ladylouroll

ok i just got hold of some prime and done a 50% water change but im a little unsure if i am supposed to add enough prime for the water i am adding or the whole tank size? please help me.

Lucy

I've always added enough to treat the new water, not the whole tank.
I think others add enough to treat the whole tank.
IMO, the water in the tank is already dechlorinated so just treating new water makes sense to me.

Are you using it detox ammonia also?

ladylouroll

no my ammonia is at 0 in all my tanks. thanks lucy.

Lucy

Your welcome

Martinismommy

I use prime and I use 2 drops per gallon....

harpua2002

I use a Python for water changes in the big tanks, so I dose Prime for the whole volume of the tank as per the Python instructions. In the small tank, I use a bucket, and treat only the water in the bucket with Prime. 2 drops per gallon is sufficient, as Martinismommy said.

ladylouroll

ok thanks guys all water changes done i just treated the buckets of water i put in, its really hard to get just 1ml out each time how do you guys do it?

Shawnie

usually you can use a baby dropper for meds....although im like harpua, I treat the entire tank also for all my tanks

eiginh

I treat the whole tank as well. I thought that's what it said to do for each use, but maybe not. I'll read it again when I get home later.

aquarist48

I treat the water going in and then I treat the entire tank as well. Works for me

prairielilly

I bought the small bottle of Prime, it has a dropper cap and I keep it beside the sink. I then also bought the bigger bottle and just use it to keep filling up the smaller bottle. I only add enough for the new water, as like Lucy said the old water is already dechlorinated and I'd be concerned about buildup of chemicals if I were adding enough for the tank volume with every water change but only swapping out 25% or so...

harpua2002

If you use a Python, the instructions say to dose dechlorinator for the whole volume of the tank. I change 50-60% each time with the Python so it makes sense for me to treat the whole tank while it is filling up. I wouldn't treat the whole tank otherwise, it isn't necessary.

ladylouroll

i dont use a python thanks

eiginh

Wouldn't it be depend on how much water you are putting in? If doing a %50 or more, I think treating the whole tank would be necessary. Wouldn't it? please correct me if I'm wrong.

harpua2002

Not if you are treating the water before you add it to the tank. The reason that I dose for the whole tank with the Python is that I'm filling the tank directly from the tap as I add dechlorinator to the tank at the same time. If you are mixing water and dechlorinator in buckets first it isn't necessary.

eiginh

Yes, that's what I meant to say. If it's straight out of tap water I think it would be necessary to treat the whole tank but pretreated it doesn't. How about adding distilled water? it wouldn't be necessary right?(sorry if this is hijacking your thread louroll)

kloseo

wow 50% is a large water change, be careful not to start the tank on another mini cycle, I try not to do more than a 30% at most water change so as not to shock my fish or start another cycle

aquarist48

Hello. Adding distilled water would be ok in small amounts. However, it can lower your pH levels drastically so be careful. If you lower your pH too quickly it can result in a major fish loss. I wouldn't suggest using a tank filled with distilled water. Tap with the chlorine removed would be much better.

ladylouroll

i no its a large change kloseo but im trying to get any of the left over crystals out of my water and this was the best way i was recommended and can see doing myself.

Lucy

If 50% makes you nervous you can do 25% twice a day.
IMO and experience changing a large amount of water will not effect the cycle since very little bacteria is actually in the water, instead it grows on surfaces such as filter media, gravel, plants, and decorations.

harpua2002

Trust me, it's not a problem if your fish are used to it. Other than a case of old tank syndrome, where large water changes would shock fish because they've grown accustomed to dirty water full of nitrate and dissolved organics, large water changes will not hurt fish. I've been changing 50-60% weekly for years and my fish are brighter and more active after a water change, and my water quality is great. Like Lucy said, the majority of the beneficial bacteria do not live in the water column, but rather on surfaces in the tank and filter.

eiginh

Good luck with the water changes and I hope every turns out well!

carlos413

I don't like the idea of dumping tap water in my tanks. I do it the old school way. Bucket and sinphon. I get peace of mind!!! And that's worth a million to me.

Nate McFin

Me too Carlos. I even add my water conditioner and stir up then let it sit while I remove the water from the tank. I think its Gill disease paranoia. lol

btate617

For Prime, correct me if I am wrong, each 5ml treats 50 gallons of new water.
If you put the Prime directly into your tank then treat for the whole tank volume.

I wouldn't be worried about over dosing, for those who may use 1ml at a time, I read an article somewhere long ago and I believe it said you would have to dose around 25-30 times the normal dose to do any harm.
With water changes, like Lucy said, All the BB is in the filter not in the water. If you keep up on tank maint. there is no harm in doing 80% water changes. If you are someone who changes your water whenever you think about it, like once a month once every 2 months, well that is a different story.

Brian

omnitheforsaken

My bottle of Prime says that if you're adding Prime to the tank then base your dosage on the tank volume but it recommends that you add Prime to the water before adding the water to the tank and in that case, you base the dosage on the new water volume.

I personally add the Prime to the new water before adding it to the tank and base the dosage on the amount of new water then wait 15 min before actually adding the water. It may not be a necessary step but I always think that any drop of chlorine or chloramine or whatever it is in the tap water that get's in my tank is going to kill my beneficial bacteria, so I prefer to get rid of it first.