Aquarium Water Conditioner Reviews

[Carl]

I have once more updated the "Aquarium/Pond Answers" article about the use of Aquarium (or pond) water conditioners as well as review of many popular conditioners.

Here is a snip:
"SeaChem StressGuard is a better alternative to Novaqua and especially API Stress Coat.
While the comparisons are not exactly "apples to apples" when compared to the before mentioned other similar water conditioners, if stress and injury are the reason for use, StressGuard is the vastly superior product."

Reference:
www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2007/04/aquarium-water-conditioners.html

This article is definitely worth a FULL read, as it provide more in depth information not found in any of my other articles!

Carl

[Deleted]

Thanks Carl,

How do other conditioners turn toxic when using Purigen? Please explain that more.

Another good product is Kordon Fish Protector:
www.kordon.com/kordon/products/water-conditioner/fish-protector

It doesn't heal fish as quickly as Seachem Stress Guard - but it does calm them. I use Fish Protector when fish get aggressive (calms the old featherfin catfish down pretty good). I do dose the entire tank. Fish Protector is not a dechlorinator. It also costs a lot less than Stress Guard.

When I do water changes -- even though I use RO water - I use Nova Aqua Plus - just for the amount of water I add.

Fish Protector -- and Stress Coat also coat the aquarium glass (Seachem Stress Guard does not). Fish Protector isn't a bad as Stress Coat. I used to get a hazy film on the glass all the time when I used API Stess Coat.

Regards,

Judy D.

[Carl]

Nov 15, 2014 18:42:08 GMT -5 @judy4fish said:

Thanks Carl,

How do other conditioners turn toxic when using Purigen? Please explain that more.

You just need to make sure that when you regenerate Purigen, you use Prime instead of the Stresscoat to remove the chlorine and chloramine.
What happens is when you use bleach to regenerate Purigen, the amines from the products bind to the chlorine in bleach and can release chloramines.

The summary section of this article deals with this more

Reference:
www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2007/04/aquarium-water-conditioners.html#summary

Another good product is Kordon Fish Protector:
www.kordon.com/kordon/products/water-conditioner/fish-protector

It doesn't heal fish as quickly as Seachem Stress Guard - but it does calm them. I use Fish Protector when fish get aggressive (calms the old featherfin catfish down pretty good). I do dose the entire tank. Fish Protector is not a dechlorinator. It also costs a lot less than Stress Guard.

Yes, this is an excellent product, in fact I have much more hands on experience with this Kordon product since it has been around for quite some time.

However it is a different product too. Better at calming as you noted, but does not have the healing properties of StressGuard

When I do water changes -- even though I use RO water - I use Nova Aqua Plus - just for the amount of water I add.

Fish Protector -- and Stress Coat also coat the aquarium glass (Seachem Stress Guard does not). Fish Protector isn't a bad as Stress Coat. I used to get a hazy film on the glass all the time when I used API Stess Coat.

Regards,

Judy D.

Novaqua and Novaqua Plus are products I have been using dating back to the early 1980s.
Both excellent, but I prefer Prime, in part due to the added phosphates.
This is also why knowing ingredients and how they work is so important to me.

I would also add that what I recommend (& often sell) is not because other products are not good, I have simply found often via testing as well as conversation with other aquarium maintenance professionals, that certain products are generally better in most applications

Simply put as per our Mission Statement, I generally only sell what I would use or provide my clients
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumBio.html#mission

Carl

[Deleted]

Thanks Carl,

I don't regenerate Purigen. It is just easier for me to use new Purigen. I can't have an open container of bleach sitting around. I am very allergic to it. I did try to regenerate one, but I wasn't satisfied and didn't use it. Good thing I didn't reuse it.... I used another dechlorinator - not Prime.

I do have Prime, but don't use it often since it lowers oxygen. My bottle is from 2011....but I don't think it expires. I use it in the hospital tank to detox nitrites and nitrates.

Judy

[Carl]

I do have Prime, but don't use it often since it lowers oxygen. My bottle is from 2011....but I don't think it expires. I use it in the hospital tank to detox nitrites and nitrates.

Judy, this is another anecdotal statement selectively applied to Prime by persons attempting to bash this product. Another reason why I find it so important to know how products work and ingredients contained there in

The fact is Prime is a reducing agent as are ALL aquarium chlorine removers, and all reducers have the capacity to lower oxygen.
This fact is clearly stated in this article, which is why I strongly suggest a full reading.

As well, how reducers works is clearly pointed out in the Aquarium Redox article.

Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Redox_Potential.html

SeaChem Reference too:
www.seachem.com/support/forums/showthread.php?t=2803

In the end, if your chlorine removing water conditioner of ANY brand lowers oxygen levels to critical levels, then you already had too low a dissolved oxygen content in the first place and your choice of whatever brand conditioner is not your real issue

Carl

[Deleted]

Hi Carl,

This isn't a case of someone bashing Prime... My son told me (I guess he doesn't know everything after all --- chuckles). I never "Googled" it myself. I know Amquel Plus lowers oxygen (at least temporarily) as it states that right on the bottle.

I just Googled "Prime lowers oxygen level" and there is some misinformation out there... I didn't click on any of the links. I will check the links you posted.

Cheers,

Judy D.

[Carl]

This isn't a case of someone bashing Prime..

My reference is the fact I have seen this in many forums, one thread in particular the members were using ad hominem/straw man attacks on Seachem and others.
Just another case of "buyer beware" as per what comes up in Internet searches and forums in particular.

As well this is why I try and ask reader of my article to try and read the articles in full.
Here is a snip from the Aquarium Answers; Water Conditioners article that addresses this (& it has been in the article a while too):
"It is also noteworthy that since these products are generally Redox Reducers, these products can temporarily lower available oxygen in the water. This is never a problem in an aquarium with even reasonably good water movement or aeration, HOWEVER if overused in a bowl with no circulation, this can deprive the fish of oxygen."

Carl

[devonjohnsgard]

This is my understanding as well. If someone is having trouble with low amounts of oxygen, there is another problem that needs to be addressed. That or they are abusing the product.

I guess we all need to be careful throwing out statements when we don't know if they are 100% true. Yes Prime can lower oxygen, but they all do it... It should not be a reason for someone to not use Prime.

Carl work is based on lots of experience with these products and he backs it all up with science. This is why it's important to take a good look at his work...

Another suggestion is not looking all over the internet for aquatic information. Stick to one or two reputable sources and just stick with their "style" and and experiences. It makes for a lot less confusion.

[Carl]

I have further updated the "Aquarium/Pond Answers" article about "Aquarium/Pond Water Conditioners"
This update includes several new pictures

Here is an excerpt:
Stress Coat contains a special non-toxic polymer that is attracted to the skin of the fish forming a synthetic slime coat envelope. Stress Coat also contains sodium thiosulfate, electrolytes such as sodium and sulfides which help reduce loss of electrolytes through the skin, gills, and damaged tissue. The Aloe Vera in STRESS COAT reduces inflammation of damaged fish tissue.

One major negative of Stress Coat is that it uses amine based polymers (see summary below) that have potential toxicity issues when used with Resins such as Purigen.

The effectiveness of Stress Coat with Aloe Vera has been proven by independent studies conducted at the University of Georgia, School of Veterinary Medicine.
Researchers found that Stress Coat helped heal wounds and speed tissue re-growth. Dr John Gratzek summarizes the results: "Personally, I am satisfied with the results since my initial thoughts were skeptical to say the least. These definite statements can be made without equivocation."
Stress Coat in no way harms aquarium fish, alters pH, or affects the biological filter. No ammonia or nitrite was detected in the test aquariums. The results indicated that the Stress Coat formula reduced the wound size compared to untreated fish tissue." Aloe Vera is high in mucopolysaccharides, an essential component of many tissues and believed to help in the healing process.

USE;
An effective water conditioner for the removal of chlorine, breaking of the chlorine/ ammonia bond (in water containing chloramines) and adding an aloe slime coat.

This is a popular favorite slime coat treatment for direct application to a fish that is wounded from transport or other reasons. Albeit, application in the water has proven to much less effective from my experiment.
I HOWEVER have found it less effective for overall slime coat generation after a water change. For this and general water application, AAP StressGuard is a vastly superior product as it does not rely on the actual "slime" and aloe to reach the fish to be effective, rather it instantly creates a Redox reducing environment in the water and on the epidermis of the fish itself.

SeaChem StressGuard is a better alternative to Novaqua and especially API Stress Coat.
While the comparisons are not exactly "apples to apples" when compared to the before mentioned other similar water conditioners, if stress and injury are the reason for use, StressGuard is the vastly superior product.

SeaChem StressGuard does NOT remove chlorine as would Stress Coat or Novaqua, however it is still a Redox Reducer based on the aldehydes contained there in.
Where StressGuard excels over these others is that while Aloe Vera is certainly a proven ingredient, most rarely gets on the fish in normal aquarium application while the protein active colloids found in StressGuard immediately disperse into the aquarium (or pond) water column and are much more effective in healing of the fish' epidermis.

Unlike others, StressGuard lowers ammonia toxicity similar to Methylene Blue, but without the affect on the bio-filter use of Methylene Blue would have in a main display aquarium.
As well StressGuard is pH neutral, unlike Novaqua in particular which can lower pH. StressGuard does not affect CO2 readings in planted aquariums, unlike Novaqua.

www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2007/04/aquarium-water-conditioners.html



Carl