Switched from prime to safe- dead fish
- Thread starter Wiksta
- Start date
Hello; This is possible. My area in in an extreme drought just now. The soil becomes very dry which is not normal for my area. This causes movement and has broken the water pipes in several places the last few weeks. When the pipes are repaired the water company will add extra chlorine because dirt and such gets into the pipes.
I've probably been using Seachem Safe for longer than most here, and have a sticky on water conditioners in one of the folders here on MFK if you are interested in some additional reading. I have never had an issue with adding Safe directly to a tank, and then adding tap water. I typically just add a small amount of the total dose as I refill each tank.
The real key is knowing what level of chlorine/chloramine your local tap water is treated with, and then matching that with the correct amount of water conditioner. Safe is a reducing agent that contains hydrosulphide salts. It reacts with chlorine compounds which are oxidising agents - but if there are no chlorine compounds left in the water, it will find something else to reduce, such as oxygen. This is exactly why Seachem dumbed down their dosage rate last year, in fear that hobbyists might overdose, and by depleting 02 levels, kill their fish. I have seen water conditioners (Seachem Prime) kill fish when overdosed, and not all fish in the same tank will react the same. It takes a fairly hefty overdose, but if you don't know your chlorine/chloramine levels in your local water then 02 depletion could be another possibility.
The real key is knowing what level of chlorine/chloramine your local tap water is treated with, and then matching that with the correct amount of water conditioner. Safe is a reducing agent that contains hydrosulphide salts. It reacts with chlorine compounds which are oxidising agents - but if there are no chlorine compounds left in the water, it will find something else to reduce, such as oxygen. This is exactly why Seachem dumbed down their dosage rate last year, in fear that hobbyists might overdose, and by depleting 02 levels, kill their fish. I have seen water conditioners (Seachem Prime) kill fish when overdosed, and not all fish in the same tank will react the same. It takes a fairly hefty overdose, but if you don't know your chlorine/chloramine levels in your local water then 02 depletion could be another possibility.
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OP - you might want to read this past thread as well.
http://monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/seachem-safe.651005/
http://monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/seachem-safe.651005/
So my county uses chloramine. For my 180 gallon tank i used a gram scoop of safe, which weighed to 1.2 grams. I dissolved in a half cup of water then put in tank. Had loss in all 3 tanks over night. I have been using Prime at 1 cap full per 50 gallons of water. Im thinking maybe i didn't use enough... the measurements are confusing between grams and tsp. The bottle says 1.25 gram for 300 gallons so i figure a gram is enough. I even did the exact calculations, but I must have screwed up somewhere. What are your thoughts? I'm really scared to use Safe again.
In that link I just posted I give the correct measurements for Safe, using a set of cheap kitchen measurement spoons purchased at the local dollar store. IMO, this is the best way to proceed - once you know what the level of chloramine is when it leaves your local water treatment facility. mg/l, or ppm, same thing - but you must know that base number before you know how much Safe or Prime to add to your water. In the USA chlorine/chloramine levels can vary from less than 1 ppm, to over 4 ppm. Once you find that out go back to the link I posted and do the math - it's pretty straightforward, no need for scales.
So my advice is the same as it has always been, contact your local water supplier, or look up your local water quality report, and find out what disinfectant they use, and at what levels - then use the previous info that Seachem has been supplying on the labels for years.
From 2012
To remove…
Chlorine: use 5 g (1 tsp.*) to each 1625 L (450 gallons*) of tap water (removes 4 ppm).
Chloramine: use 5 g (1 tsp.*) to each 1250 L (300 gallons*) of tap water (removes 4 ppm).
Ammonia: use 5 g (1 tsp.*) to each 400 L (100 gallons*) of tap water (removes 4 ppm). Do not overdose!
If you have 2ppm chloramine, like I do, then simply divide by two. So 1/2 teaspoon of Safe will treat 300 gallons. 1/4 teaspoon will treat 150 gallons, etc-etc.
From 2012
To remove…
Chlorine: use 5 g (1 tsp.*) to each 1625 L (450 gallons*) of tap water (removes 4 ppm).
Chloramine: use 5 g (1 tsp.*) to each 1250 L (300 gallons*) of tap water (removes 4 ppm).
Ammonia: use 5 g (1 tsp.*) to each 400 L (100 gallons*) of tap water (removes 4 ppm). Do not overdose!
If you have 2ppm chloramine, like I do, then simply divide by two. So 1/2 teaspoon of Safe will treat 300 gallons. 1/4 teaspoon will treat 150 gallons, etc-etc.
Generally they will post a low-high scale, some municipalities vary a lot, so if 3.7 is the high then a bit over in dosage of Safe, or under, shouldn't be causing any issues in a mature tank. If it did the majority of aquarium fish in America would probably be dead. lol I suspect most people just toss a pinch of powder (or liquid) in and call it good, without even knowing what their actual chlorine/chloramine level is throughout the year.
Having said that, in a heavily stocked tank, with warmer temps, and constant borderline 02 levels, an overdose could easily tip the scales for some fish. Or, yes, it could also be something else that took place with your tap water, such as a local repair that caused levels to fluctuate, or that even allowed a burst of contaminants to briefly enter your supply line. Hard to say what happened. My experience is that Safe is just as safe as Prime, and I have used both products in many tanks over many years. Even with uber sensitive fish, including eggs, larvae, and fry, and massive water changes, never an issue - which is why to this day I still use and endorse the Seachem line of water conditioners.
Having said that, in a heavily stocked tank, with warmer temps, and constant borderline 02 levels, an overdose could easily tip the scales for some fish. Or, yes, it could also be something else that took place with your tap water, such as a local repair that caused levels to fluctuate, or that even allowed a burst of contaminants to briefly enter your supply line. Hard to say what happened. My experience is that Safe is just as safe as Prime, and I have used both products in many tanks over many years. Even with uber sensitive fish, including eggs, larvae, and fry, and massive water changes, never an issue - which is why to this day I still use and endorse the Seachem line of water conditioners.
