Question: What is the Difference Between Chlorine and Chloramine?
Answer: In the United States, regulations require that all municipal be treated with chlorine to limit bacterial growth. However, water treatment companies may choose to use either chlorine or chloramine. For most people it doesn't make any difference, but to the aquarium owner the difference is very significant.
Chlorine
The concentration of chlorine required by law in the United States, 0.2 ppm, is high enough to be lethal to your fish. Fortunately it is easily neutralized by one of two methods. The first option is to chemically treat the water with sodium thiosulfate. Virtually every water treatment product available at your local pet shop contains this chemical. In other words, if your water contains only chlorine, all you need to purchase the most inexpensive product containing sodium thiosulfate.
The second option utilizes the fact that given the opportunity, chlorine dissipates pretty rapidly into the atmosphere. If water is simply exposed to the air for twenty-four hours, it will be chlorine free. This can be accomplished by leaving it in open buckets, or by filling the tank and letting the filter run at least one day before adding the fish.
Chloramine
In recent years, water treatment plants have turned to chloramine as an alternative to chlorine. Chloramine combines ammonia with chlorine, which gives it the advantage of being more stable than chlorine by itself. Using Chloramine makes it easier to attain the legal level of chlorine in the water.
The disadvantage to aquarium owners is that the ammonia is very toxic to fish. That means the water must be treated for both chlorine and ammonia before it can be used in the aquarium. Fortunately, there are products available that neutralize both the chlorine and ammonia.
Which Do You Have?
The most direct way is to call your water company and ask them what is in your water. By law they must make the composition of your water available to you. If you aren't comfortable asking your water municipality, you can always test your tap water yourself. Since it’s wise to test your water anyway, that is actually the easiest route to go. Then you can choose the proper product to treat your tap water.
Another option is to simply treat the water with a product that neutralizes both chlorine and ammonia. That way you cover all the bases. Regardless of what you do, it's always wise to be aware of what is in your water source.
Chlorine
The concentration of chlorine required by law in the United States, 0.2 ppm, is high enough to be lethal to your fish. Fortunately it is easily neutralized by one of two methods. The first option is to chemically treat the water with sodium thiosulfate. Virtually every water treatment product available at your local pet shop contains this chemical. In other words, if your water contains only chlorine, all you need to purchase the most inexpensive product containing sodium thiosulfate.
The second option utilizes the fact that given the opportunity, chlorine dissipates pretty rapidly into the atmosphere. If water is simply exposed to the air for twenty-four hours, it will be chlorine free. This can be accomplished by leaving it in open buckets, or by filling the tank and letting the filter run at least one day before adding the fish.
Chloramine
In recent years, water treatment plants have turned to chloramine as an alternative to chlorine. Chloramine combines ammonia with chlorine, which gives it the advantage of being more stable than chlorine by itself. Using Chloramine makes it easier to attain the legal level of chlorine in the water.
The disadvantage to aquarium owners is that the ammonia is very toxic to fish. That means the water must be treated for both chlorine and ammonia before it can be used in the aquarium. Fortunately, there are products available that neutralize both the chlorine and ammonia.
Which Do You Have?
The most direct way is to call your water company and ask them what is in your water. By law they must make the composition of your water available to you. If you aren't comfortable asking your water municipality, you can always test your tap water yourself. Since it’s wise to test your water anyway, that is actually the easiest route to go. Then you can choose the proper product to treat your tap water.
Another option is to simply treat the water with a product that neutralizes both chlorine and ammonia. That way you cover all the bases. Regardless of what you do, it's always wise to be aware of what is in your water source.
