Seachem Prime

[sidsam]

Hi all,
Total newbie here, first post.
Over the Christmas period I bought a Fluval aquarium kit, 26 gal tank with the accessories. Received absolutely no advice from the local pet store where I got it. After reading the literature I learned a little about the nitrogen cycle. The kit contained a bottle of Fluval Biological Enhance which I added as directed. After 4 days I took a water sample to the lfs (local fish store?) and the clerk said everything was fine and I could add some fish. I bought 4 white cloud minnows and an ammonia test kit.

After a week I tested the water and got a value of ammonia which was the same as straight tap water <0.25 mg/l . I did a 20% water change as well. A few days later I returned to the lfs with another sample and all tested good. I bought and added 3 more mountain minnows.

I did another 20% water change one week on from the first change. Yesterday morning, 2 days after the water change, I tested for ammonia and got a reading of about 0.5mg/l. I did a another 20% water change. This morning the level of ammonia was still higher than I would like.

Now for my questions. I notice a lot of people use Prime to condition their water. As I understand it, if I treat my whole tank with Prime it will lock up the ammonia removing the harmful affects for about 24 to 48 hours. Once that period is up the ammonia is released back in the water column, is that correct? If so wouldn't that cause a big spike in harmful ammonia in the tank? This means I have to dose with Prime again or do a water change, is that correct? If I do a water change do I have to dose the whole tank again or just the new water that I'm adding? My API test kit for ammonia will continue to show the ammonia level even if it is locked up by Prime, right?
I intend to do regular water changes but prefer not to have to do it everyday, Prime allows me to do that?

I have a master test kit on the way, should be here in about a week.


Googling these questions has been an effort in frustration. So much conflicting advice out there.

Thanks for any advice guys.

 

[coralbandit]

You are correct in all your thoughts^^^.
The prime will convert/detoxify for 48 hours aprox.
Most use it every other day along with partial water changes as you are.
I do this for my fry tanks.
The ammonia will still register on test YES.
As for it being 'released' when the prime is expired?
I don't know and thus figure if I stay on schedule all should be safe.
I prime on opposite days I change water in my fry tanks.
Andy S.a angel fish breeder here is a wealth of knowledge and does 'basically' the same I believe.
Good luck,keep testing till the cycling is complete.
Tom

 

[jessipanda]

If you have ammonia in your tap water, water changes aren't going to help much. It sounds like that bottled bacteria didn't work, which they rarely ever do. You said you bought a test kit, have you tested for nitrites and nitrates? If none are present, then your cycle hasn't started. If some nitrites are present, but no nitrates, your cycle has started but isn't finished. With ammonia in your tap, I would only do a small water change once a week, but do a daily tank dose of prime until your cycle completes and can take care of that ammonia for you. Or you can buy distilled water to use for your water changes, but that will add up quick. Maybe someone else on the forum would have better suggestions for you. :\

Good luck!

 

[Mebbid]

Yes, the ammonia that prime locks up gets relased back as ammonia.

 

[Coursair]

Test your tap water.

Great that your kit is ordered.

In my small tanks when I am doing water changes, I just add prime to my bucket of water I am adding back in.
2 drops per gallon using Prime.

Check your PH as well. It's not critical normally but if you have very low PH it can stall your cycle. AFAIK

What temp is your tank ? WCMM are great little fish. I never ran a heater in their tank.

Live Plants will also speed up your cycle AND if you get some used filter media from the store or a friend (keep it wet) , you can seed your filter and speed things up that way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sidsam]

Ok guys thanks for all the advice. Still waiting on my master test kit to arrive but I'm testing my ammonia on a daily basis. So right now I'm changing about 30% of my water every second day adding just enough Prime to condition the water before adding it to the tank and dosing the full tank with Prime on the off day. This is keeping the ammonia level somewhere between 0.25 and 0.50 mg/L. All the fish seem, healthy and happy.

We have soft water here with a ph that is relatively neutral. I am heating the tank to around 23C right now, it's in a room where the nighttime temperature drops to about 15C. The minnows will, I'm sure, handle that no problem but my stocking plan requires some what warmer temperatures and I don't want to spring the warm up on them all at once.

So once again guys thanks much. Despite the work I'm enjoying my new hobby thus far.