Cheap, Easy Dechlorination

altitudefarmer · Aug 27, 2013

Hey Cap, sorry if this is a redundant thread. I believe I did due diligence on research and found nothing here. Hope you don't mind it on your forum.

1. What are some easy, cheap ways to dechlorinate tap water before brewing tea?

2. Are chloramines deadly to my micro horde, and how do I purge them from my water?

3. Are air stones better than water pumps to aerate the water when brewing?

Let's hear it, folks! Give me your ideas

altitudefarmer · Aug 27, 2013

Not interested really in any 'dechlorinator' chemical products. Any natural product suggestions are welcome!

Thelbsnowman · Aug 27, 2013

I believe if you fill up a container with water and leave it outside for 24 hours will "evaporate" the chlorine away. I read that once, was trying to find out myself what i could do to de-chlorinate my tap water.

ttystikk · Aug 27, 2013

Chlorine dissipates as suggested above, but chloramines do not. To deal with them in your water, add a tiny touch of table sugar. Seriously.

Mr.Metal · Aug 28, 2013

ttystikk said:
Chlorine dissipates as suggested above, but chloramines do not. To deal with them in your water, add a tiny touch of table sugar. Seriously.

Smart man, and great point! I'd suggest getting a quality report of your city's water and see whats actually in there. A lot of cities HAVE recently switched over to chloramines as an alternative.
My city water has an average of 1.1ppm of chlorine, I just fill up my 5 gal bucket the day before I brew and let it sit. Hopefully I catch some spent blossoms or other free goodies from Mother Nature for that add extra saaauuwce lol :D

altitudefarmer · Aug 28, 2013

ttystikk said:
Chlorine dissipates as suggested above, but chloramines do not. To deal with them in your water, add a tiny touch of table sugar. Seriously.

Thanks, guys, I was aware of the aeration method to dissipate chlorine, and Cap (I think) had mentioned the table sugar in a thread I read but couldn't find again.
If I add more than a tiny pinch of sugar to my 5-gal bucket, it gets cloudy.
Do the chloramines destroy microbial life as bad as chlorine?

I've been filtering my water for a long time now with an inline ice maker filter. Does that remove chloramines?

altitudefarmer · Aug 28, 2013

Colorado springs has great tap water, relatively speaking, most of the time... mine comes directly out of the faucet at 7-7.5 pH and 50 ppm. Not too shabby, I just wonder how much of that ppm is pharmaceuticals and other poison.

Mr.Metal · Aug 28, 2013

If you get a quality report it tells you how much of each by ppm like I said, I only have 1.1 ppm of CHLORINE. It's drinking water.. I don't think there's gonna be poisons and pharmaceuticals. They add things to KILL bacteria, fungi, and
protozoan parasites which are all MICROBES.

NOW Back to the thread topic, like I said go search for YOUR cities most recent water quality report and they give you an exact analysis with measurements on every thing.

altitudefarmer · Aug 28, 2013

Got a free analysis at home depot. Waiting on results from another lab. I know my water quality is good.
The thread topic is about dechlorination and chloramines. Anybody else have suggestions?
This is more for the people I'm helping who don't have money to spend on gear. I use a tall boy, myself.
Thanks for the responses so far guys!

altitudefarmer · Aug 28, 2013

Mr.Metal said:
If you get a quality report it tells you how much of each by ppm like I said, I only have 1.1 ppm of CHLORINE. It's drinking water.. I don't think there's gonna be poisons and pharmaceuticals. They add things to KILL bacteria, fungi, and
protozoan parasites which are all MICROBES.

NOW Back to the thread topic, like I said go search for YOUR cities most recent water quality report and they give you an exact analysis with measurements on every thing.

Bro there's a shitload of toxic crap in most cities' "drinking water". Including fluoride, percocet (and other drugs), triclosan, and heavy metals.

altitudefarmer · Aug 28, 2013

Furthermore, I don't trust the city's report on their own work... lol. You know how government operates...

Seamaiden · Aug 28, 2013

altitudefarmer said:
Hey Cap, sorry if this is a redundant thread. I believe I did due diligence on research and found nothing here. Hope you don't mind it on your forum.

1. What are some easy, cheap ways to dechlorinate tap water before brewing tea?

2. Are chloramines deadly to my micro horde, and how do I purge them from my water?

3. Are air stones better than water pumps to aerate the water when brewing?

Let's hear it, folks! Give me your ideas

I know you don't want to hear it, but sodium thiosulfate is perfectly safe for microbes and many other incredibly delicate living things, it's what is still used in public aquariums small and large, and is incredibly cheap, especially if you mix it down to the OTC levels of 1%-3%.

While aeration is perfectly suitable for removing chlorine, it will do nothing for chloramine, you will need something that either bonds to it (carbon?) or breaks the bond between the chlorine and ammonia. Again, sodium thiosulfate is absolutely suitable and acceptable for this purpose.

In terms of water treatment, chloramines are actually preferable over chlorine, as chlorine has been linked to causing some cancers. The EPA has recommended that all U.S. water municipalities switch their treatment from chlorine to chloramine, and the specific purpose is to kill microbes. So, yes, it will (and should if it's properly treated water) be killing soil microbes.

I see that someone has mentioned using sugar, and while it's not something I have ever done, if it works, I say go with it. Not as cheap as sodium thiosulfate, but hey, it sure is easier to get! However, if you're of a mind, you can get it for something like $5 for 2lbs dry (which then needs to be mixed down to that low percent solution mentioned above). At the Long Beach Aquarium we would just sprinkle it in, used our noses to tell us whether or not the chlorine was gone. Chlorine bleach is used to clean many items, such as tank decorations, and that needs to be neutralized quickly.

altitudefarmer · Aug 28, 2013

Is sodium thiosulfate what is in greengro water conditioner? My plants absolutely hated that stuff the one time I used it a few years ago.
Thanks for the awesome response Sea!!!!

Seamaiden · Aug 28, 2013

I don't know, I've never seen GreenGro water conditioner. I can tell you that it's in stuff like Novaqua, minus the stuff they put in for helping the fishes' slime coating.

It's one of the few chemicals I don't have a problem using, knowing how it's used in other areas. Another example is methylene blue. It's used in aquatics for disease and pest treatment, and for any egg-laying breeding fish, because it will stain any bad eggs dark blue. It's also used by surgeons to stain infected or bad tissue so they can be sure they cut out all the bad bits. It's also a VERY pretty color blue!

Jesus, why is it so difficult to find a label for the GreenGro? They're saying it also has electrolites, stuff for the fishes' slime coating?

Mr.Metal · Aug 28, 2013

Hey Sea, what about those sprite tablets like Mediterranean Blue that are meant for bath and shower use?? I know that's not really a cheap method, but for the sake of learning, would that be detrimental to the ladies??

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sprite-S...h-Salts-B-SALTS/100372136#product_description

Seamaiden · Aug 28, 2013

What's in them? I've never seen them before.

altitudefarmer · Aug 28, 2013

Hell yeah let's get this discussion rolling. My goal here is to make organic cannabis easy to grow for many of my 'clients'. My focus went from warehouses to helping elderly and disabled folks become self-sufficient.
Most of those people don't have much extra cash. Guess I won't be making the millions I was counting on went this shit went legal.. Haha!

Mr.Metal · Aug 28, 2013

"Mediterranean Blue Dechlorinating Bath Crystals

Now you can turn your bath into a healthy ritual. Mediterranean Blue Dechlorinating Bath Crystals, made with Crystal-chlorgon (mineral salt), Epsom salt and sea salt, neutralize chlorine, chloramine and vapors in your water to make your bath safer and healthier. These fast-working bath salts condition your water without added fragrance or artificial dyes, and help alleviate dry itchy skin while leaving skin and hair silky and smooth. Use alone or in combination with your favorite bath products to create a healthy and luxurious bathing experience.

$19.95 Sprite Mediterranean Blue De-Chlorinating Bath Salts 40oz

VitaBath Vitamin C Bath Tablets Remove Chlorine and Chloramines imageVitaBath Vitamin C Dechlorination Tablets

Effervescent Vitamin C dechlorination tablets are comprised of ascorbic acid, citric acid and sodium bicarbonate. This powerful formula is designed to neutralize chlorine and chloramines in a hot tub or spa. As Vitabath dissolves, the Vitamin C will become effervescent and begin to fizz. One Vitabath effervescent tablet is able to neutralize 1 ppm chlorine and chloramines in 100 gallons of water and completely eliminate the dry itchy skin caused by chlorine in your hot tub or spas. more info

$19.95 Vitabath Vitamin C Dechlorination Tablets - 1000mg 100 Tablets"

Found the info here:
http://curezone.com/forums/am.asp?i=1908480

It says MINERAL SALT, EPSOM SALT, and SEA SALT. Says its effective against chlorine and chloramines alike.

Seamaiden · Aug 28, 2013

Ah! Well, it looks kind of ok, except I'm really not sure what would happen when you mix acids with bases. I do believe I've read elsewhere that both acids are either good for dechlorination, or good for lowering pH, but I honestly cannot remember. The sodium bicarbonate would necessarily counteract/counterbalance that effect, I believe, but am not sure.

I guess it makes sense that it would work well on your skin, chlorine makes water more basic, the acids would shift that, and the sodium bicarbonate would...? Neutralize their effect..? <shrug> The salts are all stuff I already use, though, but not for dechlorinating. I'm on filtered well water, not a treated muni supply.

Mr.Metal · Aug 28, 2013

Yes, I would agree it seems to be just a compilation of simple salts. I guess it can't be TOO harmful?? But you can mix this up at home EASY PEEZY now that I've seen the label. Now I am interested to see how it would work for PM lol considering the Epsom salts and sodium bi-carb..

EDIT: EPSOMS SALTS!! I was thinking BAKING SODA lol ahhh gotta love medicating in the mornings haha :D

Cheap, Easy Dechlorination

Cheap, Easy Dechlorination

altitudefarmer

altitudefarmer

Thelbsnowman

ttystikk

Mr.Metal

altitudefarmer

altitudefarmer

Mr.Metal

altitudefarmer

altitudefarmer

altitudefarmer

Seamaiden

Living dead girl

altitudefarmer

Seamaiden

Living dead girl

Mr.Metal

Seamaiden

Living dead girl

altitudefarmer

Mr.Metal

Seamaiden

Living dead girl

Mr.Metal

Cheap, Easy Dechlorination

Cheap, Easy Dechlorination

altitudefarmer

altitudefarmer

Thelbsnowman

ttystikk

Mr.Metal

altitudefarmer

altitudefarmer

Mr.Metal

altitudefarmer

altitudefarmer

altitudefarmer

Seamaiden

Living dead girl

altitudefarmer

Seamaiden

Living dead girl

Mr.Metal

Seamaiden

Living dead girl

altitudefarmer

Mr.Metal

Seamaiden

Living dead girl

Mr.Metal

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