Treating Water, White substance around filter, other misc questions

[Lotus]

Other conditioners ADD a slime coat while Prime promotes it naturally happening.

Do you really believe that? As far as I know, all "slime coat" enhancers cause a slight irritation on the fish to get the skin to produce more slime.

Fish naturally replace/renew their slime coats constantly. It's kind of like using artificial tears in your eyes... your eyes already produce tears to keep them moist, and unless you have a medical condition, why would you use them?

Prime has the added benefit of an ammonia/nitrite detoxifier, but you shouldn't need that in a fully cycled tank, or you have chloramines in your tapwater.

 

[TabMorte]

My understanding was that the the slime coat stuff in Prime was okay for the fish. Previously I used AquaPlus which replaces slime coat or something and it never bugged my fish but people said that one irritates them so I switched. In all honesty I never really understood the whole slimecoat mess. My fish aren't sick or stressed so I don't worry.

 

[cchase85]

From what I have read, peoples main complaint with water conditioners that contain "slime coat" type ingredients is that it is usually an organic ingredient (such as aloe) that can add to the organic waste in the aquarium.

I hadn't heard about causing irritations, though I wouldn't doubt some brands do things like that.

I use Aquasafe and have never had an issue with it.