All aquariums and ponds need water. However, not all water sources are equal in quality. Water conditioners make tap water safe for aquaria by neutralizing and/or removing various toxic substances. The most common toxic substance in tap water is chlorine. Municipalities use chlorine (or chloramine) to kill bacteria in drinking water, making the water safer […]
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As mentioned in Part 1 of this article series, chlorine is a highly toxic substance in tap water that must be neutralized before adding water to an aquarium or pond. Unfortunately, many municipalities now treat water with the more stable compound chloramine. Regular dechlorinators cannot detoxify this compound. Chloramine consists of chlorine and hydrogen atoms. […]
Excellent water conditioners perform functions beyond dechlorination. Aqualife Complete and Prime help in emergency situations by removing excess ammonia and detoxifying nitrite. Nitrite attaches to the gill filaments of fish and prevents oxygen absorption. Aquarium salt, like API Aquarium Salt also helps with nitrite poisoning and can be used in conjunction with either of these […]
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Go-Go-Gadget-UV! Ultraviolet sterilizers combat green water algae growth and parasites. To best achieve this goal, sterilizers need to be paired with the appropriate flow rate. Algae growth is best controlled with longer exposure time to the UV rays. The Oase, LifeGard, and Danner line of UV sterilizers offers many useful features to simplify installation. The […]