The Point Of Prime?

So you do a water change and you use lets say, Big Als' water conditioner to clean the water and chlorine. every water change, you use it on the water you are adding to keep it clean.

So now you have someone who does a water change and uses prime to remove the chlorine.

Now ok, prime detoxifies nitrite and nitrate as well, but only for 24 hours, so it seems pointless. What the point of using it for that as it doesn't fix the problem just masks it for 24 hours.

Therefore the only real use I see for it is to clean the chlorine out, which any aquarium chlorine remover does. So prime is twice as expensive as a no name aquarium water conditioner, an really adds nothing more than a water conditioner. so why spend the extra money.

Basically...whats the point of it?

 

Well, when you have .25-.5 ammonia in your tap water (and many people do have small amounts of ammonia in their tap) it is helpful to have that ammonia detoxified while the beneficial bacteria in the filter eats up the ammonia. The BB in my established tanks usually eat up the ammonia from a water change in less than 24 hours. And it is nice to know that during that time, the ammonia will not affect the fish, thanks to the prime.

Its also nice to have for times you may deal with sudden unexplained spikes, or minI cycles.

 

It also binds heavy toxic metals. Does Bob's conditioner do that? (copper, lead, nickel)

 

You would need to compare the volumes of water treated by each product if you're going to compare value. Prime is used at a rate of 2 drops per gallon, I can't (easily) find the dosage info for BAs product.
You should not be relying on prime to 'clean' your water, or neutralize ammo/nitrites unless you have a spike or cycle failure. If your tank is properly cycled and stable (it is, right?), then yes, that feature/aspect of Prime is not useful when doing a water change.
But those of us who use it, rely on it, and swear by it do so because we trust the brand, and find value in what it does.
Look at it another way: if you need a dechlorinator for water changes, AND a detoxifier for ammo/nitrites (again, if you have a spike or cycle crash), that's 2 different products you would need on your shelf, but seachem provides them all in one. Isn't that good value?

 

It's also very concentrated. A lot of conditioners I know call for 1ml per 2l of water, so prime actually saves money in the long run.

It's also helpful in an emergency ammonia spike.

 

Ok. I now understand thanks guys!!

 

Sadly I think some have come to believe that prime is some kind of magic stuff. It is first and foremost a water conditioner. There are less expensive water conditioners and some of them claim to do most of what Prime claims to do. Granted with some of them one has to use more product each time so I'm not sure Prime is more expensive in the long run.

Prime has been recommended so often some folks think it is a totally necessary product. It isn't. Can one can have a healthy tank without using it, yes.

We just have to take SeaChems word that it does what it claims to do and if it gives us peace of mind maybe that makes it worth using in the long run.

as always, just my humble opinion

 

I'm really not even sure what I use it for but somebody, back when I kidnapped and rescued my son's Betta, recommended it, and I have been using it ever since, but I really do not know what it does, other than make the water safe with water changes. I only use it if find levels rising on other things, or with water changes. I am running out though because I surely do not use what the bottle says, I just kind of pour it in. I used to use in early October the little bottle that squirts out, conditioner, think it's called Betta Safe? Yup, just googled it and it is called that and I still have a few bottles of it that I will squirt here and there.

 

Can you add too much when using at as a water conditioner? Will it hurt the fish or just waste some?

 

Can you add too much when using at as a water conditioner? Will it hurt the fish or just waste some?

To be completely honest, I have no idea. I just read tons of posts telling people to use 2 times the recommended, 3 times the recommended, etc., when ammonia or whatever is high. I don't like pour half a bottle or anything but do not measure out drops either. It has no way to do that, its a pour bottle. Usually a half cap, sometimes I do half cap per thingy I am using to carry water to the tank, but probably 1 half cap is enough for my 5.3 gallon tanks. No fish have died though since October, so...Who knows?

 

If it put way too much in they say it can cause a Ph swing which can be bad for fish... Even their support site says that, but I've only seen one small test somebody did and somebody questioned his methodology.. Either way, I'd avoid mass overdose. SeaChem up to 5x overdose is ok.

 

1/2 a cap is around a 6x normal dose on a 5 gallon tank (depending on what you consider 'capful').. so you're a little over the max recommended 5x overdose.

 

1/2 a cap is around a 6x normal dose on a 5 gallon tank (depending on what you consider 'capful').. so you're a little over the max recommended 5x overdose.

Ok, thanks!!! Will go down some. It's really hard to pour that little.

 

Can you add too much when using at as a water conditioner? Will it hurt the fish or just waste some?

Prime is also a reducing agent and according to seachem it can reduce oxygen levels in extreme overdose.
Prime Overdose -vs- Oxygen - Seachem Support Forums

 

Prime is also a reducing agent and according to seachem it can reduce oxygen levels in extreme overdose.
Prime Overdose -vs- Oxygen - Seachem Support Forums

Thanks read it and really says it would take a massive overdose to have any real effect; however, I had no clue it only last 24-48 hours. I had my cycles all going great and then took the tanks apart 3 times and killed my cycle I think, although kept some media, but when putting it all back together, only used prime when adding the new water to the tank, and with water changes. I do not use it every day. Need to check my levels I guess again.

 

So basically prime

Conditions water and 100%
And then acts as a detoxifiers for ammonia and nitrate on the changed water for 24hours until the filter catches up...like a buffer?

 

Ok, thanks!!! Will go down some. It's really hard to pour that little.

And that is why I use a syringe without a needle to dispense my Prime. It is marked in mls so is easy to add the proper amount each time.

When I do my water change I normally remove 16 gallons so I have to fill my 4 gallon bucket 4 times when refilling. I add 1 ml to each 4 gallons so my tank actually gets 4 mls of Prime each week.

 

When I get a new bottle of prime I punch a couple of holes in the foil seal.. and use a 2.5 gallon bucket. 8 drops go in. It's probably overdose but I've not had any problems at all. I've been using it as long as I can remember. There used to be a label on it years ago that said it did 50 odd different things for your aquarium if I remember right.

 

I perform two 30% water changes every week and each time I condition my water with Tetra Aquasafe Plus.
I have never used Prime and my tanks are very healthy.
(I have nothing against Prime, I've simply never used it).

 

For my smaller tanks, I actually have the smaller flip top size of Prime. I then refill it with my larger Prime bottle that I use for my larger aquarium. The flip top lets you measure out drops .. it doesn't just pour out.

 

So basically prime
Conditions water and 100%
And then acts as a detoxifiers for ammonia and nitrate on the changed water for 24hours until the filter catches up...like a buffer?

Not quite. If you're using prime to treat new water (ie what you're putting back in the tank during water changes), then it removes chlorine and chloramine from that new water so those can't harm your fish or kill your bb.
Most of the bb in your aquarium is in the filter, and some on surfaces like wood, rocks, plants, substrate, etc. Almost none of the bb is in the water column. So when you do your water change, you're not losing any bb, and your tank should still be metabolizing ammo/nitrites at the normal rate. In other words, if your tank is cycled and stable, your ammo and nitrites in the tank should be 0/0, so as much as the ammo/nitrite neutralizing properties of Prime are great, they shouldn't be needed during water changes. It's when your cycle 'crashes' (ie your bb in your filter gets killed or dies off) that we need to neutralize ammo/nitrite.
OR, as stated above by another writer, if you have ammonia or nitrite in your tap water (assuming that's your water source) then Prime will detoxify those for 24hrs and render them into forms or compounds that are a) not toxic to fish and b) can be consumed by your bb during the 24hr activity period. Again, this assumes your filter is cycled.

 

+1 on using Tetra AquaSafe, especially in the UK

Not only is it a lot more readily available than Prime here, it's also a lot cheaper. I've got a massive industrial can of the stuff from eBay that I use to fill one of the smaller bottles with and I haven't had to buy any new for at least 500 years.

Okay, but a long time is what I'm saying.

 

I simply use it as a de-chlorinator. I never cared for the sales pitch that it can detoxify. Honestly, I don’t 100% buy into it anyway. From my experience, I think most fish can handle residual amounts of ammonia and nitrite up to 1ppm quite well, regardless. I prefer to rely on water changes, not chemicals.

 

It's 48 hours not 24 hours and what's the point? It detoxifys it for 48 hours so it gives time for your beneficial bacteria to eat it up before it harms your fish. Other conditioners don't do that

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using

 

Honestly, I like it because it doesn't smell as bad as some of the others. You ever smelled aqueon's water conditioner? Gross. Lol! I used to use tetra brand at one point too. It didn't smell too bad. But the only place to get tetra brand where I live is walmart, and I hate that place. I can get seachem at the little pet store we have. I've also tried kordon brand, works well and doesn't smell quite as bad either. But it is just as expensive as seachem and I don't think it goes as far. Same with tetra, doesn't go as far.

 

Sadly I think some have come to believe that prime is some kind of magic stuff.

It IS "magic stuff" ...

I don't use it either, because I think it inhibits the growth of ANaerobic bacteria that reduces nitrates ... but this is a "science experiment" for me and most fish keepers eliminate nitrates with water changes.

The value of PRIME:

1. If you have ammonia in your tank - PRIME will "lock up" that ammonia and make it not toxic to your fish while keeping the ammonia in a state that can be consumed by your tank's biological filter. So in short - for those with ammonia in their tap - Prime at the normal dosage will allow you to use your tap water for water changes without hurting your fish - and the extra ammonia in your tap actually acts as a biological booster because it's more food for nitrifying bacteria. In most cases, your filter will eliminate the "locked up" ammonia within 24 hours without hurting your fish. This is a GREAT benefit.

2. PRIME used at FIVE TIMES the normal dosage will detoxify nitrites and high nitrates.

3. If you have a small ammonia spike - PRIME allows you to "ride it out" as long as the spike isn't too high. So you have 1ppm of ammonia? Dose PRIME and check the tank again the next day - very likely your biological filter will "surge" to remove that ammonia.

4. Very high ammonia? Even a large water change won't completely eliminate it - dose PRIME after the water change, and it detoxifies the remaining ammonia - check it again the next day ... do another water change if you must ... but likely, as above, your bio-filter will "surge" to meet the demand.

It's absolutely a silver bullet for a lot of circumstances.

Do you need it? LOL - no. You don't NEED an automatic transmission in your car either!

Does it make life A LOT easier ... YES.

 

It IS "magic stuff" ...

I don't use it either, because I think it inhibits the growth of ANaerobic bacteria that reduces nitrates ... but this is a "science experiment" for me and most fish keepers eliminate nitrates with water changes.

The value of PRIME:

1. If you have ammonia in your tank - PRIME will "lock up" that ammonia and make it not toxic to your fish while keeping the ammonia in a state that can be consumed by your tank's biological filter. So in short - for those with ammonia in their tap - Prime at the normal dosage will allow you to use your tap water for water changes without hurting your fish - and the extra ammonia in your tap actually acts as a biological booster because it's more food for nitrifying bacteria. In most cases, your filter will eliminate the "locked up" ammonia within 24 hours without hurting your fish. This is a GREAT benefit.

2. PRIME used at FIVE TIMES the normal dosage will detoxify nitrites and high nitrates.

3. If you have a small ammonia spike - PRIME allows you to "ride it out" as long as the spike isn't too high. So you have 1ppm of ammonia? Dose PRIME and check the tank again the next day - very likely your biological filter will "surge" to remove that ammonia.

4. Very high ammonia? Even a large water change won't completely eliminate it - dose PRIME after the water change, and it detoxifies the remaining ammonia - check it again the next day ... do another water change if you must ... but likely, as above, your bio-filter will "surge" to meet the demand.

It's absolutely a silver bullet for a lot of circumstances.

Do you need it? LOL - no. You don't NEED an automatic transmission in your car either!

Does it make life A LOT easier ... YES.

I actually do agree with everything you have said.
I made my original comment because it seems some think it is impossible to cycle a tank without it.

Does it help, absolutely....I use it myself....but is it absolutely necessary, no. Can one successfully cycle a tank without it, yes...but most of us do recommend it.

as always, just my humble opinion

 

Do both mean fishin cycle without it, right?