I don't think sodium thiosulfate is working

[DRteugelsi]

I've been mixing a half a teaspoon in a small cup and adding it to my 60 gallon after water changes and I find the fish acting really funky after water changes since using it and switched back to the regular water conditioner and now they are acting fine.

Am I missing a step? What am I doing wrong?

 

[Hendre]

I think I used about 20 grams in 250ml of water. how do you add? you need to dechlor the full volume.

knowing the chlorine level in your tapwater helps, there are charts to dose accordingly

 

[Bigfishnut]

You probably have chloromine in your tap. Sodium thiosulfide only works on chlorine. Seachem safe is the way to go if you want to buy bulk and save money

 

[DRteugelsi]

You probably have chloromine in your tap. Sodium thiosulfide only works on chlorine. Seachem safe is the way to go if you want to buy bulk and save money

Thanks guys for the input. I thought this to be the case. I just know that when I got my water chemistry from the water supply plant they made no mention of chloramines so I just assumed there weren't any dumb mistake on my part..

 

[Hendre]

Doesn't it bind the chlorine then leave tje the ammonia?

RD.

 

[DRteugelsi]

I have double dosed my current water conditioner (it said it is completely safe) and I've added an air stone the fish that were acting lethargic and breathing at the top of the tank have moved lower but still breathing looks laboring to them... hopefully my mistake didn't cause any permanent damage seeing as I have about $600 in fish in this tank...

Oddly enough the more expensive ones seem less effected...

 

[pops]

seachem prime/safe is the way to go. they are the same thing but safe far more economical.

 

[Bigfishnut]

Doesn't it bind the chlorine then leave tje the ammonia?

RD.

From my understanding, sodium thiosulfide is not effective on chloromines. Im sure RD. Can way in on this as to why

 

[robham777]

Where in Ohio are you located, you should be able to access your water quality report online that would show levels and type of disinfectant used.

 

[RD.]

For a starter, what you were adding to your tank - "I've been mixing a half a teaspoon in a small cup and adding it to my 60 gallon " ....... is quite likely a massive overdose of sodium thiosulfate. How that would affect various species of fish, I have no idea. Never experimented with it, and have no plans to.

And as others have stated, it's quite possible that you have chloramine treated tap water which contains chlorine/ammonia, and once the bond is broken, with chloramine treated water one is left with various levels of free ammonia, which is toxic to fish. Sodium thiosulfate does not reduce free ammonia, or render it into a fish safe form, such as certain water conditioners. (Prime, Safe, Chloram-x, etc)

BTW - in water reports often there is no mention of the word "chloramine", even when that's what is being used - but if you see the word ammonia, and chlorine, being added to the treatment, then you will have chloramine.

What is your typical/regular water conditioner that you use? That may answer the question with regards to chloramine.


HTH