Help with Aquaplus Instructions

[bunnicula]

I just bought some Aquaplus Tap Water Conditioner and I'm not entirely sure how to interpret the instructions. It says:

To Remove Chlorine
5 ml (one capful) treats 10 gallons

To Remove Chloramine
5 ml treats 5 gallons

To protect Scales and Fins
10 ml treats 10 gallons


Which dose should I use to condition my water? Do I need to remove chlorine and chloramine? If so, would I combine the two dosages above (e.g. 7.5 ml [1.5 capfuls] for 5 gallons)?

My old water conditioner just had one dosage and that was to "remove chlorine and neutralize chloramines"...

[amanichen]

Yes, you do need to remove chlorine/chloramine (depending on which your city uses.)

One of the chemicals commonly found in water conditioners is PVP, which as a polymer, is able to chelate heavy metals, and is claimed to provide a boost to a fish's slime coat.

The instructions say to use a double dose for when there's possible damage to a fish's slime coat. (this is another topic entirely, but I can elaborate on it.)

In short, unless your water has unusually high metals, or chlorine/chloramine then use the 5ml dose.

[bunnicula]

Which one: the 5 ml for 10 gallons or the 5 ml for 10 gallons?

And no, my water doesn't have unusually high levels of metals or chlorine/chloramine.

ETA: Thanks for moving this thread - I realised that it should have been here after I posted it.

[amanichen]

Do you have chlorine or chloramine? -- that'll tell you which of the 5ml doses to use.

[bunnicula]

I honestly wasn't sure, so I went to the water commissions website and I found this:

How much chlorine is in my water?

We are required by the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour to maintain a chlorine residual of at least 0.2 mg/L (milligrams per litre or parts per million). We add enough chlorine at the treatment plant to make sure we meet the minimum at the most remote areas of the distribution system. This ranges from 0.5 mg/L in winter to 1.1 mg/L in summer. Therefore, the amount of chlorine in your water is between 0.2 and 1.1 mg/L.

And I found the following descriptions of the water treatment processes:

Lake Major Treatment Plant Process

1. Raw lake water is screened of large debris
and pumped through four vertical turbine
pumps to the treatment plant.
2. Chemicals are added and mixed to begin
treatment process:

Lime - raise water pH for optimized
oxidation

Potassium Permanganate - oxidize
out iron and manganese

Carbon Dioxide - lower water pH for
optimized coagulation

Alum - Coagulant to lump together silt,
bacteria and other solids and impurities

Polymer - to strengthen floc and
enhance coagulation

3. Coagulated floc and other impurities are
removed through upflow clarifier unit.

Chlorine is then added
(primary disinfection).

4. Remaining floc particles and other
particles are filtered out through four
anthracite, sand and garnet filters.

5. Final chlorine application for disinfection,
sodium hydroxide for pH control,
polyphosphate for corrosion control, and
fluoride for dental care.

6. Four vertical turbine pumps move water
from 9 million litres clearwell to the
transmission main and distribution
system.

J.D. Kline (Pockwock) Treatment Plant Process

1. Raw lake water is screened of large debris
and pumped through six vertical turbine
pumps to the treatment plant.
2. Chemicals are added and mixed to begin
treatment process:

Lime - raise water pH for optimized
oxidation

Potassium Permanganate - oxidize
out iron and manganese

Carbon Dioxide - lower water pH for
optimized coagulation

Alum - Coagulant to lump together silt,
bacteria and other solids and impurities

Chlorine - primary disinfection

Polymer - to strengthen floc and
enhance coagulation

3. Through slow mixing coagulation, process
is enhanced and large floc particles are
built.

4. All built up floc and other particles are
filtered out through eight anthracite coal,
sand and gravel filters.

5. Final chlorine application for disinfection,
sodium hydroxide for pH control,
polyphosphate for corrosion control, and
fluoride for dental care.


So...there is definitely chlorine, but I don't see anything that says chloramine (or am I missing something?).

[amanichen]

Cities either use chlorine or chloramine, not both.

Yours is chlorine

Chloramine is slowly replacing chlorine around the US.

[bunnicula]

Oh okay, I didn't know that it was either one or the other.

Thanks for your help. I'm off to change my water now.