Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fishtank Filtration and Cycling => Topic started by: fcmf on March 17, 2018, 11:29:31 AM
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I've been using Seachem Prime as my water conditioner for many years - probably since the start of the decade. I decided to try Microbe-Lift Extreme which the LFS said was "the same". It's quite difficult to find out exactly what Microbe's products contain, not helped by the fact many are translated badly from another language. Nevertheless, I've been using it in recent months. It seems to be doing its job and hasn't had an adverse impact on fish or plants that I'm aware of. However, it does have a soapy feel and creates a lot of bubbles when adding water to it, each of which are a little disconcerting. It also creates an oil-like slick across the surface of the water, particularly noticeable when food is added, which the Seachem Prime didn't. I reckon I'll either return to Seachem Prime next time round or perhaps try out another product, given that more now seem to address chloramine which is added to my water supply - I may need to do a few calculations on cost-effectiveness as some products require dosing at x times the standard dosage if chloramine is present.
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If at all possible, try to find a dechlorinator that removes chlorine, detoxifies ammonia, binds metals and nothing else. The trouble with Prime is all the stuff that's in it that Seachem won't tell us about.
Try to avoid products with aloe vera in as it is now known to be dertrimental to fish on long exposure (it coats their gills)
I know this article is now a bit on the old side, and a lot of products are American, but it is worth a look
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/rev-cond.htm
The problem is finding a product that does everything. We need it to remove chlorine, bind metals, optionally detoxify ammonia, and not 'stimulate the slime coat'.
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Thanks, Sue. I was aware of this table and had also managed to find this one http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue/aquarium-tap-water-conditioners-by-comparison-g922-598.asp when googling for something which would address chloramine (which I know that API now does). There are so many new products now that there probably isn't an up-to-date table but, between these two, they may provide some options.
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Just for awareness AquaCare Tap Water Conditioner is 50% extra free at the moment! I have just bought some from my local MA
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Thanks for that tip.
Incidentally, I recall when I was looking at anti-fungus treatments that I seemed to work out that Aquacare was actually NT Labs' products specifically branded for MA - or their medications were, at least.
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Aqua Care Tap Water Conditioner also contains "protective herbal extracts" - you can just make the words out in the photo of the bottle on MA's website. All it gives under technical specs is 'Tetrasodium Slat of Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid' (and they've mis-spelled salt). This is just the EDTA you'll see listed on most other dechlorinators and is the chemical that binds metals. They do not mention which chemical removes chlorine, or whether it 'detoxifies' ammonia. Or what the herbal extracts are.