Dirtdemon
Well-Known Member
I have a chemical that is used to treat fish tanks that have chlorine in the water. Can I use that same product to be able to use city water for my plant?
Chlorinated water
- Thread starter Dirtdemon
- Start date
I thought that was a good question, so I did some research. It appears the active chemical that neutralizes the chlorine and chloramines is Tetrasodium ETDA. This is made from ethylenediamine, formaldehyde—a known carcinogen according to the National Cancer Institute—and sodium cyanide (which is made from the toxic gas hydrogen cyanide).
I would NOT want this in my MMJ!!!
K
Greg Mendel
Well-Known Member
The low levels of chlorine in city water won't hurt your plant--it's safe to drink after all! People get WAY to excited about minutiae like that. Focus your attention on the stuff that matters.
Greg Mendel
Well-Known Member
Just FYI, EDTA (not ETDA) is NOT formaldehyde and is NOT cyanide!I thought that was a good question, so I did some research. It appears the active chemical that neutralizes the chlorine and chloramines is Tetrasodium ETDA. This is made from ethylenediamine, formaldehyde—a known carcinogen according to the National Cancer Institute—and sodium cyanide (which is made from the toxic gas hydrogen cyanide).
I would NOT want this in my MMJ!!!
K
EDTA is a chelating agent that sequesters poisonous heavy metals, so is given to people as a treatment for poisoning.
It or something very much like it is also used in the fertilizer you're giving to your plants!
Actually, if you just let the water sit out overnight, most of the chlorine will dissipate. It can be done in an hour or two if you bubble it with an airstone.
Greg Mendel
Well-Known Member
Chlorine will dissipate if it is added as a gas. Many utilities add chlorine is a more stable form now, and that doesn't off-gas. Check with local water utility to see what they use. (They usually have a website.) But again, your time and attention is better focused elsewhere, despite what the organic purists insist...Actually, if you just let the water sit out overnight, most of the chlorine will dissipate. It can be done in an hour or two if you bubble it with an airstone.
Ganjagrowergu
Well-Known Member
Because I run passive hydro (Hempy) with chemical ferts (maxibloom) I don't off gas or whatever it is, anymore.. I like to think that the chlorine kills bad stuff that wants to eat my roots. Just my opinion... But it will burn leaf tips and appear like nute burn. My plants are all fed lightly and have tips that are toasted, plants growing just fine.
Peace
Peace
Because I run passive hydro (Hempy) with chemical ferts (maxibloom) I don't off gas or whatever it is, anymore.. I like to think that the chlorine kills bad stuff that wants to eat my roots. Just my opinion... But it will burn leaf tips and appear like nute burn. My plants are all fed lightly and have tips that are toasted, plants growing just fine.
Peace
Yeah, I did both Hempy and DWC with straight tap water and no issues what-so-ever. I think a lot depends on how bad your tap is. Also, in soil, you want to build a colony of microbes and the chlorine kills the microbes in the soil.
FYI...you can search one of the shopping sites for an "inline water filter". You'll see some for both gardens and RV's that hook right up to a hose. It may not eliminate the chlorine entirely, but will greatly reduce it.
Chlorine will off gas. Chloramine which is chlorine stabilized with ammonia will not off gas. Many cities have moved to chloramine. Aquarium dechlorinators are only for ornamental fish. It isn't recommended to use aquarium water on vegetable gardens because of this. You should also not use it on plants that are fed on by ruminant animals. You can use it on ornamental plants though. You can use 50 mg of vitamin c per gallon to dechlorinate tap water. This is what is used in aquaponics. Keep in mind that chlorine is a micronutrient and is therefore essential to life in small amounts.
Greg Mendel
Well-Known Member
But it's not formaldehyde. That's my point. Doctors inject EDTA right into people's veins! I know a lot of organic folks react emotionally to this stuff, and that's OK.
I never said it was formaldehyde, just that it's made from formaldehyde; and I'm truly not being emotional.
I'm familiar with EDTA for chelation therapy, so not arguing that point, at all.
However, it sure appears to me that they're using Disodium EDTA:
And, that there's a difference between Disodium and Tetrasodium EDTA:
I would NOT put Tetrasodium EDTA in anything I'm going to consume, but maybe I'm just overly cautious!
What brand is it out of curiosity? Most dechlorinators are sodium thiosulfate or sodium hydroxymethane based. Either way stick with the vitamin c if you are concerned about chlorine/ chloramine. You can just use plain vitamin c tablets ground up and mixed into water. Let it sit for 12 hrs or so, definitely no less than 6.
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