# Getting rid of chlorine



## jtreagan (Dec 2, 2010)

When I change water in my tanks I usually fill some buckets with water, let them sit all day or overnight and then add the water to my tank. That way I can avoid using lots of that chemical chlorine treatment. Problem is that having to wait that long is really inconvenient. Has any research been done on just how long it _really _takes for the chlorine to dissipate? Thanks!


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## deman3 (Feb 17, 2011)

Research indicates 12-24 hours for normal chlorine. However, a lot of municipalites are using chloramine now which needs to be removed via chemicals because it doesn't dissipate as does chlorine.


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## AbbeysDad (Mar 28, 2011)

Products like StressCoat and may others remove chlorine, chlorimine and ammonia as well as neutralizing heavy metals. It also has aloe to reduce stress and promote the slime coat.
IMHO, well worth the modest investment as a little goes a long way.


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## Teishokue (Mar 10, 2011)

Still like Prime, its a stress coat, chloramine and reduces toxicfying ammonia


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Teishokue said:


> Still like Prime, its a stress coat, chloramine and reduces toxicfying ammonia


+one for Prime. Should be all that anyone needs for conditioner/dechlorinator.
Is also cheaper over the long haul than nearly all other water conditioners. 1 ml treats ten gallons,Takes nearly three times this amount of all other conditioners to treat same volume of water.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

personally, both stress coat and prime are good. Prime is more concentrated but stress coat has slime coat regen/replace qualities and helps fin repair so both have their uses.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

If fishes are not being handled,injured by capture,or receiving wounds from other fish or tank decor,there is no need for slime coat enhancers which is often in the form of aloe.
Aloe does little more in my view than clog filter material prematurely.I am doubtful that it can adhere to much of anything in water and if it coats the fishes skin,,then what keeps it from coating fishes gills,nostrils making respiration more difficult?
Healthy fishes are capable of producing slime coat all by themselves IMHO and filter material will stay cleaner longer without the use of aloe product in the aquarium for certain.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

Well for me, stress coat has always been effective. When i see any fish wounds, adding stress coat always seems to speed up the healing process. I always dose it after adding new fish and when i need to transport fish. Its very handy to have. I have never had issues with it clogging up filter media. Also, i believe the aloe is just a goo that coats the fish like jello. It dissolves quickly in water and reinforces the slime coat as the fish swim around.


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## AbbeysDad (Mar 28, 2011)

1077 said:


> If fishes are not being handled,injured by capture,or receiving wounds from other fish or tank decor,there is no need for slime coat enhancers which is often in the form of aloe.
> Aloe does little more in my view than clog filter material prematurely.I am doubtful that it can adhere to much of anything in water and if it coats the fishes skin,,then what keeps it from coating fishes gills,nostrils making respiration more difficult?
> Healthy fishes are capable of producing slime coat all by themselves IMHO and filter material will stay cleaner longer without the use of aloe product in the aquarium for certain.


_As long as you have a bar of soap, you don't need shampoo.
If you have one meal a day, you don't need three._

The fact that a water conditioner that treats chlorine, chloromines, ammonia and heavy metals also contains a small amount of aloe to promote/enhance fish health is not a reason to discard it. The amount of aloe involved in no way clogs filter material. In a sense, the aloe is just an artificial slime that aged (bio-slime) water would contain on it's own...so by removing chloro's, ammonia and heavy metals, we're artificially aging the water slightly. Kinda makes good sense, doesn't it? Is it absolutely necessary?...well no. No additives are necessary if you have distilled, RO or rainwater or otherwise purified or untreated spring or well water. On the other hand, it doesn't hurt and provides additional assurances.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

SinCrisis said:


> Well for me, stress coat has always been effective. When i see any fish wounds, adding stress coat always seems to speed up the healing process. I always dose it after adding new fish and when i need to transport fish. Its very handy to have. I have never had issues with it clogging up filter media. Also, i believe the aloe is just a goo that coats the fish like jello. It dissolves quickly in water and reinforces the slime coat as the fish swim around.


If you believe in the ...stuff, then that's all that matters.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Interesting thread. Back to the original question, agitating the water vigorously for several minutes will dissipate out the chlorine quickly. So will boiling, but that obviously has other issues.

If you only have a couple gallons at a time, use a largish glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, fill about 2/3 and shake it very vigorously for a few minutes. Most of the chlorine will dissipate out. * However*, make sure your water supplier only uses chlorine. As someone mentioned, many use chloramine and there is no way to remove that other than via chemicals such as those in water conditioners. 

It is because chlorine dissipates out through water agitation that chloramine is often used; water traveling through the water pipes will lose much of the chlorine. Where I live in the Vancouver Lower Mainland region, they have chlorine stations at several points to replenish the chlorine for this reason. Fortunately they have not resorted to chloramine.

Byron.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

AbbeysDad said:


> _As long as you have a bar of soap, you don't need shampoo._
> _If you have one meal a day, you don't need three._
> 
> The fact that a water conditioner that treats chlorine, chloromines, ammonia and heavy metals also contains a small amount of aloe to promote/enhance fish health is not a reason to discard it. The amount of aloe involved in no way clogs filter material. In a sense, the aloe is just an artificial slime that aged (bio-slime) water would contain on it's own...so by removing chloro's, ammonia and heavy metals, we're artificially aging the water slightly. Kinda makes good sense, doesn't it? Is it absolutely necessary?...well no. No additives are necessary if you have distilled, RO or rainwater or otherwise purified or untreated spring or well water. On the other hand, it doesn't hurt and provides additional assurances.


 
Aloe is a oil base product that has no place in my aquariums.The use of this product will clog filter material prematurely( my own expierience) (and could interfere with fishes respiration (my view) if used on consistent basis.Takes three times the amount of product to remove chlorine, chloramines ,ammonia, as PRIME .
Clean water will do more to promote fish health than any benefit derived from aloe and does not gum up filter material.


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