Seachem Prime killing my Plecos!!!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Thanks RD. for all that info, you have done some homework on this!

I would just like to point out that your city water wont always have the same chlorine or chlormine in it. Here in Canada, when seasons change and the ice melts there is a lot of organic waste in the water. The water can be treated differently and with more chlorine/chlormine because of of this. I have never tested the difference myself, but my city's water official website has stated this; they actually have a whole page just for aquarium keepers.

The difference in ppm might be small, but like Seachem says, it is better to be safe than sorry, give a recommended dose.



I might try your method of adding prime to a jug of water and slowly pure in while filling.
 
No problem, glad to help. BTW I'm also a Canuck. ;)

Typically when chloramine is used by a municipality the amount leaving the plant will remain fairly constant year round. I've discussed this subject in depth with a few water treatment managers, including the top dog in our district. Here the chloramine level never exceeds 2 ppm when it leaves the water treatment plant.

That is part of the beauty of chloramine, vs chlorine.
Chlorine begins to break down the moment that it leaves the water treatment facility, so during times of higher concentrations of organic matter (such as spring thaw, heavy rains, etc) chlorine levels will generally be increased. Also, some areas use chlorine during the winter, and chloramine during spring thaw, heavy rains, etc, so one really needs to keep in contact with their local water treatment facility. I've been dealing with chloramine for the past 12 yrs or so, and our water is actually much more stable year round than it was when we were on a chlorine system.

IMO if your smaller plecos in the 55 gallon were being exposed to straight chlorine or chloramine until that tank was full, that, and the elevated temps were most likely what caused their demise. I've kept plecos of all sorts & sizes, including many wild caught specimens, and my water changes are typically never under 50%. Never once had a problem, but my water parameters going in, are usually very close to those coming out.

That's the key when performing large water changes. As long as the water parameters are fairly equal, you won't have any problems. In Asia Discus breeders perform 100% water changes on a daily basis, the fish are literally laying on their sides when the tank is drained, and many of these tanks also have a pleco or two in them. No problem, and they do this every day to maximize growth in the juvies.
 
do like 20% water changes
 
The ph here is 7.6 from tap, higher here than my old place.

The ph of tank is around 6.8.

Prime does not have a ph buffer in it. The Big Als Conditioner, one i was using before, has a Ph buffer.

I am using drushed coarl in filter as a buffer though.


I wonder if the 50% change causes too high of a ph swing, as well as the chlormine spike.
 
pH will typically be higher out of the tap, then drop a bit as the C02 escapes. I suspect that if you let your tap water sit overnight in a glass, and then tested, it would be closer to 7.4 IMO crushed oyster shell works a lot better than crushed coral when used as a filter media, and if you buy it from a feed mill it's dirt cheap. Just an idea.

No telling exactly what caused the shock to your fish, but I suspect that it was a combination of things.
 
RD.;4357992;4357992 said:
pH will typically be higher out of the tap, then drop a bit as the C02 escapes. I suspect that if you let your tap water sit overnight in a glass, and then tested, it would be closer to 7.4 IMO crushed oyster shell works a lot better than crushed coral when used as a filter media, and if you buy it from a feed mill it's dirt cheap. Just an idea.

No telling exactly what caused the shock to your fish, but I suspect that it was a combination of things.
Click to expand...
When CO2 escapes from water, the pH goes up, not down. CO2 creates carbonic acid, which is why when injecting co2, we watch for a drop in pH, compared to the KH, to determine rough levels of co2.
 
My apologies, that is absolutely correct. At my age, I'll have to call that post as being an early alzheimer's moment. :screwy:

Thanks for the correction!
 
RD.;4358596;4358596 said:
My apologies, that is absolutely correct. At my age, I'll have to call that post as being an early alzheimer's moment. :screwy:

Thanks for the correction!
Click to expand...
No worries, I have 'senior' moments all the time. Too often if you ask me... What was I talking about?
 
So is it hydrogen gas that's escaping from my tap as it drops?
 
Prime is not the culprit. My neice accidently dump awhole bottle in my 65 with some rare plecos to no promblem what so ever. I change 50% of my water weekly and never have3any promblems in fact the fish actually perk up a bit after a wc. Of course this tank has been set up for 12 years.
 
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