Treating water with "Prime"
- Thread starter TMony
- Start date
) Many people have suggested I use Prime instead. Does Prime give you false test results the way Ammo Lock does? Or do you still get accurate Ammonia and Nitrite readings?
I'm prepared to be wrong but I thought it did effect the readings. Either way I TRULY don't see anything wrong with that. Really the ammonia test is to blame not the Ammo lock. The Ammo lock is doing exactly what it was ment to do, convert (more) toxic NH3 (ammonia) into less toxic NH4 (ammonium). What one should be looking for is what type of test kit you are using. I'm not sure if they still do but API used to make 2 different kits, one for free NH3 that only had one reagent and another for total ammonia (labled on the hanging tab as NH3/NH4), it has 2 reagents. There is always the Seachem test kit, it tests for both.
No matter how you cut it though, if you are getting a reading with or without using *any* chemical you still need to figure out why because bacteria still use NH4...
Chris
No matter how you cut it though, if you are getting a reading with or without using *any* chemical you still need to figure out why because bacteria still use NH4...
Chris
It is my understanding ammo loc will give you false positives I am not sure, I use prime with every water change and only had ammonia reading right after i completed my 1200 mile move, prime didnt cover it up as far as I know and I now have 0 ammonia in all tanks. I would think if it could effect ammonia reading couldnt it effect nitrate and nitrite readings as well?
It's been my experience that tanks using Ammo lock get a so called "false positive" even after a 100% water change (after a day or two anyway). So unless it works 100% effectively in trace quantities (which I doubt) people are actually reading Ammonium from some other condition. That's the other thing, in low pH NH3 picks up the free hydrogen and becomes NH4.
So far as the prime, what type of test did you do? NH3 or NH3/NH4? It should be in your directions and/or on the bottles somewhere. If one tests for NH3 while using a chemical you should only get trace/no reading. If it's a NH3/NH4 test then you should always get some reading, regardless of chemicals, if either are present. When you get down to it, Prime can't just make it "go away" otherwise you would never cycle the tank. The nitrite and nitrate are going to be detoxified in a completely different manner, not sure what that is though.
Either way, I use Prime too, have for YEARS and the only way I'll stop is if Seachem stops making it (knock on wood that they don't).
Chris
So far as the prime, what type of test did you do? NH3 or NH3/NH4? It should be in your directions and/or on the bottles somewhere. If one tests for NH3 while using a chemical you should only get trace/no reading. If it's a NH3/NH4 test then you should always get some reading, regardless of chemicals, if either are present. When you get down to it, Prime can't just make it "go away" otherwise you would never cycle the tank. The nitrite and nitrate are going to be detoxified in a completely different manner, not sure what that is though.
Either way, I use Prime too, have for YEARS and the only way I'll stop is if Seachem stops making it (knock on wood that they don't).
Chris
I emailed Seachem a question about PRIME and they never got back to me.
The question was; If I do partial water changes and treat for the entire capacity of the tank, will the stuff eventually build up in the tank? One person said that PRIME goes away shortly after using it.
Does it go away by volatilizing? Does it build up if I change only 30 gallons and yet treat for 100?
The question was; If I do partial water changes and treat for the entire capacity of the tank, will the stuff eventually build up in the tank? One person said that PRIME goes away shortly after using it.
Does it go away by volatilizing? Does it build up if I change only 30 gallons and yet treat for 100?