# Water Conditioners



## cgskipper (Nov 15, 2010)

Quick questions that I always get different answers to:

When you do a water change, do you add enough water conditioner for the water you are replacing or the entire tank volume?

When you top off due to evaporation, do you add enough conditioner for the added water or the entire tank volume?

I currently use Prime by Seachem.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Generally, only enough for what you are replacing. However in the case of Prime, I think you can add more if you choose to. All you "need" is for the water being replaced though.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

I use Prime and only use for the amount of water I'm replacing.


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## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

I use API stress coat, i never pour it in my tank only in buckets of replacement water.


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## probe1957 (Jul 2, 2010)

I use Prime. When I change water, which is once a week, I treat for the entire tank volume. I don't have significant enough evaporation loss that I ever top off my tank so that's not an issue for me.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

cgskipper said:


> Quick questions that I always get different answers to:
> 
> When you do a water change, do you add enough water conditioner for the water you are replacing or the entire tank volume?
> 
> ...


The correct answer is only enough to treat the water you're replacing.

But then I wouldn't know as I don't use chemicals or do water changes.*old dude

Prime and other ammonia locks ,dechlorinators, and so on (yes I know prime does more) have the side effect of also locking up oxygen. Plus some ammonia locks still test positive for ammonia with ammonia test kits. So you can still test ammonia, add more chemicals, still test ammonia, etc, etc ,etc ,etc until the fish suffocate.

my .02


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## probe1957 (Jul 2, 2010)

beaslbob said:


> The correct answer is only enough to treat the water you're replacing.


From Seachem's website:

>>. If adding directly to aquarium, base dose on aquarium volume. <<


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

probe1957 said:


> From Seachem's website:
> 
> >>. If adding directly to aquarium, base dose on aquarium volume. <<


If you tank has say 1ppm ammonia then dose for the entire tank.

If you are adding 10% new water with 1ppm ammonia then dose for that 10%. 

Or measure ammonia after the water change and dose for that value for the entire tank volume.

better yet don't dose and just let plant life mantain conditions.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

And again the danger is that the ammonia measured in the tank may be already treated with prime, locked and safe. so you overdose.


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## probe1957 (Jul 2, 2010)

beaslbob said:


> better yet don't dose and just let plant life mantain conditions.


Stock your tank with Oscars and Silver Dollars and let me know how that works for you.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

probe1957 said:


> Stock your tank with Oscars and Silver Dollars and let me know how that works for you.


If nothing else a refugium with the plants in it would work.

FWIW I did find this thread:

Quick vid of heavily planted Oscar tank


my .02


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## cgskipper (Nov 15, 2010)

Straight from Seachem:

Hello Justin,
Thank your for your question and for using Prime! When doing your water changes, you only need to dose Prime for the amount of water that you are changing out, and not for the entire volume of the tank. We hope this helps, and let us know if you have additional questions. Have a good day!
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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

also from seachem is this



seachem web site said:


> This kit measures total (NH3 and NH4+) and free ammonia (NH3 only) down to less than 0.05 mg/L and is virtually interference free in marine and fresh water. Free ammonia is the toxic form of ammonia (vs. ionized Ammonia NH4+ which is non-toxic) and thus it is much more important to keep an eye on the level of free ammonia in your system. This kit is based on the same gas exchange technology that is used in the Ammonia Alert™ and thus is the only *kit on the market that can read levels of free ammonia while using ammonia removal products such as Prime®, Safe™, AmGuard*™ and any similar competing products. The other kits (salicylate or Nessler based) determine the total ammonia by raising the pH of the test solution to 12 or greater. At this high pH all ammonia removal products will breakdown and rerelease the ammonia, thus giving you a false ammonia reading.


Seachem. MultiTest: Ammonia

Hence my concerns. Constant use to treat ammonia using normal test kits can (will?) suffocate your fish as the ammonia locks/dechlors lower oxygen.

Better to remove the ammonia through live plant action.


but just my .02


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## CmdrSlack (Oct 12, 2010)

I've been doing the no chemicals thing with my tanks. I use the API+ for water conditioning, to remove the chlorine and for the apparent benefits of aloe vera. I assume the aloe thing is marketing fluff. I only treat what I am replacing. If I fill a 1 gal pitcher with water, I treat the whole thing. If I only use a bit of it, no big deal. The large bottle of the API+ has a pump top, which makes measuring a non-issue.

I have just been using plants to handle my water issues and so far, they've been great. I tossed three bunches of hornwart into a hastily-assembled 10 gal and the cycle kicked in quickly. 

Now I'm cycling a 29 gal with fish and heavy planting. I have some high nitrIte, but my ammonia has been low the entire time. 

I see no reason to toss chemicals into the water, particularly when no fish would (ideally) see those chemicals in nature.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

CmdrSlack said:


> I've been doing the no chemicals thing with my tanks. I use the API+ for water conditioning, to remove the chlorine and for the apparent benefits of aloe vera. I assume the aloe thing is marketing fluff. I only treat what I am replacing. If I fill a 1 gal pitcher with water, I treat the whole thing. If I only use a bit of it, no big deal. The large bottle of the API+ has a pump top, which makes measuring a non-issue.
> 
> I have just been using plants to handle my water issues and so far, they've been great. I tossed three bunches of hornwart into a hastily-assembled 10 gal and the cycle kicked in quickly.
> 
> ...


+1 and a general yep. *old dude

stop adding food and the nitrIte will drop down in 2 days max.

Stop doing water changes and you will not need the api +.

I am really nervous about the aloe vera but that's


just my .02


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