Water Dechorlisasation

RobUK

RobUK

AC Members
Apr 16, 2004
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First off sorry about the spelling :)

Just a uick question inline with my other post

Doing a daily 50% change on my tank to reduce Nitrite I am using a chemical dechorlisaer which is removing Chlroine, Chlorimine and heavy metals. Would an overdoes of this into the tap water before its added to the tank cause any probs as I am try to speed up the bacterial growth and I am worried weather the tap water is stopping this?
 
Treating the water before adding it to the tank is not a problem. It is probably only beneficial, however, if you are dealing with chloramines and not chlorine.

Before deciding which chemicals to use and how to treat your water, therefore, you need to know whether your local water is treated with chlorine or chloramines (it will be one or the other). That information should be available from your local water authority, either on-line or by phone.

Exactly how are you changing your water, by the way? With a hose, or buckets, or what?
 
Hi,
My local supply does have Chlorimines in it.
What I am doind is taking out 50% by simply "bailing" the water out with a jug or watering can and then as it is serverly contantimated with Nirtrite its going straight out the window and into my front garden LOL :)

Would I be ok to overdoes as the stuff I am using is 1ml to 22litres which sounds stupid to me and I ma worried that the water isnt getting enought treatment hence my bacteria are getting killed.
Yesterday was my third 50% change, the tank is now understocked and my nitirtes are still not really coming down that much at all. I have gained a drop of maybe 1ppm in the past three days! (surely something is not right???)
 
I do not think that you are killing off the bacteria with an overdose of water dechlorinator. On the other hand, why are you overdosing? I.e. is it intentional or are you just rounding up from the directions on the bottle?

The nitrite stage of the cycle is longer than the ammonia stage. Part of the reason for this is that the nitrite oxidizers first need nitrite to be produced by ammonia oxidizers, which keep some of the nitrogen for themselves. So patience is always indicated. How long have you been in the nitrite stage of your fishy cycle? It took me about a month before NO2 finally disappear.

If your local water supply has chloramine, check your dechlorinator to see that it not only breaks the Cl - NH3 bond, but that it also complexes the NH3. In a fishless cycle this would be a bad thing, but in a fishy one, it's necessary.
 
You would be surprised at just how well a small amount of that stuff takes the chlorine and chloramine out of water. Overdosing, as was mentioned, by a little bit wont hurt but really isn't needed.
 
Hi,
Its mealry my nitirtes are through the roof (currently reading 4ppm) and I really need to reduce them. I have had the tank for ages and it completed its cycle about a month or so ago and then a sudden nitrite spike with fish in the tank. I have no other qauranteen tanks left and my lfs has run out of space aswell.

I just really want to get the nitirte down and was wondering if a little overdoes of treatment would just make double sure there were no chlorimines/chlorine/heavy metals left to inhitbit the bacteria growth.

I know you should never rush anything in aqautics but I have no chioce as the fish are getting quite annoyed and looking a little worse for wear.

Today I have done another 50% change, triple dosed on "bacterlife" a tank cycling aid" and put in theres nitro-zorb packs. It cluctching at straws I know but maybe I'll be blessed with a miracle :)
 
Really!
Didnt relise that, Have just done another test and its reading about 0.5ppm but I also did a massive water change as I was getting really fed-up and upset as my fish were looking really ill.

There going crazy now

Couldnt I use the packs for a few days to drop the ambient nitirte level and then remove 1 (I have too pouches to cover my gallonage) then leave it 24hrs and remove the other therefore doing kinda of a reverse cycle and giving a chance for the bacteria to establish as surley to much nitirite must inhibit bacteria growth as the water is just overloaded????
Or is that me being dense???? :confused:
 
Depends on how long they've been in for. If you just put them in today, get them both out. If they've been in longer, definitely do it gradually. Since you've starved the bacteria, the colony size would have stalled in growth or shrunk down to whatever size could be supported by the remaining NO2. If you take both out right away you'll spike the NO2 without having sufficient bacteria.

Keep up with the water changes. Use them to keep your NO2 under control.

If you know anyone with a cycled tank, get some of their old filter media. That should speed your cycle. If not, try asking your local LFS, assuming they're not a big chain store, they'll probably be willing to help you out. Filter media, not substrate. You need something that's had water flow to supply the colonies with oxygen and fresh NH3/NO2.
 
The packs went into today BUT i need to get the readings down or I am gonna pretty much lose the whole tanks stock in the next few days.

I was thinking now they have absorbed the spike they can be gradully removed. Hopefully keeping spikes down and gradually allowing the tank a chance to re-establish/cycle so to speak
 
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