Api Tap Water Conditioner

[Akasha72]

Quick question really just to be certain I've understood it right
 
I've just switched onto this product and the dosing instructions are a little confusing. It says as follows
 
Directions: Use dosing cap on bottle. To remove chlorine and detoxify heavy metals: add 1 ml for each 15 U.S gallons (60 L) of aquarium water. To detoxify chloramines: add 3 ml for each 15 U.S gallons (60 L) of aquarium water.
 
 
I have no idea what is in my water and my water companies web site are of little help in telling me so going by those instructions am I best to add 4 ml per 60 litres?
 
Do you all think I've read and understood that right? I've no idea what chloromines are. I know we have chlorine and flouride in our water but that's about it

 

[gmc1]

They sometimes use a method which involves chloramine(adding ammonia).its safer to treat as such I would say.

 

[Akasha72]

thank you gmc

 

[Blobfish]

I would read those instructions as meaning you should add 3ml.  

 

[Byron]

I will disagree.  First, one should never use more of any chemical or additive than is absolutely necessary.  These substances get inside the fish, and there is no point in causing issues for no reason.  Every manufacturer will say their conditioner is "safe" if overdosed, but this is not at all accurate.
 
To your question, Akasha, I would doubt you have chloramine in your water.  In the UK, chlorine is not heavily used (compared to North America), and chloramine was introduced in some areas of NA to deal with bacteria better than chlorine does; chlorine dissipates out of water fairly easily, especially as the water travels through pipes or is agitated briskly.  Just letting a pail of water stand 24 hours will dissipate the chlorine, but not chloraime.  Chloramine remains in the water, and it is connected to ammonia.  I would contact your water supplier and ask what they add to the water; I doubt chloramine is used.  I don't have it here.
 
I have been using API Tap Water Conditioner for over a year now, and I really like it.  I got myself a dropper as it takes so very little.  And remember you only need add sufficient for the water being changed, not the whole tank.
 
Byron.

 

[gmc1]

That was from my local water authority.

 

[Akasha72]

I've managed to find this - looks like my water is free from chloramines
 
https/www.yorkshirewater.com/household/services/in-your-area

that took a bit of finding too!! 

 

[gmc1]

Chloramines in Scottish water in search engine.top of list.
The kitchen chemistry dechlorinator I use removes chloramines also.one drop per 20 litres.so the chemical is already doing so and I can't alter that.
Will be interesting to find out.

 

[Akasha72]

well I'll be doing my water change today - not sure how I'm gonna split 1ml of dechlor over 10 buckets! that could be fun lol
 
On the plus side this bottle should last me ages!

 

[Essjay]

I'm in the next water authority up (Northumbrian Water) and I've never been able to find out whether we have chlorine or chloramine either. I asked them directly by email once and all I got from them was a water quality report which doesn't say.
 
I have used API Tap Water Conditioner for years at the chlorine dosage and not had any problems. As I use a 7.5 bucket to refill, I just add 2 drops to each bucket before it goes in the tank. The smaller bottles have a lid with a dropper so it is easy to measure a drop; the big sizes used to as well but they now have a cup as part of the lid. I just kept the dropper lids from old bottles.

 

[Akasha72]

I think I have a dropper somewhere. I'll have a look and see if I can find it. Gonna start my water change in a mo

 

[Essjay]

I have found some information here. It is a 114 page document from 2011 and on page 31, under Nitrite and Nitrate, it lists the areas in the north of England that "contain a chloramine residual", though it might have changed since 2011.
 

A few supplies in the Northern region contain a chloramine residual.
Northumbrian Water uses chloramine in the Middleton-in-Tees area (Lartington works).
Yorkshire Water supplies water with a chloramine residual to consumers in the Doncaster, Skipton, Whitby, York and Pateley Bridge areas from the following works : Nutwell; Embsay; Ruswarp; Acomb Landing; Harlow Hillworks outlet to Pateley Bridge;and Elvington works outlet to Siward.

 
 
 
It seems that even within a water company, some treatment plants use chlorine while others use chloramine so a blanket statement such as 'company X uses chloramine' can't be made.
 
 
 
 
Edit - I've now found the 2014 reports for the whole country here. They are long documents, the info is in the Nitrite and Nitrate section somewhere between pages 30 and 60.
Look at the region reports not the company reports.

 

[Akasha72]

well, that was hard work! I didn't have anything to measure out 1ml accurately so I've had to use some common sense mixed with a little guess work. I found a dropper which adds very tiny drops. The lid of the bottle's smallest measurement is 5ml so I took a rough guess of 1ml and worked out that I needed to add about 4 drops per bucket (each bucket holds 6 litres) 
 
I've probably over done it a little but better a little over than under. I've now been online and ordered a 1 ml syringe
 
Thanks for that report essjay - I've had a quick scan but couldn't see any mention of chloramine so I think we're okay for that. Plenty of mention of chlorine and metals so hopefully the 1 ml per 60 litres (which is what I change) has got me covered. 
 
I'm still searching the seacham prime and I have found somewhere in my local area that sometimes has it in stock (although out of stock at the moment) If I can find prime I may try that next

 

[gmc1]

Had a quick look and fluval removes chloramine too.

 

[Akasha72]

that's good to know gmc, I'm trying to get away from dechlors that contain aloe vera which is what prompted the change. I've used interpet tapsafe more or less since the beginning (so over 5 years) and so changing to a different product and understanding the different instructions has me worrying whether I'm covering everything.
My tank has been stable for over 2 years and my worry would be messing up and ending up in a mini cycle. Hopefully all will be well and I've covered everything