Dechlorination of salt water

[TWYOUNG]

I accidentally added a small amount of tap water to a trash can I already had salt water in. This is to be used in a fish only tank. Can I add a chlorine/chloramine remover to this bin even though it already has salt in it?

 

[Dan_P]

I accidentally added a small amount of tap water to a trash can I already had salt water in. This is to be used in a fish only tank. Can I add a chlorine/chloramine remover to this bin even though it already has salt in it?

Yes.

You might be able to forget about it. How much tap water did you add to how saltwater?

 

[Scooter21]

Chlorine will evaporate after 24 hours or so. Put a pump in to aerate it

 

[TurboTang]

Chlorine will dissipate usually after 24 hrs, but a lot of cities also use chloramines which are also deadly to fish and do not dissipate on their own.

 

[TurboTang]

I've never had any trouble with adding chlorine remover to salt water. But I've only used it sparingly over the years when I knew it was past time to change carbon filters on rodi system. Better safe than sorry for me where I know my city water has chloramines

 

[TWYOUNG]

Yes.

You might be able to forget about it. How much tap water did you add to how saltwater?

Not enough to change the salinity.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Not enough to change the salinity.

Instant Ocean and Reef Crystals as well as some other salt brands contain sodium thiosulfate, which is dechlor.

Jay

 

[Dan_P]

Not enough to change the salinity.

If you do the math on dilution, you find there is hardly any chlorine in the water and when you add that water to the aquarium wate4 is the concentration is even smaller. Plus, the organic matter in the aquarium water will consume the chlorine. This seems like a non-event.

 

[TWYOUNG]

If you do the math on dilution, you find there is hardly any chlorine in the water and when you add that water to the aquarium wate4 is the concentration is even smaller. Plus, the organic matter in the aquarium water will consume the chlorine. This seems like a non-event.

Thanks. I don't expect it to be a problem but I did add some chlorine/chloramine remover to it. Our water system uses chloramine which I've been led to believe is a more significant risk.

 

[Dan_P]

Thanks. I don't expect it to be a problem but I did add some chlorine/chloramine remover to it. Our water system uses chloramine which I've been led to believe is a more significant risk.

The oxidation potential is similar. The difference is the generation of one equivalent of ammonia, but like chlorine, a tiny amount.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I agree that I'd do nothing, but I did want to interject some commentary.

I would just add that the fact that chlorine may dissipate from fresh water is more complicated in seawater, as it almost certainly will react with seawater ingredients (such as bromide) to make other chemicals (hypobromite) that may not dissipate at the same rate but still are toxic at elevated levels.

ClO- + Br- --> BrO- + Cl-

 

[Malcontent]

Plus, the organic matter in the aquarium water will consume the chlorine.

To form organic chloramines which are still toxic.