15% Water Changes Without Dechlorinator

[Bullrock74]

Over the past few months I've been doing 15% water changes weekly on my 350 gallon aquarium without using any dechlorinator. My water supplier uses chloramines as opposed to just chlorine. What I wanted to tell everyone is that the blue mechanical filters that go in my emperor bio-wheel power filters fill up with a mass of biological material (I'm assuming it's bacteria) within 10 days of replacement. Also, the bio-wheels themselves have much more bacteria on them than ever before.

Before anyone says it's hurting the fish let me tell you that I really don't think so since I have newly hatched convict fry that are about two weeks old in the tank. Convicts are tough fish, but I doubt the 10mm long fry are so tough that chloramine could not harm them.

What I wanted to ask is this: Is the bacteria in my tank thriving and multiplying exponentially with the introduction of the ammonia that comes in with the chloraminated water?

 

[Underwurlde]

What does your tap water test with regards ammonia & pH?

Andy

 

[Bullrock74]

What does your tap water test with regards ammonia & pH?

Andy

pH=7 Test strip
Ammonia = 0.5 ppm Liquid Test Kit

 

[Underwurlde]

Sorry, and the levels of ammonia & pH in the tank?

 

[Bullrock74]

Sorry, and the levels of ammonia & pH in the tank?

pH in Tank = 6.8 Strip Test
Ammonia in Tank = 0 Liquid Test
Nitrite in Tank = 0 Liquid Test

One more thing I forgot to add is that my tank suffers from green water, but to kill the floating algae I run a UV sterilizer about two to three days per month when the tank starts to look a little cloudy. According to my research in to green water, there are some larger bacteria (much larger than the nitrifying bacteria) that may be feeding on the dead algae cells. That could be the bacteria that has begun to collect so quickly on the blue filters.

 

[Underwurlde]

I would agree with you there.

 

[andywg]

The chloramine in the water will be being used as fuel by your filter bacteria leaving the chlora part to gas off harmlessly. Not sure on what the accumulation would be, however.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I haven't been using dechlor for quite a few months now (probably coming up to a year). I haven't really noticed any difference in any anspect of the tank, to be honest. Just saving a bit of money/trips to buy the stuff.

 

[SJ2K]

So dechlorinator isnt actually needed?!

 

[Underwurlde]

Woa!

Yes it is.

What's going on here? Heavens knows.... but don't therefore assume that it's goodbye dechlor. We put chlorine into the water for good reason: To kill bacterial nasties, but unfortunately also the good nitrifying bacteria.

But who knows, perhaps there is now an immune strain....

Andy

 

[andywg]

Woa!

Yes it is.

What's going on here? Heavens knows.... but don't therefore assume that it's goodbye dechlor. We put chlorine into the water for good reason: To kill bacterial nasties, but unfortunately also the good nitrifying bacteria.

But who knows, perhaps there is now an immune strain....

Andy

Actually, dechlor may not be necessary.

Bignose found a load of literature showing that (as I stated above) the bacteria which we have in our fiters are not only immune to chloramine, they can utilise the ammonia part for food, leaving a harmless chlora- part to off gas. Also, people on other fora have stopped using dechlor for over a year (and I understand Feesh her is approaching the year without dechlor mark) with no ill effects.

Those on another forum tested their tap water (4-5ppm) and tested their tank 5 minutes after a water change (anywhere up to 40% IIRC, maybe even 50%) and found the leves in matire tanks (older than 6 months) to be 0. Younger tanks seemed to take up to an hour.

As well as there being a good chance of immune strains, the levels of bacteria in our filters are far higher than in most pipes, so the chlorine just isn't designed to tackle these concentrations, so even if the chlorine is having some harm the colony recovers so quickly as not to notice.

The downside is that now our water supplies are just feeding Ammonia and nitrite oxidising bacteria there is not a whole lot of chloramine left to take care of the nasty stuff like E. coli which is obviously a little concerning.

Chlorine tends to gas off quite quickly in agitated water, and as above, there are probably elements of immunity and huge colony size.

 

[Tolak]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...oguera&st=0

 

[Underwurlde]

I've always wondered where they come from in the first place when initially cycling because people are using chlorinated water that I had assumed killed all* the bacteria.

*I say all, I mean 99.9999%

Any other reason for using it then, or is it the old snake-oil supposition.

Andy

 

[Tolak]

For smaller changes in a mature tank it probably isn't needed. It will cause a short term minor ammonia spike, which mature bacteria, being able to double in 24 hours, should be able to handle. If the fish are hardy enough to withstand a small amount of ammonia, it shouldn't pose a problem.

The problem as I see it is for the newer tank, which doesn't have a strongly established bacterial colony. It will also affect larger water changes, as there will be a higher short term concentration of ammonia, and more sensitive fish, especially fry.

Your better water conditioners will also take care of heavy metals, which are a concern with many water sources, especially well water.

 

[andywg]

I've always wondered where they come from in the first place when initially cycling because people are using chlorinated water that I had assumed killed all* the bacteria.

*I say all, I mean 99.9999%

Any other reason for using it then, or is it the old snake-oil supposition.

Andy

Rather than snake oil, I consider it more of a safety blanket. I pay £16 for a bottle of dechlor that lasts me (doing from 50-100 gallons water change a week) around 12 months.