# stress coat or prime ???



## clayton1169 (Jan 27, 2011)

i have a 125 gallon freshwater setup i've notice the new town i live in seems to have more chlorine in the water i talked to my lfs guy and he told me i should double up on stress coat when i do water changes im going threw a bottle of stress coat every 5 weeks im wondering if theres a con to switching to prime is seems to go alot farther then stress coat


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## SpottedPleco (Aug 19, 2012)

I use prime. I recommend it. I know many other fishkeepers who swear by it. 

I believe the products do the same thing, it's just API vs. SeaChem brands, so if one is more economical, I say go for it. 

I am told you can also age your water by letting it sit out a day or so before adding it to the tank to remove the chlorine, but for a 125g tank that sounds like a pain.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

+1 on the Prime. It will go a lot further because you use a lot less of it. And it works great!


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

One more for prime.

Chlorine will dissipate from the water, but chloramine will not. Well, for all intents and purposes it will not. Many municipalities use chloramine now instead of chlorine. But yeah, aging water for large tanks like that just isn't feasible for most people.


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## SirReal303 (Sep 30, 2013)

+1 Prime.

All we use.


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## beaslbob (Oct 17, 2012)

I use a planted tank with no water changes and just top off water the evaporates.

I also let a new tank set for a week with plants to get the plants established and condition the water.

With that system I do not use any chemicals and do not recommend any including stress coat and prime.


my .02


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## clayton1169 (Jan 27, 2011)

i did my first water change using prime instead of of stress coat last weekend and it could be wishful thinking but my fish seem to be more active and some are showing better color fingers crossed thanks all


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## SirReal303 (Sep 30, 2013)

^^ Good deal. Seachem will never let ya down.


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## angelcraze (Aug 31, 2013)

I don't know if stress coat removes ammonia or not, but as mentioned earlier, if it just removes chlorine, and your municipality sterilizes the tap water with chloramines (a more likely scenario) than the water conditioner will just eat up the chlorine and the ammonia will be released into the water column, since chloramine is chlorine bonded with ammonia to keep the sterilization lasting longer. 

Letting your chlorine evaporate for 24 hours will have the same effect, the ammonia (if chloramine is used instead) will be released. Personally (I have a 120g and 90g, 6 tanks in total) I let my water age anyway, to let it off -gas, but I still add Prime right before I add the water during a water change to make sure I am not adding ammonia to the tank.

I only use Prime, , am careful not to overdose, it does not seem to create excess algae and goes a lot further that way. I have had good results with it.


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## henningc (May 20, 2013)

Don't mean to be rude, but you all are too funny. Ditch that stuff and do it the right way. Kind of doubt God was out there with a bottle of Stress Coat or Prime! I only have a few years experience ove the 30 year mark and have never used that stuff. Geeeeeeeeee!

Sorry just in a mood and the new guys waste a lot of money on things nobody needs.


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## BWG (Oct 11, 2011)

henningc said:


> Don't mean to be rude, but you all are too funny. Ditch that stuff and do it the right way. Kind of doubt God was out there with a bottle of Stress Coat or Prime! I only have a few years experience ove the 30 year mark and have never used that stuff. Geeeeeeeeee!
> 
> Sorry just in a mood and the new guys waste a lot of money on things nobody needs.


Was God out there trying to remove chlorine and chloramine from water? Man put those both there in the concentrations that they appear in tap water, so Man can take it out and not have to worry about theology.

Times change. More muncipalities are using chloramine and that won't break down readily on its on. Even in high oxygen and sunlight some of it can last a week. Is chloramine deadly to fish in low concentrations? No, it can actually be used in fish hatcheries to help prevent bacterial gill diseases. Is chloramine deadly to the bacteria being used in an enclosed system like an aquarium to accomplish the nitrogen cycle? That is its purpose in drinking water.

Long story short...if people wish to add water conditioner that you don't feel you need because you have chlorine that will outgas itself or are just oldschool, who are you to laugh at them?


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## henningc (May 20, 2013)

Dechlorination is a totally different issue here. Plenty of great products out there that take care of chlorin or chloromine without the extra stuff. I used to use dechlorinator, but I have a well now so no worries. All the tanks at my office, i.e. the entire building, are on water that I know has chlorimine in it and bam the dechlorinator works just fine. My point is dechlorination is great but the rest of the additives are unnescessary at best. 

You are correct, God did not put those chemicals in the water we did. We know how to save our fish and hopefully we will be bright enough to save ourselves. Jury is still out on that one.


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

I agree with most of the others, Prime is a great product to use in tricky situations! I'm glad that it seems to be doing the trick for you so far, Clayton!

To those who wish to get into the theology behind fishkeeping, please continue this discussion over in our Advanced Freshwater Discussion area. At least I *think* that's where it belongs! >.<

Thanks to everyone who has chimed in with your thoughts!


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