Dechlorinators with "slime"

[Jamie]

I went to Booksamillion and bought a great book...Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants by Peter Hiscock. Loads of useful info- well worth the $25. Anyway, he mentions to not use dechlorinators that have "extra" stuff/aloe vera in them. Does this harm the plants? Also, just me thinking (dangerous)- tap water conditioners that trap heavy metals- will they rob our plants of trace elements? On the other hand if we don't use the metal conditioner- with the plants be poisoned by tap water metals like Cu. I wonder????

[Starry]

Actually, I was thinking something similar the other day. I use AquaPlus, which has EDTA as far as I know. I was also wondering if that may decrease the availability of iron. But, I have flourite, so I don't think it would be a problem even if iron was chelated from the water column. Hopefully it's not picking up anything out of my Tropica Master Grow. Now I'm thinking I might switch to something else just to be on the safe side....
I really doubt that the amount of heavy metals in tap water would harm plants. Unless you have bad pipes or some other water source that may be high in metals. I wouldn't worry about removing heavy metals with water conditioners.
As for the aloe, I don't see the point. That's my personal opinion, and I don't have a basis for it, I just think it's useless. I've used Big Al's conditioner though, and that has aloe. I can't say that my plants died or anything, but that was right when I set up my tank, so I had plenty of problems as it was. I've never heard of anyone having problems with them though.

[mogurnda]

I would just use simple dechlorinator/dechloaminator. In her Ecology of the Planted Aquarium, Diana Walstad spends a significant amount of time describing how toxic metals are sequestered and detoxified in a planted tank. If that water is safe for you to drink, it's fine for the plants.
As for the aloe, I don't see the point. Couldn't have said it better.

[RTR]

My thought is that if it is not needed, and I do not need aloe vera juice or similar material added to my tanks, then the material is just another pollutant being added.

[Jamie]

That's pretty much what I was thinking. Thanks for the input. I guess I'll return my bottle of stress coat and replace it with something that deals strictly with chlorine/chloramine.

[djlen]

Pick up some Aquarium Pharmaceuticals 'Super Strength' Tap Water Conditioner. One drop per gal. replaced. No additives.
Great stuff.
Len

[Timmain42]

Wait! Am I hearing a general bailout on AmQuel? NovAqua, yeah, I can understand that, but AmQuel?

:(

[RTR]

Amquel is still an agent of choice for water with chloramines. Just don't risk it with daphnia without personal testing.