tanks.
Everything else that is suspended in the water can be removed with big water changes.
I would not be adding it on a regular basis. Flocculants normally get used once and that is all they need to be used.
Gypsy Tart
Fish Fanatic
I have bought a small bottle of wc and the ingredients listed are : aloe vera, terminalia catappa and natural biocolloid.
I was told by the sales assistant that these were all natural ingredients and not poisonous for tropical fish. He added that even if I added a bit more than necessary (difficult to work out the correct dosage due to the small amount of water) it wouldn't be harmful.
Would anyone know what the last two ingredients are?
I was told by the sales assistant that these were all natural ingredients and not poisonous for tropical fish. He added that even if I added a bit more than necessary (difficult to work out the correct dosage due to the small amount of water) it wouldn't be harmful.
Would anyone know what the last two ingredients are?
Gypsy Tart
Fish Fanatic
No not at all, sometimes the advice people get is just crap. I just get frustrated with how people try to make out they know a lot when they know very little. I'm sorry I don't know about this product but the whole thing looks like a cop out.!
@Gypsy Tart Is there anything else in the water conditioner besides the three things you list? The first two are plant extracts and the third is a catch all term for something derived from plants.
None of these remove chlorine from the water which is the most important function of a water conditioner. If that's all there is in that water conditioner, it sounds like something just meant to 'reduce stress' rather than make the water safe.
The thing most likely to relive stress in a fish is clean water which has had the chlorine/chloramine removed.
None of these remove chlorine from the water which is the most important function of a water conditioner. If that's all there is in that water conditioner, it sounds like something just meant to 'reduce stress' rather than make the water safe.
The thing most likely to relive stress in a fish is clean water which has had the chlorine/chloramine removed.
Gypsy Tart
Fish Fanatic
Why is that. Moreover, I will have to explain to the owner what this product is and why I used it.
Gypsy Tart
Fish Fanatic
I didn't see anything listed and had to look up the product on the shop's site. What ingredient should be listed to remove chlorine ?
If that is the case, I will take it back.
It's hardly going to win the owner over as if I've been doing something dumb she will not listen to my arguments for buying a tank.
Sorry don't understand your last commentWhy is that. Moreover, I will have to explain to the owner what this product is and why I used it.
Gypsy Tart
Fish Fanatic
I'm not the owner and I bought the product whilst she was away whilst I was petsitting. I will have to explain how this product works and what the list of ingredients are.
The sales assistant stated that this product would eliminate chlorine from tap water.
Bugger
I'm afraid you've fallen victim to the usual fish shop rubbish talk. You would expect them to be experts when in reality they are the worst people to ask advice from. If it contains only those three ingredients, it won't remove chlorine. Does it contain something like thiosulphate?
Explain to your friend that tap water contains chloramine or chlorine to kill bugs in drinking water. They also kill beneficial bacteria in fish tanks and hurt fish. So we need to remove them.
There are chemicals which remove chlorine from water. Chloramine is chlorine and ammonia joined together and these chemicals also split up the chloramine and remove the chlorine part. It is also possible to remove chlorine by letting water stand in a bucket for a couple of days as chlorine gasses out. But chloramine does not gas out so where chloramine is used, we do need something to treat the water. It can be tricky finding out which one any particular water provider uses, so when in doubt it is safer to assume it's chloramine and treat the water.
See if you can find some API Tap Water Conditioner
apifishcare.com
This contains only two things - thiosuphate to remove chlorine and EDTA to bind metals. It contains the least ingredients of any water conditioner out there. And it's easy to use as the dosage is 1 drop per American gallon/3.8 litres new water.
Explain to your friend that tap water contains chloramine or chlorine to kill bugs in drinking water. They also kill beneficial bacteria in fish tanks and hurt fish. So we need to remove them.
There are chemicals which remove chlorine from water. Chloramine is chlorine and ammonia joined together and these chemicals also split up the chloramine and remove the chlorine part. It is also possible to remove chlorine by letting water stand in a bucket for a couple of days as chlorine gasses out. But chloramine does not gas out so where chloramine is used, we do need something to treat the water. It can be tricky finding out which one any particular water provider uses, so when in doubt it is safer to assume it's chloramine and treat the water.
See if you can find some API Tap Water Conditioner
API® | TAP WATER CONDITIONER™
API TAP WATER CONDITIONER treatment removes toxins from tap water instantly, so you can add fish to your aquarium (or add them back after a water change) immediately.
apifishcare.com
This contains only two things - thiosuphate to remove chlorine and EDTA to bind metals. It contains the least ingredients of any water conditioner out there. And it's easy to use as the dosage is 1 drop per American gallon/3.8 litres new water.
Gypsy Tart
Fish Fanatic
I'm afraid you've fallen victim to the usual fish shop rubbish talk. You would expect them to be experts when in reality they are the worst people to ask advice from. If it contains only those three ingredients, it won't remove chlorine. Does it contain something like thiosulphate?
Explain to your friend that tap water contains chloramine or chlorine to kill bugs in drinking water. They also kill beneficial bacteria in fish tanks and hurt fish. So we need to remove them.
There are chemicals which remove chlorine from water. Chloramine is chlorine and ammonia joined together and these chemicals also split up the chloramine and remove the chlorine part. It is also possible to remove chlorine by letting water stand in a bucket for a couple of days as chlorine gasses out. But chloramine does not gas out so where chloramine is used, we do need something to treat the water. It can be tricky finding out which one any particular water provider uses, so when in doubt it is safer to assume it's chloramine and treat the water.
See if you can find some API Tap Water Conditioner
API® | TAP WATER CONDITIONER™
API TAP WATER CONDITIONER treatment removes toxins from tap water instantly, so you can add fish to your aquarium (or add them back after a water change) immediately.
This contains only two things - thiosuphate to remove chlorine and EDTA to bind metals. It contains the least ingredients of any water conditioner out there. And it's easy to use as the dosage is 1 drop per American gallon/3.8 litres new water.
Oh no !
I did specifically request a product that would eliminate chlorine.I called the sales assistant and he said that it was the natural biocolloid that eliminates chlorine but he didn't know what it was.
He added that I was asking him too many technical question as he isn't a biochemist!He gave me the name of the manufacturer (local) and told me to call them on Monday.
I will try and explain (as well as can be) everything you have listed to the owner. I'm not too optimistic as he's survived for so many moths which must make her think that she's being doing the right thing.
I will bear in mind the analog about the shed and bucket etc.
There are products targetted at fish which claim to help the fish produce a slime coat (which it is quite capable of by itself) and these are also called water conditioners. I suspect the person at the shop doesn't know the difference and thinks that all products called water conditioners are also dechlorinators.
Gypsy Tart
Fish Fanatic
I have a hunch that you may be right as he couldn't answer my question.
I'll call the manufacturer on Monday and see what they have to say. If that is the case ( no ingredient that removes chlorine) I will take it back and demand a refund!
I have also e mailed a toxicologist who has studied fish for her thesis and ask her about the ingredients.
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