Which water conditioner to use?

[Stefan3289]

Hello all,

So I read a thread that was on the forum where some people discussed water conditioners benefits and disadvantages and I had some questions

I currently use prime, but I saw some people say it was not the best for planted tanks as it can remove some of the nutrients plants need like Mg and other metals. Does anyone have a recommendation that would be better for my planted tank? ( I have 4 water sprites and 4 cryptos)

Second, I saw there was a water conditioner that claimed to condition the water so it is more like natural water found in South America (which I have a South American cichlid tank non planted). Would that make sense and would it then be safe to use? It’s called continuum aquatics flora viv black water. Prime has been amazing for me but if either of these would be better I’d love to give them a try. Let me know your thoughts!

 

[Slaphppy7]

Prime if your tap water is treated with chloramine.

API Tap Water conditioner if your tap water is treated with chlorine.

I use Prime in all of my planted tanks, and the plants do well...some, a bit "too" well

 

[Stefan3289]

Prime if your tap water is treated with chloramine.

API Tap Water conditioner if your tap water is treated with chlorine.

Yeah my water is treated with chloramines which is why I use prime. I had a discussion with @Byron about my 29G always showing ammonia while my 75G did not, and I turned my 29G to planted and the ammonia is now at 0, likely was showing chloramines form the tap as when I tested my tap separately, prior to adding plants, they would both show the same range of around .1 ppm.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Yeah my water is treated with chloramines which is why I use prime. I had a discussion with @Byron about my 29G always showing ammonia while my 75G did not, and I turned my 29G to planted and the ammonia is now at 0, likely was showing chloramines form the tap as when I tested my tap separately, prior to adding plants, they would both show the same range of around .1 ppm.

Always wait 24 hours after a water change to test your water params, with Prime

Which test kit do you use?

 

[Boundava]

Prime if your tap water is treated with chloramine.

API Tap Water conditioner if your tap water is treated with chlorine.

I use Prime in all of my planted tanks, and the plants do well...some, a bit "too" well

Agree, I have used Prime and now Safe for many years with plants and even with my 75 gallon high tech tank with CO2. My experience with Prime and Safe does not give me any reason to not continue using them as I have for many years.

 

[Byron]

The issue is not whether plants and fish live through something, the issue is what the something does to especially the fish. We had two threads recently about serious issues with Prime. The API Tap Water Conditioner is better, less risk, thus safer. It deals with chlorine and chloramine. This is fact, supported by scientific studies, it is not my opinion which has no more value than anyone else's.

 

[connorlindeman]

The issue is not whether plants and fish live through something, the issue is what the something does to especially the fish. We had two threads recently about serious issues with Prime. The API Tap Water Conditioner is better, less risk, thus safer. It deals with chlorine and chloramine. This is fact, supported by scientific studies, it is not my opinion which has no more value than anyone else's.

I'm switching to API asap.

 

[Slaphppy7]

The issue is not whether plants and fish live through something, the issue is what the something does to especially the fish. We had two threads recently about serious issues with Prime. The API Tap Water Conditioner is better, less risk, thus safer. It deals with chlorine and chloramine. This is fact, supported by scientific studies, it is not my opinion which has no more value than anyone else's.

I would like to read a scientific study stating in detail the harmful effects of Seachem Prime, and/or Seachem Safe.

 

[Boundava]

The issue is not whether plants and fish live through something, the issue is what the something does to especially the fish. We had two threads recently about serious issues with Prime. The API Tap Water Conditioner is better, less risk, thus safer. It deals with chlorine and chloramine. This is fact, supported by scientific studies, it is not my opinion which has no more value than anyone else's.

I have had many fish live a long time using Prime. When I had that 75 gallon above, I had multiple corys that were in the 11 and 12 years of age and I had used Prime on them for their entire lifetimes. I have an albino bristlenose pleco that I got in 2005 who is still alive and has had no detriments to his health by using Prime. All other fish past and present like tetras, gourami, rasbora, loaches, eels, etc. have lived their lifetimes in my tanks without dying prematurely due to any ill effects from the water conditioner Prime or Safe. I will continue to use the seachem alternative to Prime which is Safe because I don't see any need to do anything otherwise as again I have never seen any detrimental effects to any of my fish and I have had a lot of fish tanks and a lot of fish over the years. I have seen detrimental effects in my fish due to the well water and the municipal water conditionings that that wall water underwent. But it was not due to Prime or Safe. Yes see Kim is being secretive about their formula, but it's a copyrighted formula that they don't have any obligation to divulge as it is their Cash cow.

 

[Byron]

I would like to read a scientific study stating in detail the harmful effects of Seachem Prime, and/or Seachem Safe.

I cited them previously. People will believe what they want to believe. @TwoTankAmin started a thread on ammonia issues with Prime. I have previously explained that there is a chemical in Prime that Seachem will not name but which they say does "detoxify" heavy metals such that they cannot be used by plants. API does not have this, and does not do it. Another chemical detoxifies nitrate; Seachem told me in direct response to my question that they did not know how it did this.

Every aquarist needs to know that the fewer chemicals entering a fish tank the safer and better the fish will be. This is the approach I learned to take simply because it has widespread support from the knowledgeable scientists in this hobby. When one understands how a fish "lives" it is or should be easy to see why this is so important.

 

[Stefan3289]

Always wait 24 hours after a water change to test your water params, with Prime

Which test kit do you use?

I use the API freshwater master kit

 

[Slaphppy7]

I use the API freshwater master kit

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello all,

So I read a thread that was on the forum where some people discussed water conditioners benefits and disadvantages and I had some questions

I currently use prime, but I saw some people say it was not the best for planted tanks as it can remove some of the nutrients plants need like Mg and other metals. Does anyone have a recommendation that would be better for my planted tank? ( I have 4 water sprites and 4 cryptos)

Second, I saw there was a water conditioner that claimed to condition the water so it is more like natural water found in South America (which I have a South American cichlid tank non planted). Would that make sense and would it then be safe to use? It’s called continuum aquatics flora viv black water. Prime has been amazing for me but if either of these would be better I’d love to give them a try. Let me know your thoughts!

Hi Stef. This is an easy one. You can't get a better water treatment than Seachem's "Safe". I dose one-quarter teaspoon for every five gallons of water.

10 Tanks

 

[connorlindeman]

Hi Stef. This is an easy one. You can't get a better water treatment than Seachem's "Safe". I dose one-quarter teaspoon for every five gallons of water.

10 Tanks

Can you explain why you think thats THE best one?

 

[10 Tanks]

Can you explain why you think thats THE best one?

Hi connor. Sure, Safe is a powder and more concentrated than other conditioners, so you use a lot less. It converts ammonia into a safe, non-toxic form that is easily removed by your tank filter. Safe can be used during tank cycling to remove nitrogen and it's non-acidic and will not mess with the water's pH. It's just very simple to use and you can't overdose the tank. I've used several different water conditions and this one's by far the best. Is this enough info.?

10 Tanks