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Thread: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

  1. #16
    Registered Member Ed13's Avatar
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dkarc@Aol.com View Post
    IMO, sodium thiosulfate is cheap and highly effective at dechlorination. Sending the water through a carbon system is very effective as well. I would still degas/aerate the water to stabilize parameters like pH.

    -Ryan
    Absolutely, storing and aging water regardless of products that instantly remove chlorine and chloramines is a very wise decision if you ask me, you never know what can happen!!!
    When science and magic collide, the story begins.

  2. #17
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    I would say age tap water as short of time period as possible, the longer it is in a holding container the more time un wanted bacteria gets a chance to form and build up and this can cause all types of problems and leave you sctraching your head woundering what is happening to your fish, fry even more so.
    I would test your water straight from the tap and after you have your water container full add a airstone or a water pump droping the return water from a foot or so back into the container and see how long it takes for the ph to drop complety and stay steady non bouncing. and take note of how long it took and you will know then it is ok to use and after that time frame storing the water only gives time for bacteria to start.
    I use a pin point ph moniter and after 30mins my ph has settled and usually if I dont use the water after 12hrs I will discard it.
    if the water in the container is cloudy you know you have let it set to long and not to use it.

  3. #18
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    Not sure where you get the idea that if let sitting for a day, the water will get invaded with bad bacteria. Certainly stagnant pools with organic detritus will develop into a nasty mess. But in our storage tanks, we have primarily clean, circulating water with traces of salt and ammonium/ammonia if the tap originally contained chloramines.

    Our holding tanks get slimy (and sometimes get bacteria blooms) because of the good bacteria that eat the amine compounds. The bacteria is actually good for your fish. No need to throw away perfectly good water. That would be poor advice for new hobbyists.

    Tim

  4. #19
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    Quote Originally Posted by tcyiu View Post
    Not sure where you get the idea that if let sitting for a day, the water will get invaded with bad bacteria. Certainly stagnant pools with organic detritus will develop into a nasty mess. But in our storage tanks, we have primarily clean, circulating water with traces of salt and ammonium/ammonia if the tap originally contained chloramines.

    Our holding tanks get slimy (and sometimes get bacteria blooms) because of the good bacteria that eat the amine compounds. The bacteria is actually good for your fish. No need to throw away perfectly good water. That would be poor advice for new hobbyists.

    Tim
    tim, what good does holding water that has already gassed off and ph has settled? that water is redy now and should be used now imo. letting it sit past that point untreaded ie no chlorine/chlromines is a disaster waiting to happen. there is a reason water treatment plants add chlorine and chlorimes and it is to stop the forming of harmful and unwanted bacteria among other things that could pose a threat in a water supply. when doing water changes in a tank you wipe the side and bottoms down correct, waht is the reasoning behind this. because good and bad alike bacteria grow on these surfaces. and you sacrfice the good to rid the bad. I know if I dont whipe down the sides and bottoms of my tanks my fishes fins will pay the price. so why put back water that is just like the stuff you whiped of the tank walls and bottom.
    I think this is great advive for a begginer. one less thing they will have to deal with down the road.

  5. #20
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    Quote Originally Posted by tcyiu View Post
    The bacteria is actually good for your fish. No need to throw away perfectly good water. That would be poor advice for new hobbyists.

    Tim

    my advice for hobbist is. Water is cheap, discus are not. better safe than sorry

  6. #21
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    Quote Originally Posted by AirCapital View Post
    there is a reason water treatment plants add chlorine and chlorimes and it is to stop the forming of harmful and unwanted bacteria among other things that could pose a threat in a water supply.
    From the treatment plant to our tap, water takes a long and uncertain journey. There can be breaks in the pipe. There can be acts of stupidity by home owners and bad plumbers (e.g. garden drip irrigation systems plumbed directly into the water supply without ant-backflow devices). There are lots of potential ways for harmful bacteria in the soil to enter the water supply.

    That is not the case for holding tanks. I would assume that your mixing/holding tank is above ground, and in some relatively clean place. If that is the case, then the only way for bacteria to come into your tank is through the air (which they do). But the numbers are sufficiently low (unless the holding tank is in a barn with animals) AND more importantly, because there is no food for the bacteria to grow on, the chances are minuscule that they will threaten your water.

    Water companies add chlorine/chloramine to address potential breaks in the water distribution system.

    Quote Originally Posted by AirCapital View Post
    when doing water changes in a tank you wipe the side and bottoms down correct, waht is the reasoning behind this. because good and bad alike bacteria grow on these surfaces. and you sacrfice the good to rid the bad.
    No. I wipe down the tank walls because I want to be able to see my discus. The slime build up is tremendous. Otherwise, I would not bother. i.e. I do it, not because of " bad bacteria." When I had other fish, I almost never wiped down the tanks. Didn't really have to.

    By the way, using your logic of sacrificing "the good to get rid of the bad," filter media should be completely discarded as well. The sheer number of bacteria in the filter media far exceeds any that can grow on the tank wall. This clearly does not make sense. The bacteria population in a tank is balanced according to what resources can sustain them. If your tank is healthy, the vast majority of the bacteria in the media (and on the tank walls) will be the ones we want.

    I am not arguing that you should change your behaviour. You do it because it works for you and it makes you feel better. All I am arguing is there's no rational justification for throwing away perfectly good water. Bad bacteria do not just pop up in clean water. They need food.

    New hobbyists have enough to worry about keeping their discus happy and healthy. No need to alarm them any more than necessary.

    Tim

  7. #22
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/356/356-487/356-487.html


    http://www.umext.maine.edu/waterqual...drinking-waterhttp://www.createyourhealthyhome.com/bacteria.htm.
    if tap water was free of bacteria and didnt have food to live on why is there slime in our home water supply pipes and inside our water fauscets.

    if your water container was sitting for days or weeks on end and had very cloudy water and a oily protein build up floating on the surface, would you feel comfortable letting yourself and family members drink straight from the container? I know I wouldnt. I have lost thousnads of fry do to my chlorimes and bacteria in my local water, so I invested and made a ozone reactor to treat my water which kills everything in my water now
    Last edited by AirCapital; 09-07-2010 at 01:32 PM.

  8. #23
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    Quote Originally Posted by AirCapital View Post
    tim, what good does holding water that has already gassed off and ph has settled? that water is redy now and should be used now imo. letting it sit past that point untreaded ie no chlorine/chlromines is a disaster waiting to happen. there is a reason water treatment plants add chlorine and chlorimes and it is to stop the forming of harmful and unwanted bacteria among other things that could pose a threat in a water supply. when doing water changes in a tank you wipe the side and bottoms down correct, waht is the reasoning behind this. because good and bad alike bacteria grow on these surfaces. and you sacrfice the good to rid the bad. I know if I dont whipe down the sides and bottoms of my tanks my fishes fins will pay the price. so why put back water that is just like the stuff you whiped of the tank walls and bottom.
    I think this is great advive for a begginer. one less thing they will have to deal with down the road.
    I agree. Clorine and cloramine are put into our tap water to kill bacteria. Once you remove them you open the door for who-knows -what to colonize.

  9. #24
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    Quote Originally Posted by diveshooter View Post
    I agree. Clorine and cloramine are put into our tap water to kill bacteria. Once you remove them you open the door for who-knows -what to colonize.
    I believe so to. I think it is even worse with r/o water that is stripped complety bare well almost completly things get threw r/ounits as well.
    I think the only way to store water long term in a non sealed container and keep it ready for fish or drinking use is to either find a airpump that will pump deep enough for ozone use or a water pump and a venture valve injecting the ozone. this will keep the water clean as well as the sides and bottom of the container. even a uv sterlized coulndt do this, uvs only treat the water that is passed threw the light, ozone attacks and burns up anything in its way.
    I have tryed to add water that did have a slight haze from time to time, and my fish seemed very bothered and a times flashed off stuff in the tank.
    I dont think it harmed them but I do think it bothered them enough to get stressed and even shed some slime coat.
    that is why I am a firm believer in storing water short term.
    storing water very cold I would do but not at 82-85 degrees

    to me it like baby brine shrimp hatching once the water looks cloudy I dont use it and discard it.

  10. #25
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    Quote Originally Posted by AirCapital View Post
    I would say age tap water as short of time period as possible, ...
    ... and usually if I dont use the water after 12hrs I will discard it.
    Quote Originally Posted by AirCapital View Post
    ... if your water container was sitting for days or weeks on end ...
    There's a big difference between water sitting for a day and water that has been sitting for days on end.

    If sitting for weeks, I agree with you. Discard the water. Sitting for one day, I see no problem. That is the typical aging period.

    Tim

  11. #26
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    Quote Originally Posted by tcyiu View Post
    There's a big difference between water sitting for a day and water that has been sitting for days on end.

    If sitting for weeks, I agree with you. Discard the water. Sitting for one day, I see no problem. That is the typical aging period.

    Tim
    tim, when I said 12hrs I should have worded it better, yes that is how long I let my water sit sometimes longer 24hrs but that is the max, the reason being is i treat my water with ozone and I feel it is unprotected after words so I use it asap. I have had such water problems wither it is from un food safe water vessels or leating it sit to long so I have ground it into my way of thinking.
    I do see and hear of people storing it longer with no problems . much much longer. but to be on the safe side I recommend as short as possible tell the water is usable, I only say this to other members because this is what works for me. I also see no problems letting it sit for 24hrs max that is the norm it seems. sounds like we are one the same page

  12. #27
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    Quote Originally Posted by AirCapital View Post
    sounds like we are one the same page
    Peace. it's all good.

    Sounds like your past experiences with non-food safe containers have shifted your bias towards being safe. That's cool.

    I'm just cautious about heaping any more "worries" on newbies who are overwhelmed with information.

    Tim

  13. #28
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    Well guys, I'm not one to often disagree with caution, it is nec in our hobby....but, as for "sitting" water for days at a time in storage containers, I don't have your bias....when I plan my trips, after huge water changes, I do fill my containers (white 50g barrels & trash barrel 35g) with fresh water & leav'm covered, with the airstones workin'...do not heat them....when I'm home, set the heaters on & they're ready to use...this means quicker W/Cs....most trips are 3-4 days, some 2 wks...next spring, plan a month away....

    This works for me, perhaps not for others...have never had a problem, or discoloration or odor in the water......

    BTW, my high ph town water is not "cheap"....some months, the bill is over $100...most times 'bout $30-40, & increasing as we speak...& I have the horses too...

    Dottie
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  14. #29
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    Default Re: How long does it take to off gas chlorine from tap?

    Quote Originally Posted by korbi_doc View Post
    Well guys, I'm not one to often disagree with caution, it is nec in our hobby....but, as for "sitting" water for days at a time in storage containers, I don't have your bias....when I plan my trips, after huge water changes, I do fill my containers (white 50g barrels & trash barrel 35g) with fresh water & leav'm covered, with the airstones workin'...do not heat them....when I'm home, set the heaters on & they're ready to use...this means quicker W/Cs....most trips are 3-4 days, some 2 wks...next spring, plan a month away....

    This works for me, perhaps not for others...have never had a problem, or discoloration or odor in the water......

    BTW, my high ph town water is not "cheap"....some months, the bill is over $100...most times 'bout $30-40, & increasing as we speak...& I have the horses too...

    Dottie
    dottie,thats what is great about this hobby is what works for one doesnt work for others and you have to tweak things as need be.
    the reason I am so cautious is because i have had trouble in the past, It was a big fight and water quality was always on my mind driving me crazy.
    here is a link to tell how bacteria can enter your container and a few other harmful problems in the water supplys. the good and bad about bacteria is once it is seeded and has a food source it takes off like a multiples very fast.

    http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxifi...on-systems.htm

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