chloramine... - Page 3 - Orchid Board

Jayfar · #21 04-29-2013, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidCampen

I don't see any reason why chloramine at the levels used to disinfect drinking water would be harmful to orchids.

I'm inclined to agree with you and had always operated on the assumption that it was harmless, but then I stumbled across threads and googled up some more on various boards (including, of course, the cannabis growers) about the badness of chloramine, so I started to wonder. Doesn't seem to be a lot of scientific info out there one way or the other. I think I may just go back to not worrying about it at all.

Brooke · #22 04-30-2013, 05:53 PM

I've never had a problem with chloramine on any plants, inside or outside. I can tell you from experience chloramine will kill fish.

If you build a pond, and upon the fish store owners recommendation says to make 10% water changes, eventually you will find your fish floating, and suffering on their sides.

Brooke

Discus · #23 06-19-2013, 06:53 AM

Those same fish store owners will usually also tell you to use a tap water conditioner...

Skayc1 · #24 06-19-2013, 08:04 AM

The conditioner removes the chloramine...

Brooke · #25 06-19-2013, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Discus

Those same fish store owners will usually also tell you to use a tap water conditioner...

I did use a conditioner for the inside fish but he said to change 10% of the water of the pond and it would evaporate. Do enough 10% changes and chloromine will not evaporate, it accumulates.

Brooke

Skayc1 · #26 06-19-2013, 04:59 PM

If water is left standing for 24 hours the chloramine does evaporate, some people instead of adding chemicals to the water for a fish tank, simply let the water sit so the chloramine evaporates naturally.

pipsxlch · #27 06-19-2013, 07:01 PM

Chloramine does NOT evaporate in 24 hours! Chlorine does; in the days pre-chloramine many of us fishkeepers would do as you say and leave buckets out for 24 hours, long enough for the chlorine to breathe out. Now that is just a recipe for dead fish. As previous posters have said, chloramine is a chlorine/ammonia bond that is much more longlasting than straight chlorine; even if the chlorine breathes out or is taken out, it leaves the ammonia behind. I use Prime (is a more concentrated product and is rated for chloramines/chlorine/ammonia) in my aquaria (fancy goldfish/discus). I haven't noticed my fish having any issues, the discus breed.
I had always used straight tap for my orchids. They never seemed to mind, but I imagine more sensitive species may.
One thing- don't ever use softened water for fish or plants! The sodium used to remove the calcium is toxic, and they need that calcium. Makes you wonder how good softened water is for us.

WhiteRabbit · #28 06-19-2013, 08:14 PM

I hope no one drinks or cooks with softened water! Ingesting small amounts now and again shouldn't be a problem, but it's quite high in sodium! Something many of us already ingest too much of.

james mickelso · #29 06-19-2013, 10:02 PM

Ross is right on. Chloramines are used in the water and wastewater industries for disinfecting water and wastewater effluents before discharging into rivers and lakes. Many municipalities have switched from gaseous chlorine to chloramines because it is safer and lasts longer as a disinfectant. In wastewater the USEPA requires that the effluents be de-chlorinated before discharging. Most drinking water standards from the USEPA require no more than 1 ppm chlorine at the service to the house. Any more is just wasteful. It will not harm you or most fish in aquariums. The biggest problem in aquariums is the build up of ammonia from the waste of the fish. Chloramines will not harm orchids at 1-2 ppm. It is all the other dissolved solids/salts/minerals in the water that harm the roots of orchids. That is why many of us use RO water. Oh....I work in the water industry. Going on 35 years.

pipsxlch · #30 06-19-2013, 10:53 PM

I drink my tap without a thought as well as water plants with it, but I've worked in the aquarium trade since '86 and seen major loss from the use of straight tap in aquaria- some recently. Maybe some areas do exceed the guidelines regularly? It's not so rare for the water here to be so heavily chlorinated it smells like a pool. Our groundwater sources are no longer so pristine. (and I'm a big advocate of frequent water changes, sparse feeding and not overcrowding; if you do so ammonia buildup shouldn't really ever be an issue, though people do want their fish to be overcrowded, fat and no work I agree).