So "Safe" does it all?

[illbethejudge]

Okay so I've been using Seachem safe for a long time but until today i read that it says it removes ammonia, detoxifies nitrite and nitrate.
So basically I don't need to do water changes?
Mind you i won't stop doing water changes is just curiosity.

 

[skjl47]

So basically I don't need to do water changes?

hello; Others with a deeper understanding about the chemistry of your question may post. My take on that being some of these actions are likely not stable long term.

I will focus on another aspect of waterchange (WC). That being the issues which result after evaporation and the chemical inputs from other sources. As water evaporates it leaves behind mineral salts and other things dissolved in the water. If you only top off a tank the concentration of these dissolved things will increase. My take is the volume of a WC needs to be at the very least greater than the volume of water which evaporates between water changes. My unscientific rule of thumb being a double volume. If three gallons were to evaporate between WC then a WC needs to be six gallons just to stay slightly ahead of mineral salts concentrations.

The other issue is while we often focus on ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, chlorine and chloramine, there are other chemical compounds making an entry into the closed tank water. Metabolic byproducts from the living creatures in the water. Some believe that the fish excrete chemicals due to stress and this makes sense to me as well. Likely other examples can be found.

 

[PYRU]

Its prime basically. You treat your water during water changes with it.

 

[skjl47]

My take is the volume of a WC needs to be at the very least greater than the volume of water which evaporates between water changes. My unscientific rule of thumb being a double volume. If three gallons were to evaporate between WC then a WC needs to be six gallons just to stay slightly ahead of mineral salts concentrations.

Hello; With a few moments thought I suspect this post may lead to some confusion. I probably should have said also that the total volume of a WC includes additional considerations and not only evaporation. Let me try to make it more clear.
If I had tank with only water in it and no living things the above bit about evaporation would suffice as far as dissolved stuff goes. However living things add a considerable amount to the volume of a WC.
We can use nitrate levels as an indicator for WC. I think a number use nitrate at 20 ppm as a guide. Some want lower levels and a few seem to think much higher nitrate levels are acceptable. Best I can tell 40 ppm is considered the high end by many.

 

[SandNukka15]

It detoxifies nitrite/nitrate for a period of time. Doesnt eliminate it.

 

[lp85253]

it isn't a substitute for water changes.. it however does maker the prospect of large / frequent wc's a bit more safe for the fish than many dechlor products

 

[RD.]

it isn't a substitute for water changes.. it however does maker the prospect of large / frequent wc's a bit more safe for the fish than many dechlor products

Bingo! Especially for those like myself that perform very large water changes (80+%), have chloramine treated tap water, along with high pH values. (pH 8.0+) NH3 (free ammonia) and higher pH values don't mix well when it comes to fish. Safe has also been one of the most cost saving discoveries for me over the many years of being in this hobby. A little goes a very long ways.

 

[lp85253]

it's cheap and it's good...

 

[illbethejudge]

I've been using it for a while and i like it. I do 75% water change in my 120 gallon every 10 days and I haven't had a single problem.