Varicon Aqua 'Pure'

WATER CONDITIONING; GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Water conditioning is the process of altering water so that aquatic life can survive and thrive in it. Municipal water sources are treated so that the water delivered to the tap is free of viable disease-causing bacteria, viruses and other organisms as well as appearing clean and clear and being free of disagreeable odors and flavors. While such water is typically suitable for human consumption with no further treatment it is almost always quite deadly to aquatic life.
In broad terms, a water conditioner must remove or mitigate those substances which are toxic to aquatic life and add those substances which promote the health and well being of aquatic life. Pure is just such a water conditioner. 

WATER CONDITIONING; SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS
Water from different sources will have different problems which need to be corrected before it can be safely used for aquariums and ponds.

CHLORINE: This is the most commonly used disinfectant substance found in tap water in the world. This is because it is highly effective and inexpensive and the technology, in water treatment, is well documented and understood. The chlorine content of any water sample can be easily determined with available chlorine test kits. The best kind of kit is one which will give two different, but related, measurements: (1) "free, available chlorine" and (2) "combined available chlorine".
The Environmental Agency and various local public health agencies have required that for overall human health that the amount of trihalomethanes (mostly as chloroform, CHCl3) be significantly reduced or totally eliminated from drinking water. The source of trihalomethanes in drinking water comes mainly from the reaction of "free, available chlorine" with low levels of dissolved organic substances in the treated water.
The obvious problem with reducing "free, available chlorine" is that disease-causing organisms (e.g. polio virus, typhoid fever bacteria, and fecal coliform bacteria) would likely make it through the water treatment process and arrive at the customers' taps.
"Free, available chlorine" is known, chemically, as "hypochlorite". The hypochlorite ion, OCl-, is the same ion that is found in common, household bleach products. As every knows, bleach is one of the best disinfectants available. Some small water treatment companies even "batch treat" their water supplies by adding the required amount of industrial bleach solution to a large tank of water before it gets distributed through the water supply system. The larger water treatment companies simply add chlorine gas directly to the water treatment stream and thereby produce the hypochlorite in situ.
The actual concentration of hypochlorite in the delivered water will vary from day to day and from season to season depending upon the conditions of the feed water and how the chlorine is added to the water.
The removal of chlorine; called "dechlorination" is relatively simple and can be achieved by a number of chemical substances. In addition, when water contained almost exclusively "free, available chlorine" it could be strongly aerated for a few days at room temperature and most (but usually not all) of the chlorine would dissipate. This was called "aging" the water.
The actual chemical reaction that occurs between hypochlorite ions and Pure is illustrated in the following chemical equation:
 
OCl- + HOCH2SO3Na ® H2NCH2SO4Na + Cl-
 
This results in the formation of chloride, Cl- and sulfate, SO4-2 ions.
As natural water sources around the world become increasingly more polluted it has become necessary to aggressively treat water to insure a healthy product. This translates into the addition of increasing amounts of chlorine so that the water treatment agencies can insure that the chlorine residual being delivered to the customer is sufficient to maintain safe water throughout the ever aging distribution systems.
As chlorine content (as "free, available chlorine") has increased so has the trihalomethane content. Trihalomethanes are known cancer-causing agents (carcinogens). To counteract the trihalomethane threat and still provide safe water it is known that by increasing the "combined, available chlorine" content one can both make the water safer and eliminate the carcinogens. "Combined, available chlorine" is better know as "chloramines".

CHLORAMINES: These substances are formed from the reaction between chlorine (or hypochlorite) and ammonia or ammonium compounds in water. There are three substances which can be called chloramines. These are (1) monochloramine, NH2Cl, (2) dichloramine, NHCl2, and (3) trichloramine, or nitrogen trichloride, NCl3. The formation of these compounds are relatively easy to understand if one looks at the ammonia molecule, NH3, which consists of a central nitrogen atom, N, with three hydrogen atoms, H, attached. Any or all three of the hydrogens can be removed in a chemical reaction and each can be replaced by a chlorine atom, Cl.
The chemical reaction between monochloramine and Pure is illustrated by the following chemical reaction:
 
NH2Cl + HOCH2SO3Na ® H2NCH2SO3Na + H+ + OCl-
 
The OCl- is hypochlorite. This ion then reacts with the sulfonate end of the Pure molecule for form harmless chloride ions, Cl- (see the previous section "CHLORINE").
In water treatment the first such compound, monochloramine, is the most desirable due to its stability in solution and its ability to kill viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms. In actual practice, there is always a small percentage of the total chloramine content present as dichloramine, but never any trichloramine. The trichloramine is very unstable and rapidly decomposes to free nitrogen and chlorine (that's why one should never mix bleach and household ammonia (or ammonia-containing cleaners)
When dechlorinated with ordinary dechlorinators the chloramines release the bound ammonia into the water. In addition, the chloramines are resistant to dissipation, even when the water is strongly aerated. The removal, or destruction, of chloramines is called "dechloramination". There is only one substance which not only dechloraminates water, but is also stable in solution, is nontoxic and is therefore, suitable for use on fishes and aquatic invertebrates intended for human consumption. This substance is found in Pure

AMMONIA: Ammonia comes from many sources in aquariums and ponds. These include accumulated and decomposing feces, uneaten food and dead plants. In aquariums, however, it has been shown that the majority of the ammonia in the water comes from the living fishes. Fishes expel ammonia directly into the water from exchange sites on their gills. This means the ammonia enters the water directly without having to be first mineralized from feces, etc. This is why starved fishes will still pollute their water with ammonia even though little or no fecal matter is produced.
The actual molecular or ionic form of the ammonia present in the water is directly dependent upon the pH, temperature and salinity. The pH is the most important factor affecting the equilibrium between molecular (= "free"), NH3, and ammonium ion (="ionic ammonia"), NH4+. As the pH increases the percentage of molecular ammonia increases, and as the pH decreases the percentage decreases. Another way of understanding this is to remember that at acid pH's (pH < 7) the ammonia becomes less toxic to the fishes and at alkaline pH's (pH >7) it becomes more toxic. Pure reacts with ammonia in is free, or unionized form. Pure will not only remove the "toxic ammonia" but due to the concentration present in standard dosages it will also remove all the ammonia as the equilibrium between ammonia and ammonium ion shifts as the NH3 is consumed in the reaction. At low pH's this reaction proceeds slower than at pH's above 7, but in practical terms the reaction proceeds quickly enough to provide complete ammonia removal in an hour or less.
The actual chemical reaction between ammonia and Pure is shown below:
 
NH3 + HOCH2SO3Na ® H2NCH2SO3Na + H2O
 
The reaction product, H2NCH2SO3Na, an aminomethanesulfonate salt, is nontoxic and is capable of being metabolized by ammonia-oxidizing (nitrite) bacteria. If the Pure is dosed at levels higher than needed to react with the ammonia present in the treated water, the excess may react further with the aminomethanesulfonate salt. This secondary reaction, however, will proceed slower than the initial reaction, and dosing with excess Pure to react with anticipated ammonia levels, such as in shipping bags or tanks, over a long period is recommended. The aminomethanesulfonate salt is stable at pH levels less than 9.0; at higher pH levels the compound will start to react with hydroxide ions, OH-, and some free ammonia may be produced.
Unlike other water conditioner which claim to remove toxic ammonia, Pure will do so even if the pond, tank, or aquarium is not cycled, is overstocked or is improperly filtered (this is why Pure can be used in live-haul tanks and shipping bags where there is no filtration and where the number of fishes per volume of water is typically several times that found in an aquarium, tank or pond). Additionally, when using Pure to remove ammonia there is no need to do water changes nor to vigorously aerate the water to facilitate is action. This does not mean that Pure should be used instead of proper water maintenance, but when Pure is used water management is made more efficient and effective.
 
SPECIFICATIONS
Pure is a single -phase, dechlorinating (chlorine removing), deaminating (ammonia removing), and dechloraminating (chloramine removing) agent. It is a white powder that is essentially odorless (upon long-term storage the product may develop a very slight odor) and is completely soluble in water.
Dosage: use 1 teaspoon (~ 5 mL) per 38 litres of water.
 
FOOD FISH USE
Pure may be used on fish intended for human consumption.
USE WITH CRUSTACEANS AND MOLLUSKS (SHELLFISH)
As with fish intended for human consumption, Pure may be used on shellfish intended for human consumption.
MARINE INVERTEBRATES: During the development of Pure, successful shipping tests were conducted with a wide variety of marine invertebrates: shrimp (e.g. penaeids and Stenopus hispidus), Octopus bimaculoides, American lobster, Turbo and Conus snails, Aplysia, various squid species, tropical and cold-water sea stars and sea cucumbers, Metridium and Condylactis anemones, and hermatypic corals (e.g. Trachyphyllia geofroyi). Additionally, over the years that Pure has been on the market, it has been used commercially by soft-shell crab distributors to prevent ammonia accumulation during the period the crabs are held before and during their molting.
FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES: Pure has also been extensively tested with freshwater mollusks and crustaceans. These have included species of snails, shrimp and crayfish. The product is routinely used for ammonia control in the shipments of both freshwater and marine invertebrates intended for the aquarium and bait trades.
LIVE FISH FOODS: Pure is routinely used in the packaging and shipping of live aquatic invertebrates sold as live fish feeds. Brine shrimp (Artemia spp.), glassworms, bloodworms, blackworms, Daphnia spp., etc., have been, and currently, are being held, shipped and packaged in water treated with Pure.
 
ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH USE
Pure is used extensively by researchers doing remote field research where the collection, holding and transportation of live fish and invertebrate specimens is both necessary and difficult. When collected animals are held in water treated with Pure, the effects of ammonia are eliminated. When used in shipping water the effects of ammonia and shipping stress are eliminated or mitigated. For shipping, the used of breathable bags greatly enhances the survivability (during and after shipping) of both fishes and invertebrates.

CONTRAINDICATIONS
Pure is not a medication, chemotherapeutic agent nor an economic poison and is not indicated for the treatment or control of any specific or general disease condition in aquarium organisms nor for the control of any pests.
If used to remove large concentrations of ammonia (>1.0 mg/L as NH3) in water with little (<50 mg/L as CaCO3) or no alkalinity the pH should be monitored. If the pH declines (by more than 0.3 units) simply add sufficient sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to boost both the pH and the alkalinity.STABILITY
Pure is stable for an indefinite period if kept in its original container. Pure should be kept dry, but if the powder forms lumps from having been exposed to humid air, the lumps can be pulverized, as necessary, and the product can be used as before. Do not return unused portions to the original container; do not introduce any water or other chemicals into the container.

COMPATIBILITIES WITH OTHER WATER ADDITIVES:
Pure is compatible with most other water conditioners. It is incompatible with strong oxidizing agents such as potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and its solutions. Due to its ability to reduce certain dyes Pure should not be used with treatments containing malachite green or methylene blue or related dyes. Pure is compatible with most antibiotics. Pure can be added directly to recirculating systems with active biological filtration; it will not interfere with, nor short-circuit, the nitrification process.

WITH TEST KITS: Water treated with Pure will give false (high), off-scale readings with ammonia test kits that use Nessler's reagents. Water treated with Pure is compatible with most salicylate and phenol/hypochlorite test kits.
Water treated with Pure is compatible with all known nitrite and low-range nitrate test kits.
Water treated with Pure is incompatible with Winkler and modified Winkler dissolved oxygen (DO) test kits. These kits will give false, low, or zero, readings. However, water treated with Pure is compatible with indigo/carmine dissolved oxygen test kits and with dissolved oxygen meters.
WITH COLORIMETERS: Refer to the information above about test kit reagent compatibility
WITH ELECTRONIC METERS AND ISE'S: When testing treated water with an ammonia ion-specific electrode (ISE) and electronic meter omit the step where 10N sodium hydroxide solution is added. Instead, dilute the electrode's picric acid filling solution with deionized water (to increase the electrode's sensitivity) at a ratio of 1 (filling solution) : 9 (deionized water), by volume, and measure the free ammonia directly. Refer to available charts to calculate the total ammonia from the free ammonia value determined and the known temperature, pH and salinity.

TOXICITIES
Pure is not known to be toxic to any fish, amphibians, aquatic invertebrates or aquatic plants.
Solutions containing approximately 21% Pure have been shown to be nontoxic and nonirritating to humans. Acute mammalian toxicity tests were performed on rats and skin and eye irritation (Draize tests) were performed on rabbits. The tested solutions of Pure were found to be nontoxic at oral doses of 5,000 mg/Kg or less.
Double blind toxicities studies were performed on American lobsters to determine if toxic metabolites accumulated in the edible tissues of the lobsters. No significant differences were found, in aqueous and ether extracts of the lobsters' edible tissue, between exposed and unexposed (control) animals.

PACKAGING
Pure is packaged in 3 different convenient sizes: 5 Kg, 10 Kg and 25 Kg.
5kg and 10kg are packaged in re-sealable plastic tubs, 25kgs in alufoil bags.

DOSAGE TABLE

N.B. Quantities relate to UK gallons. (4.546 L /GB Gallon)

Copyright © 2009 Varicon Aqua Solutions Ltd
Last modified: 02/02/07