Water dechlorinator

Lars6

Jack Dempsey
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So I recently hooked myself up with some sodium thiosulfate after seeing the king of DIY’s video. I was looking for an alternative to spending unneccessary amounts of money on water conditioner. Does anybody have any experience with sodium thiosulfate? If so, what do you think of it and would you reccomend it?
 

tlindsey

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So I recently hooked myself up with some sodium thiosulfate after seeing the king of DIY’s video. I was looking for an alternative to spending unneccessary amounts of money on water conditioner. Does anybody have any experience with sodium thiosulfate? If so, what do you think of it and would you reccomend it?

duanes duanes
 

Lars6

Jack Dempsey
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It says that the solution has a shelf life of 6 months. Does that mean that in 6 months, my gallon of solution will be inaffective?
 

Davidiator

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It says that the solution has a shelf life of 6 months. Does that mean that in 6 months, my gallon of solution will be inaffective?
Yes
 
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Hendre

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It works well for me. Haven't had any deaths during water changes while using it :)
 
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duanes

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I have used Sodium Thiosulfate as my only dechlorination detoxificant for over 30 years. (Calcium Thiosulfate also works, but is more expensive)

I usually buy the 5 gallon bucket of dry salts from a company like Fischer Scientific, and mix my own (a liter at a time), the dry salts last for years. Because I was a chemist/microbiologist at a water company I had experience buying from those type companies, as opposed to needing to use more expensive Pet Store versions.
6 months is probably the amount of time the liquid version is 100% effective, and may incrementally lose potency very gradually after that.
Some might say straight Sodium Thiosulfate is not as effective as a product like Prime, because the commercial products also add an ammonia detoxifying agent.
I always figured my bio-filter was sufficiently capable of handling the ammonia in the chloramine in my tap.
In a new tank or set up, with a wimpy bio-media population a commercial product may be needed.
 

Rocksor

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I have used Sodium Thiosulfate as my only dechlorination detoxificant for over 30 years. (Calcium Thiosulfate also works, but is more expensive)

I usually buy the 5 gallon bucket of dry salts from a company like Fischer Scientific, and mix my own (a liter at a time), the dry salts last for years. Because I was a chemist/microbiologist at a water company I had experience buying from those type companies, as opposed to needing to use more expensive Pet Store versions.
6 months is probably the amount of time the liquid version is 100% effective, and may incrementally lose potency very gradually after that.
Some might say straight Sodium Thiosulfate is not as effective as a product like Prime, because the commercial products also add an ammonia detoxifying agent.
I always figured my bio-filter was sufficiently capable of handling the ammonia in the chloramine in my tap.
In a new tank or set up, with a wimpy bio-media population a commercial product may be needed.
how much sodium thiosulfate per gallon of water is required to treat for 4ppm of chloramine?
 

RD.

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I always figured my bio-filter was sufficiently capable of handling the ammonia in the chloramine in my tap.
I would agree up to a certain point, but when one considers that some folks, myself included, perform large 80-90% water changes, and have tap water treated with chloramine (not chlorine), a high pH value (which makes free ammonia more toxic), and no plants for uptake, I have always considered an ammonia neutralizing agent to be a very good idea. A bucket of Seachem Safe will last most hobbyists several years, or longer.
 
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duanes

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I usually mixed about 1 tsp dry sodium thiosulfate per liter of DI water (tap will do, but I always keep DI around to rinse test tubes), after mixed, a little bloop (a Tbsp or 2) per water change.
You can see how a 5 gallon bucket of dry sodium thiosulfate could last for years.
 
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