question about Nitrite and Prime

[jim532]

Not having a nitrite issue but got to wondering how Seachem prime effects a nitrite test.

The directions on the bottle say - "To detoxify nitrite in an emergency, up to 5 times normal dose may be used".

My question is since Prime doesn't actually remove nitrites, it just "renders" it to be non lethal, will a nitrate test still show nitrites being present after dosing with 5 times the normal amount of Prime?

 

[ppo8820]

I wanted to know this too. I've had nitrite readings in a tank that was cycled and has not changed. I'm wondering if prime is giving me a false reading or how it works completely.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mikem691]

Not 100% on this but I believe even if it is detoxified with prime it will still show on the test but prime will not cause a false reading of nitrites. Its simple that if you are showing nitrites the BB that converts trItes to trAtes is not established enough to convert the amount being produced by the ammonia BB.

 

[aqua_chem]

A test kit will still show nitrite if Prime is added to it.

A tank WITHOUT nitrite will show that nitrite is present if significant amounts of Prime have been added to it, as Prime will cause a false positive with the test kit.


EDIT: Important to note that Prime doesn't 'detoxify' nitrite necessarily, but rather isolates it in a way that makes it less (but not non-) toxic to fish.

 

[mikem691]

A test kit will still show nitrite if Prime is added to it.

A tank WITHOUT nitrite will show that nitrite is present if significant amounts of Prime have been added to it, as Prime will cause a false positive with the test kit.


EDIT: Important to note that Prime doesn't 'detoxify' nitrite necessarily, but rather isolates it in a way that makes it less (but not non-) toxic to fish.

This is good to know Thank you but when you say significant whats that mean. I have tested 24 hours after a change with 1 1/2 dosage and never seen a false positive. One of my grow out tanks gets a 50% change every 48 hours and no false pos on that one either.

 

[PNWaquarist]

According to Seachem's tech support, Prime converts ammonia to an imidium complex that is stable for ~48 hrs. I don't know what it does to nitrite.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[jim532]

Some interesting responses so far. kinda sounds as if I'm regularly treating with prime when I do water changes, any sign of nitrites could possibly be a false positive... And on the other hand if my test shows no nitrites then I probably actually don't have nitrites


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[Mebbid]

According to Seachem's tech support, Prime converts ammonia to an imidium complex that is stable for ~48 hrs. I don't know what it does to nitrite.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Seachem isn't even sure how it works on nitrites...