Chloramine Neutralization?

**JohnSmith** · 10-08-2008, 5:39 PM

I found this text:

"If desired, both chlorine and chloramine can be removed for bathing purposes by dissolving Vitamin C in the bath water (1000 mg Vitamin C tablet will neutralize chloramine in an average bathtub)."

From this document:

http://sfwater.org/Files/FAQs/removal.pdf

This sounds ideal!

Anybody use this method (Vitamin C)? Anyone know if this is what commercial products are implementing? Anyone able to give a mg figure on what would be necessary for a standard amount (say 10g)?

Anyone with any info that this is just "hooey?"

Regards,
JS

**Rbishop** · 10-08-2008, 5:40 PM

nope, just use Prime..

**jmhart** · 10-08-2008, 5:51 PM

Given the lack of adequate testing methods, I would avoid trying this out. The only chloamine test available to your average hobbyist is livestock.

**excuzzzeme** · 10-08-2008, 5:52 PM

It may work for bathing (external use), but what effect would it have on fish since they pass water across the gills (internal use)? Going to have to find more info.

Thanks for the find.

Three special user groups, kidney dialysis patients, aquarium owners, and businesses or industries that use water in their manufacturing processes may need to remove chloramine from the water prior to use as they did with chlorine. Products to remove or neutralize chloramine are readily available.

For emergency use only I would say.

**NicR** · 10-08-2008, 6:01 PM

ill stick with prime... but i guess in a pinch that could work...

**JohnSmith** · 10-08-2008, 6:19 PM

Originally Posted by excuzzzeme

It may work for bathing (external use), but what effect would it have on fish since they pass water across the gills (internal use)? Going to have to find more info.

Thanks for the find.

For emergency use only I would say.

This:
"In 1977 ascorbic acid (a potent reducing agent) given intravenously or added to the dialysate water was demonstrated to protect against oxidative haemolysis secondary to chloramines at lower levels of contamination [6]. Ascorbic acid reduces chloramine to ammonium and hydrochloric acid and increased haemoglobin levels."

At this URL:
http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/co...ull/14/11/2625

Suggests they are injecting it into people veins!

Regards,
JS

**Mgamer20o0** · 10-08-2008, 6:22 PM

there is other ways to neutralize it but i rather stick with prime.

**Notophthalmus** · 10-08-2008, 6:23 PM

Interesting, but I wouldn't do it. It doesn't say what happens to the ascorbic acid - it could be converted into something nasty, and even if it only acts as a substrate and so maintains its identity, levels that high would probably hurt your fish. I would stick with the tried-and-true dechlorinators.

**JohnSmith** · 10-08-2008, 7:07 PM

Originally Posted by Notophthalmus

Interesting, but I wouldn't do it. It doesn't say what happens to the ascorbic acid - it could be converted into something nasty, and even if it only acts as a substrate and so maintains its identity, levels that high would probably hurt your fish. I would stick with the tried-and-true dechlorinators.

This:
"Why do kidney dialysis patients have to take special precautions?

In the dialysis process, water comes in contact with the blood across a permeable membrane. Chloramines in that water would be toxic, just as chlorine is toxic, and must be removed from water used in kidney dialysis machines. There are two ways to do that - either by adding ascorbic acid or using granular activated carbon treatment. Medical centers that perform dialysis are responsible for purifying the water that enters the dialysis machines."

From here:
http://www.ccwa.com/chloramines.htm

Suggests if they are introducing amounts of vitamin c (ascorbic acid) into patients blood streams--necessary to neutralize any chloramines present in the water, there is little need to panic ...

However, that said, I am just looking for people on the cutting edge who are familiar with this, been over this ground already, or are currently doing research; the avg. aquarium keeper will only go with commercial products ...

That said, you are already introducing some amount of vitamin c into your aquarium if you are feeding a balanced, quality dry food ... personally, I always keep a bit of marble or "sugar limestone" in my aquarium just to balance this out (and, one can always throw in some charcoal.) And, of course, if you have to maintain slightly low ph or soft water, this is impractical ...

Regards,
JS

**JohnSmith** · 10-08-2008, 7:42 PM

Anyway, I found, kind-of, what I was looking for. This URL (bottom page 24, top page 25):

http://books.google.com/books?id=nBC...um=6&ct=result

gives two compounds which chloramine and ascorbic acid are converted to--
ammonium chloride and dehydroascorbic acid.

So, it appears one would still have to neutralize the ammonium chloride (one of the fertilizers I used/experimented-with actually contained a small percentage of ammonium chloride--that always did worry me) ... I will further research all this.

Thanks to everyone who replied.

Regards,
JS