[Immortal1]

Just noticed this posting on our local water company web page. Curious, do any of you have any thoughts or comments on this product and it's positive/negative impact on aquariums?
First big question I have is does this mean no more Prime for us? Somehow I just have a real problem dunking my bio-media in tap water. I realize those on wells likely "can" do that but I don't recall any one posting on this site that they can rinse their bio-media with city tap water without issues. EDIT - just realized Prime works on the CHLORINE / CHLORAMINE. And it also helps with Ammonia. Soooo, then the next question is does Prime work with this new "free chlorine"? I'm assuming it does as chlorine is, well, chlorine.

Thoughts?

Iowa American Water will temporarily adjust its treatment process in the Iowa Quad Cities this week as part of its regular, ongoing water main flushing program.
Continuing through November, the company plans to switch its disinfection method to a form of chlorine known as “free chlorine” which does not contain ammonia.
Chlorine is commonly used in public water systems as a disinfectant and is monitored closely by our water quality experts to ensure optimum levels are present.
However, due to the change in the type of chlorine, customers who are sensitive to chlorine may experience a more noticeable chlorine taste or odor in their tap water. There is no reason for concern as the water will continue to meet all state and federal water quality regulations. These aesthetic differences are due only
to the switch in type of chlorine in the water.

Customers with fish aquariums should take note of this temporary treatment change and whether or not it could impact their aquarium water, so they are able to take any necessary precautions. The treatment change is being done in conjunction with our routine water main flushing program which will be ongoing this fall. Crews will flush the distribution system from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. during the work week.

“The temporary switch in treatment is designed to make the routine flushing of water mains more effective and ensure we maintain our high quality water standards,” said Mary Jane Midgett, director of operations at Iowa American Water. “The flushing program is designed to maintain a high quality of water in the distribution system by flushing or cleaning mineral deposits and sediment from water mains.


http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/AMERPR/3124284513x0x913212/5DF30177-CBB4-429B-9664-0B8B974AD54D/Iowa_American_Water_Plans_Treatment_Change_and_Flushing_in_QC-102416F.pdf

 

[PlantedRich]

I'm not really familiar with the definition of "free chlorine" but I am with the process they are doing on the lines. Locally it is called a "burn out". I might guess that they normally use chloramine for treatment but for a short term burnout of the algae in lines, it is sometimes cheaper/quicker to use chlorine. Perhaps the "free" part is that the chlorine is not bound to ammonia as in chloramine?
for our use, it mnay make it a bit better as there is no ammonia to be bound up by Prime, etc. Since it is a temporary deal while the clean the lines, I would see no need to change anything. You may smell it more if drinking a glass of water. The chloramine stays in solution longer so there is a lower level added and it also gases off less so we smell it less. Chlorine treated water will often have a more noticeable smell due to it gassing off so quickly. We smell pools and spas because the chlorine is gassing off. Your tap water won't smell that strong but the same thing is happening.

EDIT?
Did a quick search of free chlorine and got a different idea than what I guessed. Doesn't change the effect for us though.
https://www.georgfischerblog.com.au/free-chlorine-versus-total-chlorine/

 

[Immortal1]

Thank-you @PlantedRich - Very helpful. I did not think it would be that big of a deal, just thought it was a bit odd that they specifically mentioned aquariums.

 

[PlantedRich]

Yeh, I kind of find that odd, too. Maybe they get so many excited folks that they decided to do a up front notice to try to shut some down before the calls.
I did the treatment for a community well at one point and we had about 100 meters so we were required to post the yearly confidence report. One year I thought it might be helpful to add some info on what some of the more obscure items meant, just to head off a bunch of calls. Man, that was a mistake when I tried to explain "total turbidity" as how much dirt and color was in the water. We had nice clear water but it still gets a line on the reports.
I got a screaming call from a couple folks who informed me that their water was supposed to be in pipes all the way from the water tank and it wasn't supposed to run in the dirt! It took some time to explain that wells are just nice holes in the ground where we get our water! And yes, the water does actually run under the ground before it gets to the well!

 

[Immortal1]

LOL, and I thought some of the wifes AT&T call center calls were a bizarre.

 

[Nordic]

Yep, basically, free chlorine is the way chlorine has traditionally been used to clean the water. It is the easier form of chlorine to deal with in the aquarium. All dechlorinating products will make it safe, but only certain products like Prime can deal with chloramine.

 

[roadmaster]

Might would dose Extra PRIME at water changes for a few week's.
If I was removing 50% of the water each week,I would dose enough PRIME for twice that, or for the volume of water the tank hold's rather than only for amount removed/added.
Nice of em to give you a heads up though.

 

[Nordic]

Sadly nobody ever seems to get a heads up when they swap it the other way around, and suddenly their fish are dead despite using their regular dechlorinator.

 

[MChambers]

The water company in Washington DC does the same thing once a year. I just continue using Prime or Safe the way I always do. Might not be a bad idea to up your dosage slightly, however.

 

[Immortal1]

Thank-you all for your comments and input! Hopefully this thread will help others in the future.