Pond Water Conditioners. Useful or Not?

The source of water for filling or topping up a pond for most people is ordinary municipal supplied tap water.

Because tap water is drunk it has go through a series of rigorous physical and chemical treatments which include the addition of chlorine or chloramine as disinfectants. If chlorine is used and a pond is filled with tap water the chlorine dissipates quite quickly and this process is helped if water is sprayed rather than run as a stream of water. On the other hand chloramine is much more stable and stays in the pond water to the detriment of pond life including fish. Chloramine is used extensively in the USA.

It is probably a good idea if you have an extensive collection of fish to use a water conditioner that removes both chlorine and chloramine whenever you do a water change.

Some specialised water conditioners not only remove chlorine and chloramine but also are able to mop up ammonia and nitrite and heavy metals in the water supply.

Please also check out this UK Pond Doctor site