Chemicals

[AmyJ]

It's been a long time since I have had a tank. I started my current tank 6 weeks ago. It's a 20 gal. tank stocked with 4 male guppies, 6 neon tetra, and various live plant.

My question is about chemicals. What chemicals do you recommend that I keep on stock. I have used a few since starting the tank, but not sure what is the best. For my plant I use seachem Flourish and Excel. I also have Neutral Regulator by Seachem, Top Fin Bacteria Supllement, API Tap Water Conditioner, and API Ammo Lock. I also use API Aquarium Salt as recommended by my LFS.

I have been looking at reviews on Amazon and a lot of people seem to like Seachem brand. Amazon sells the larger bottles for much cheaper then the stores. I am being laid off in a few weeks and want to make sure I have a good supply of chemicals on hand and will be making an order soon. Any suggestions for a final list would be great.

 

[Mebbid]

It's been a long time since I have had a tank. I started my current tank 6 weeks ago. It's a 20 gal. tank stocked with 4 male guppies, 6 neon tetra, and various live plant.

My question is about chemicals. What chemicals do you recommend that I keep on stock. I have used a few since starting the tank, but not sure what is the best. For my plant I use seachem Flourish and Excel. I also have Neutral Regulator by Seachem, Top Fin Bacteria Supllement, API Tap Water Conditioner, and API Ammo Lock. I also use API Aquarium Salt as recommended by my LFS.

I have been looking at reviews on Amazon and a lot of people seem to like Seachem brand. Amazon sells the larger bottles for much cheaper then the stores. I am being laid off in a few weeks and want to make sure I have a good supply of chemicals on hand and will be making an order soon. Any suggestions for a final list would be great.

I would skip the Neutral regulator, bacteria suplement, ammo lock, and aquarium salt.

The API tap water conditioner is fine to use but most people end up switching to prime when their original source of conditioner is used up (I did and don't regret switching at all)

The bacteria supplement isn't necessary and I doubt their effectiveness but if you already have it you might as well use it.

The neutral regulator is what I am assuming to be a pH adjuster. Fiddling with your pH is a big step in the wrong direction unless it is waay too high (8.5+) or waay too low (6.0 ish) Fish will adjust very well to differing pH levels as long as they are steady. The regulator will cause large pH swings and stress out your fish.

The aquarium salt is fine to use in non planted aquariums but a lot of plants can react badly to it.

Bottom line, all you really need is your plant food / carbon and a dechlorinator.

 

[Cloudhp8]

Agreed the Flourish products are good for your plants
Aquarium salt should only really be used to treat illness -like ich-
most fish are raised in freshwater in the hobby some do raise them to be brackish which would be marine salts. and most plants will melt and die off from salts if used regularly.

i switched to prime as well and love it....it conditions the waters and also detoxifies the nitrites and nitrates which is an added bonus...don't get me wrong the API stuff is good too, i used it for a while then decided to switch....i have sensitive smell and could smell the API day or two after it was already in the tank and didn't care for that ...idk sulfur ish odor prime has the same smell....but not as strong and since you only need a real little bit i never notice it...and it last longer better bang for the buck i think

the other chemicals aren't needed once your tank matures it's will grow it's own bacteria and the neutral regulator sounds like a ph changer which i have learned is bad ..... a high stable or low stable ph is much better than using chems to alter it. like stated above there are limits to too high and too low...which there are many natural remedies out there that will help.

So in my opinion all you really need is a water conditioner and plant food

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Amy...

All your fish should have finished the nitrogen cycle by now. So, you should have a good colony of bacteria using the fishes' waste. You need a chemical to make your new water safe for your fish. Seachem's "Prime" is good. You can dose a teaspoon of standard aquarium salt in every 5 gallons of your replacement water if you like. I think it keeps the fish a bit healthier. API has a good salt product. You don't really need to use plant fertilizers, the fish will provide it.

Change half the tank water every week or two and check on the filters and the media then and you're good. I don't believe you need all the other chemicals. Those are pretty expensive and not really necessary for healthy fish and plants.

The "water keeping" hobby is really pretty simple once you set up a sound tank maintenance routine and follow it.

B

 

[AmyJ]

Thank you everyone for your help. You just saved me a lot of money, and maybe heartache. My fish and I thank you greatly.

 

[Cloudhp8]

No problem just remember water changes are going to be more important than adding all sorts of chemicals...except the water conditioner that will be the most important chemical you should use

 

[TangoTank]

...
Bottom line, all you really need is your plant food / carbon and a dechlorinator.

+1 and make sure your water treatment removes Chloramines as well as Chlorine--Prime & AmQuel do.