Equivalent amount of safe to prime?

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Mount_Prion

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Jan 31, 2012
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I'm about to switch from Prime to the powdered Safe equivalent. I'm finding the instructions on the Safe bottle a bit confusing, as it has different doses for different uses. For normal water treatment the same as I'd usually do (1 cap-full per 50g of prime) how much safe should I be using?

Hoping to do a WC soon, thanks!
 
The only way to answer that question is by knowing how much chlorine/chloramine one is treating for. If you don't know that, you need to find out. No different with Prime - 1 capful for 50 gallons is NOT the correct dosage rate for ALL applications. Once one knows what their local water supply is treated with, and the quantity of that disinfectant, the rest is pretty straightforward.
 
The only way to answer that question is by knowing how much chlorine/chloramine one is treating for. If you don't know that, you need to find out. No different with Prime - 1 capful for 50 gallons is NOT the correct dosage rate for ALL applications. Once one knows what their local water supply is treated with, and the quantity of that disinfectant, the rest is pretty straightforward.

Sure, I mean I do a bit more than 1 cap per 50g and it's been working great for quite some time now. So I'm trying to find out the equivalent amount to that. Thanks!
 
Which I'm assuming means that you have no idea as to what the chlorine/chloramine levels are in your tap water supply.
 
Which I'm assuming means that you have no idea as to what the chlorine/chloramine levels are in your tap water supply.

I mean, I live in NYC and know what works for me and hundreds of other people around me.

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.
 
No need to get all huffy & puffy about it. I mean what exactly do you want, someone to give you a by guess or by golly answer to your question? Without knowing exactly what your water source is treated with, and how much, no one on MFK can properly answer your question. The dosage recommendations given by Seachem are for very specific quantities of chlorine/chloramine, and for very specific quantities of water. See below.


If you are treating your water using the maximum rates+ given as an example by Seachem (1 capful (5 mL) for each 200 L (50 gallons*) of new water) then apparently you are treating for 4+ mg/L chloramine, or 5+ mg/L chlorine. So using those values calculate what amount of Safe you need to treat the same volume of water.

I suspect that you are using more water conditioner than required, which is why I previously suggested finding out what the actual disinfectant levels are in your local supply. Either way, using the values below you should be able to figure out what you were wanting to know. Good luck.







Prime directions


Use 1 capful (5 mL) for each 200 L (50 gallons*) of new water. This removes approximately 1 mg/L ammonia, 4 mg/L chloramine, or 5 mg/L chlorine. For smaller doses, please note each cap thread is approx. 1 mL. May be added to aquarium directly, but better if added to new water first. If adding directly to aquarium, base dose on aquarium volume. Sulfur odor is normal. For exceptionally high chloramine concentrations, a double dose may be used safely. To detoxify nitrite in an emergency, up to 5 times normal dose may be used. If temperature is > 30 °C (86 °F) and chlorine or ammonia levels are low, use a half dose.



Safe directions


Directions for 10 g and 50 g

To remove…

Chlorine: use 1 measure to each 130 L (35 gallons*) of tap water (removes 1 ppm)..
Chloramine: use 1 measure to each 100 L (25 gallons*) of tap water (removes 1 ppm).
Ammonia: use 1 measure to each 32 L (8 gallons*) of tap water (removes 1 ppm). Do not overdose!

For reference, 1 measure = 100 mg. To detoxify nitrite/nitrate in an emergency situation use up to 5 measures to each 40 L (10 gallons). Use fish to gauge toxicity reduction as test kits will still show presence of nitrite/nitrate even when detoxified. May be added to aquarium directly, but is better if added to new water first. If adding directly to aquarium, base dose on aquarium volume. If temperature is > 30 C (86 F) cut dosing in half.

Directions for 250 g and larger

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!

To detoxify nitrite/nitrate in an emergency situation use up to 5 g (1 tsp.*) to each 400 L (100 gallons*). Use fish to gauge toxicity reduction as test kits will still show presence of nitrite/nitrate even when detoxified. May be added to aquarium directly, but is better if added to new water first. If adding directly to aquarium, base dose on aquarium volume. If temperature is > 30 C (86 F) cut dosing in half
 
RD., is there a practical way to test what the chlorine or chloramine levels are in the tap water received at the faucet?

I understand that the local water authority usually provides an annual water report to their customers stating the average disinfection ratings in PPM, possibly including the method of treatment, that is, chlorine or chloramine. But I also understand that this number can be higher than normal due to problems in the water system.

I've seen the question come up frequently on how much Prime, Safe or other water conditioner product to use but I'm just very curious on whether it would be be cost effective or easy to test your home water supply prior to figuring out what dosage of conditioner to use on the day you want to perform a water change.
 
RD., is there a practical way to test what the chlorine or chloramine levels are in the tap water received at the faucet?

I understand that the local water authority usually provides an annual water report to their customers stating the average disinfection ratings in PPM, possibly including the method of treatment, that is, chlorine or chloramine. But I also understand that this number can be higher than normal due to problems in the water system.

I've seen the question come up frequently on how much Prime, Safe or other water conditioner product to use but I'm just very curious on whether it would be be cost effective or easy to test your home water supply prior to figuring out what dosage of conditioner to use on the day you want to perform a water change.

There are chlorine test kits available. Make sure that the kit is for "total chlorine" NOT "free chlorine". Chloramine will not show up in a test for free chlorine.
 
I use a 1/4 tsp. to every 50g in all of my tanks
 
I actually have a sticky on this subject that may help.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?309623-Cost-Effective-Water-Conditioners

And Deeda, to answer your question, IMO if ones local water supply varies in residual disinfectant strength throughout the year, its best to target the highest rate. So if ones town/city states on their website that the chlorine/chloramine level is 1.8-2.5 ppm, I would use the higher number as my guide.

As an example, my tap water is pretty much steady at 2 ppm chloramine year round, so I can safely treat my water using 1/2 the recommended dose that Seachem suggests, as my water is 1/2 of 4ppm. So instead of 1 tsp treating 300 gallons, in my case 1 tsp treats 600 gallons. The savings in conditioner add$ up over the years.
 
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