API Quickstart and SeaChem Prime

[lookatmyfeesh]

So, I've been using API Quickstart and Tetra dechlorinator for my water changes and wanted to switch to PRIME. However, I'm hoping someone can give me some information. Quickstart needs a capful for every 5 gallons whereas PRIME needs a capful for every 50 gallons. How does PRIME need such a drastically lower amount of product?

 

[Azedenkae]

They are different

So, I've been using API Quickstart and Tetra dechlorinator for my water changes and wanted to switch to PRIME. However, I'm hoping someone can give me some information. Quickstart needs a capful for every 5 gallons whereas PRIME needs a capful for every 50 gallons. How does PRIME need such a drastically lower amount of product?

They are different products, one is bottled bacteria, the other is a dechlorinator + nitrogenous compound detoxifier.

 

[iMi]

So, I've been using API Quickstart and Tetra dechlorinator for my water changes and wanted to switch to PRIME. However, I'm hoping someone can give me some information. Quickstart needs a capful for every 5 gallons whereas PRIME needs a capful for every 50 gallons. How does PRIME need such a drastically lower amount of product?

Exactly what @Azedenkae said above. Different products. I haven’t used QuickStart personally but a bacteria in a bottle does not need to be part of a routine water change or maintenance (outside of maybe emergency situations). It’s something you’d use to jump start the nitrogen cycle.

I would also add that Prime makes top water “safe” for aquarium use, but it does not remove anything. It’s amazing how many people believe it “removes” chlorine and other elements. Dissolved organics, phosphates, chorine, heavy metals, etc. still remain in the water and if you’re using it in a reef setting (or really any aquarium setting) it will invite a host of problems. Consider using RO/DI or distilled water.

 

[lookatmyfeesh]

They are different

They are different products, one is bottled bacteria, the other is a dechlorinator + nitrogenous compound detoxifier.

gotcha, but do they not do the same thing? it seems that prime has the added benefit of removing chlorine but otherwise dont they accomplish the same task?

 

[Azedenkae]

gotcha, but do they not do the same thing? it seems that prime has the added benefit of removing chlorine but otherwise dont they accomplish the same task?

No, they do two very different things. Prime is a chemical that 'detoxifies' chlorine, chloramine, etc. but is only really a temporary solution to all of it. Not that the removal of chlorine from tap water is necessarily that important for marine tanks anyways afaik. More so in marine systems it is used to temporarily render ammonia and stuff non-toxic.

Now, Quickstart and other bottled microbes products introduces nitrifiers (and potentially other beneficial microbes, depending on the product) into your aquarium, so they (nitrifiers specifically) can oxidize ammonia to nitrite, then nitrate, which can then be taken care of through some other means. This is the long term way to handle ammonia in your aquarium. Once your nitrifiers are established, you will see no or low ammonia in your aquarium.

 

[Malcontent]

Neutralizing chlorine is pretty permanent.

 

[Azedenkae]

Neutralizing chlorine is pretty permanent.

I actually never thought about this in depth. How does Prime actually neutralize well, everything it says it neutralizes?

 

[taricha]

thiosulphate (dechlorinators) do a good job of turning reactive Chlorine into just Cl- ions. Once done, it's done.
for details on the ammonia binders, see randy's article here.
ammonia in reef aquarium (treatments for elevated ammonia)

Ammonia is bound "detoxified", and not gone, total ammonia tests (like API, Red Sea etc) will still detect it.