So Many Api Water Conditioning Products

API comes highly recommended for their water conditioning products and test kits. They have several water conditioning products and some seem to overlap in their intended purposes. Here are four in particular:

Quick Start
Stress Zyme
Stress Coat
Tap Water Conditioner

Both Quick Start and Stress Zyme seem to contain beneficial bacteria. Stress Coat and Tap Water Conditioner seem to remove chlorine and heavy metals. For water changes, I need something to remove chlorine. Should I purchase Tap Water Conditioner or Stress Coat? I may also need to add beneficial bacteria. Should I use Quick Start or Stress Zyme? Or do I need all four? Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Most here prefer Prime but I like Stress Coat for tap water treatment. I keep both Prime and Stress Coat but use SC mainly for water changes and Prime for emergencies (ammonia or nitrite spikes).

I tried QuickStart to cycle a tank and it didn't really help much. Tetra SafeStart Plus was much better for me.

If you need water conditioning, Stress Coat is better than Water Conditioner. You don't need both. I wouldn't bother with QuickStart or StressZyme.

 

I haven't use any of these product. As per the description from API, you can use Tap Water Conditioner to remove chlorine and detoxifies heavy metal. For adding beneficial bacteria, you can use Quick Start. From what API claims to be, the Quick Start is able to starting a new aquarium to instantly add fish. Looks like it contains some kind of live nitrifying bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrite and then nitrate. This is something that I am not sure. Don't know if any member have been using it for quick start a new tank. Stress Zyme has nothing to do with stress and it is just a sludge cleaner. Stress Coat removes chlorine and chloramine and helps to release stress at the same time but does not remove heavy metal. You can use this when adding new fish but not a must.
Hope this answers your question.

 

OK, QuickStart and StressZyme are the products that contain beneficial bacteria. So, is it not necessary to use such products?

 

What's a sludge cleaner?

 

Prime product description:

• Provides slime coat
• Removes Chlorine, Chloramine
• Detoxifies ammonia, Nitrite and nitrate

Comparing Prime with Tap Water Conditioner, if your main consideration is for water conditioning, I would use Tap Water Conditioner as both of them claim to handle chlorine and chloramine but Tap Water Conditioner removes heavy metal at the same time. If you are starting a new tank and want to quickly add in fish, may be Prime is better as it detoxifies ammonia, nitrite & nitrate which is safer for your fish. The only thing that I am not sure if the word "detoxifies" means temporary binding it or removing them permanently. If it is just temporary binding, you may have to keep on dosing it until your new tank is truly cycled. So in terms of a truly cycled tank, using Quick Start may be more appropriate as it converts ammonia to nitrite and then nitrate (if it really works as it claims to be just as DarkOne has mentioned) which is actually consuming them.
Again, all these comment are based on the product description and I haven't been using any of them. May be get more comment from members who have been using them would be the best.

 

There are different types of beneficial bacteria and they have different function. Quick Start contains nitrifying bacteria that converts ammonia, to nitrite and then nitrate. Stress Zyme contains beneficial bacteria that consumes organic matter and keeps your gravel bed clean. If you don't want to do cleaning that often, this product may help. sludge is the debris that sticks to your bedding or filter. If you are doing regular cleaning on your tank and filter, you may not need it.

 

All unnecessary besides the ones that dechlorinate the water. The bottled bacteria from API (Quickstart) isn't that good - supposedly it contains the wrong kind of bacteria. Quick Start also isn't instantaneous - it still takes time to cycle the tank to remove ammonia and nitrites.

Prime makes ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates non-toxic for 24-48 hours, though it doesn't remove them. It removes chlorines, chloramines, and metals from your tap water. Besides real meds, it is the only water additive you need (excluding buffers if your water is too soft, etc.). Prime is far superior to any of the water conditioners put out by API. It does more, it is more concentrated, and it costs less.

 

Thanks everyone for your helpful input. I will reply this evening as soon as I get a chance.