How Do You Dose Prime? Is Overdosing A Big Deal?

[BlackOsprey]

This seems like a dumb question when the bottle comes with instructions, but I have one issue: this stuff seems like it's really concentrated, and my tanks are not even close to the size that the instructions talk about.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who just has tanks that are 20 gallons or below and wants to use Prime. So how much Prime do y'all use per gallon and how do you go about measuring that out properly?

Also, how much of an issue is it if you overdose on prime? I don't wanna hurt my fish by accident.

 

[Keith83]

They make a small bottle that has a flip up dropper. Then its two drop per gallon. If you can find that size just save the container and refill it from the larger size bottles when it runs out. I guess an eye dropper will be pretty close for that dose too.

 

[NYFishGuy]

I had a few droppers from pet meds that are 5ml or 1 ml, you may find you have something similar laying around

 

[Fashooga]

I don’t use prime, I use stress coat. The instructions say 10ml per gallon. I use a spray bottle that I got a a Wal-Mart and one squeeze is 10ml.

So I just pour the whole thing into the squeeze bottle and each squeeze of the handle equals to 1 gallon.

 

[Wraithen]

On the small bottle, when you get a new one, dont remove the foil seal, just puncture it a bit. It helps to slow down the prime.

Triple doses of prime are relatively safe, so a small overdose wont hurt anything. When I had a 10 gallon, I started with the small bottle and did the drop method. Then I found a farm store that sold syringes. You can get them at any pharmacy also. They may look at you funny, but they will usually sell them to you.

 

[wodesorel]

I poke the foil seal with an embroidery needle and it lets me dose single drops.

The one time I forgot the seal had popped off, and without looking I squeezed a half bottle into my 20 gallon. HUGE water change for safety, but there was absolutely no effects. Seachem's website at the time said it was tested safe at 100x a normal dose. I would never use it at that, but I never worry about a little extra!

 

[JLeeM]

The very first bottle of liquid ferts I bought forever ago had a little blue measuring cap on it. It has a mark for 1, 5, and 10 mL. So I saved the cap and use it for all my measurements. I dose 1mL per 10 gallons.

 

[DarkOne]

I use a 5ml and 10ml syringe with a 4" blunt luer lock needle for Prime and ferts. Both can be bought off Amazon.

 

[83jase]

2 drops covers 4ltr or gal for prime you dose up-to 5x recommend amount for 24hr protection in extreme cases

 

[bgclarke]

All of my tanks are 20 gallons and under.
I have on of the small Prime bottles that I refill from a larger one.
I dose 2 drops per gallon (full tank volume) when I do water changes.

 

[Cichlidude]

Do you dose the full amount all the time? If you have a 100 gallon tank, and you change 50% of the water do you just add enough for 50 gallons?

 

[83jase]

You dose what your changing out

 

[Nikki2577]

If I have a 10 gallon tank and do a 50% water change I dose 10 gallon amount of prime. That’s what I was always told.

Dose the full volume of how many gallons the tank holds?

 

[83jase]

Unless there is ammonia or nitrite problem dose what you change out waste of product if it's not needed

 

[Nikki2577]

I will be saving a lot of money from now on! Lol

 

[83jase]

Esp on larger tanks no need to treat water that's been treated save product and money for more fish and tanks lol I'm about minimal chemicals as much as I love Prime and think it's better then sliced bread still like to be minimal with additives keep the water pure as possible

 

[Nikki2577]

Esp on larger tanks no need to treat water that's been treated save product and money for more fish and tanks lol I'm about minimal chemicals as much as I love Prime and think it's better then sliced bread still like to be minimal with additives keep the water pure as possible

Well thank you, I am glad I caught this post! I have 2 large tanks and 5 smaller one and go through prime pretty fast! Lol After years I am just finding this out!

 

[cichlid4life]

over dosing can waste the prime but also have a worst effect, it can kill you fish if you put way too much of it in your tank and it is more severe in a smaller tank than a bigger tank.

 

[Nikki2577]

over dosing can waste the prime but also have a worst effect, it can kill you fish if you put way too much of it in your tank and it is more severe in a smaller tank than a bigger tank.

It takes a lot of prime to kill a fish. You can put in up to 5 times the recommended dose and your fish will be fine.

 

[PonzLL]

I say this in all these threads, but I once dumped an entire brand new bottle of tetra's version of Prime into my 20 gallon tank on accident and nothing bad happened.