Helpful QT Chemicals/ammonia detoxifier

[esquare]

I have been seeing a couple of threads active lately regarding Prime and its lack of efficacy (I actually looked that one up to make sure it was the correct word) in detoxifying ammonia. While I believe there are other products, like prime, that remove chlorine, chloramines (which is useful in certain situations like when cleaning with bleach) are there any additives we can use in an emergency situation to address ammonia quickly?

I currently keep a couple of sponges and MarinePure Ceramic 1 1/2” Spheres in my sump for use in QT's, but if I, or someone else, ran into an emergency situation and need to setup a qt quickly without Preseeded media is there anything that could be used to help detoxify ammonia?

I realize you can add DR Tims or other cycle starters but is that going to address the issue quickly enough in an emergency? Also, what if one of those products wasn't readily available?

I'm just thinking this through for myself and others. I have read several of the "Prime" threads and most of the time it quickly gets over my head. It would be nice if there was something I and others could keep in our arsenal for situations like this.

If this has already been answered, I apologize.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have been seeing a couple of threads active lately regarding Prime and its lack of efficacy (I actually looked that one up to make sure it was the correct word) in detoxifying ammonia. While I believe there are other products, like prime, that remove chlorine, chloramines (which is useful in certain situations like when cleaning with bleach) are there any additives we can use in an emergency situation to address ammonia quickly?

I currently keep a couple of sponges and MarinePure Ceramic 1 1/2” Spheres in my sump for use in QT's, but if I, or someone else, ran into an emergency situation and need to setup a qt quickly without Preseeded media is there anything that could be used to help detoxify ammonia?

I realize you can add DR Tims or other cycle starters but is that going to address the issue quickly enough in an emergency? Also, what if one of those products wasn't readily available?

I'm just thinking this through for myself and others. I have read several of the "Prime" threads and most of the time it quickly gets over my head. It would be nice if there was something I and others could keep in our arsenal for situations like this.

If this has already been answered, I apologize.

While there are claims that hydroxymethanesulfonate detoxifies ammonia (it's patented and used by some brands), most folks would not have that around, and nothing else as an additive will rapidly work except lowering pH.

Adding bacteria or water changes are the go to methods.

 

[esquare]

While there are claims that hydroxymethanesulfonate detoxifies ammonia (it's patented and used by some brands), most folks would not have that around, and nothing else as an additive will rapidly work except lowering pH.

Adding bacteria or water changes are the go to methods.

Thanks for the quick response Randy. Water changes are a pain when dosing meds as you have to make sure the new SW has the correct amount of meds to maintain dosage. I guess the old methods, sponge in the sump, are the best.