Does Seachem Prime or Seachem Purigen harm ANaerobic bacteria?

[fish4phil]

There's been some discussion on if Seachem Prime or Seachem Purigen (at least once it's been bleached) harms ANaerobic bacteria. We know these don't hurt aerobic bacteria.

This all stems originally from this Pondguru video: Why Your Filter is TOO SMALL and NOT CYCLED

But if Prime really doesn't detoxify ammonia, and if Prime is really just a regular dechlorinator as shown in Reddit threads like this or Reef2Reef threads like this, then how could Prime harm anaerobic bacteria?

After scouring the internet, all I can find is people referencing the Pondguru video.

But has anyone done their own testing before & after using Prime or using Purigen?

Does Prime or Purigen hurt anaerobic bacteria?

 

[Aiken Drum]

So by anaerobic bacteria, thats the bacteria converting nitrate to nitrogen gas?

I must admit, i have set up filters to Richards methods, bought his biohome, even corresponded with him back in the day, and never had any sign of anaerobic nitrification. And ive never heard of anyone having any success with his methods beyond the normal cycling of a tank. I do like biohome, but just because its robust and will last decades.

For clarification i dont use purigen and see the same outcome regardless of water conditioner used.

 

[Aiken Drum]

I watched the video back when it was made and dont recall it mentioning the effect of prime/ purigen on anaerobic bacteria. I may rewatch it later.

The link to the reddit thread also doesnt discuss this effect, and i havent waded through the whole reef2reef thread but what little i skimmed also didnt mention this effect, although again i may thoroughly read it later. They both seem to discuss whether prime detoxifies ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, so im not sure where the link to your query is.

FWIW my feeling is im more inclined to accept that prime detoxifies ammonia as it was developed to do that and there are known mechanisms that do that. As seachem readily admits they have no idea how their products detoxify nitrite or nitrate and are relying 100% on anecdotal evidence im less inclined to believe that claim. And i wouldnt rely on it 100% to do anything but remove chlorine/ chloramine.

If you can link something more relevant to your specific query perhaps i can comment further. Ive never seen it discusssed or suggested that prime or purigen has this effect.

 

[fish4phil]

If you can link something more relevant to your specific query perhaps i can comment further. Ive never seen it discusssed or suggested that prime or purigen has this effect.

That's the thing There isn't more discussion I could find, or even any anecdotal testing done by individuals with before & after results of nitrate levels with and then without prime, or with and then without purigen. The links I shared were discussions about how Prime doesn't detoxify ammonia & nitrites. And if that's true, then how could Pondguru's video stating that Prime harms anaerobic bacteria be true? I'm not saying it's not, but something just adding up.

Was hoping someone, somewhere, is smarter than I with "all the science" to confirm or deny if Prime or Purigen harms anaerobic bacteria, or if anyone has done tests e.g. "I ran my tank for 2 months with Prime and have XX nitrates, then I ran my tank for 2 months with (any other conditioner) and have YY nitrates".

 

[Aiken Drum]

Well i can tell you i have run a tank for about 2 years with Stresscoat and about 2 years with Prime. The filtration has been set up as Richard would recommend to support anaerobic bacteria. Nitrate with both water conditioners are what you would expect to see for a normally cycled tank. I dont use any chemical filter media.