Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fishtank Filtration and Cycling => Topic started by: fcmf on August 04, 2018, 12:44:36 PM

Title: API Tap Water Conditioner - in praise of
Post by: fcmf on August 04, 2018, 12:44:36 PM
I'd been using Seachem Prime for many years, possibly 8 (or several more, although I never kept a record of it). I tried Microbe Lift Extreme more recently but found it left a very slimy oil slick on the water surface. After that, I decided to give API Tap Water Conditioner a go - no oil slick, able to be dosed at 3x the dosage to address chloramines which my water has, and without all the added chemicals. I'll have to say I'm impressed too at how long a teeny-weeny 30ml bottle lasted - it just ran out this morning after many months of use, and that's with multiple overdosing of quarantine/hospital tank and equipment lately. I'm now starting on a bigger bottle but have kept the teeny-weeny one for transferring the liquid into and dosing from as its cap means that it's possible to measure out in drips rather than guessing and no doubt overdosing unnecessarily as per other sized bottles.

Title: Re: API Tap Water Conditioner - in praise of
Post by: Sue on August 04, 2018, 02:39:24 PM
I agree wholeheartedly. I have been using this product for several years, and would not change to another. It contains only 2 chemicals; one to remove chlorine and one to bind metals.

As noted by fcmf, the 30 ml (1 fl oz) bottle has a dropper in the lid which makes it very easy to dose small volumes of water such as a bucketful. The larger bottles have measuring cup lids. I too have a 30 ml bottle which I refill from a larger bottle.
A couple of words of caution about the really big bottles. They may be cheaper pro rata than the smaller bottles but unless you have an enormous tank, you'll only get half way through before it reaches the use by date. The 473 bottle I bought a couple of years ago is still over half full and expires in November next year. And the 473 ml bottle I have is more concentrated than the smaller bottles (1 ml treats more litres) so I had a complicated calculation to work out how many litres I should treat with 2 drops. Unless you have a 500+ litre tank, stick to the smaller sizes!
Title: Re: API Tap Water Conditioner - in praise of
Post by: Matt on August 06, 2018, 02:45:46 PM
Great review :) I too have noticed a difference in surface scum when using different products. I am too easily drawn in by a bargain in the shop's though to stick with one product!!  ::)