# How fast does Prime work?



## syzygy9 (Aug 9, 2010)

Good question. 

I'm still cycling my tank so no experience here yet, but I was just imagining I could add in the correct amount of Prime to the 50% of water left in the tank, trickle fill over the coarse of an hour using the Python, and then maybe wait another 30 min before firing up the filter again (just to be safe). I'll be interested to see what advice you get here.

My tap water measures .5ppm Ammonia as well.


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## ReefkprZ (Aug 21, 2010)

almost instantly. look at it this way. carbon adsorbs or affects (some of the chemicals in) prime, they dont bother recomending to remove carbon when dosing prime because its reaction time is fast enough that any filtering would be negligable in the effect it has. its a highly rective substance. no worries its faster thanI am while changing water. any ammonia or chlorines wouldnt be around long enough to do damage the mix and pour method will be perfectly safe. if you want to wait you can but its not a must.


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## jetajockey (Aug 23, 2010)

i dose my tanks with prime before filling straight from the tap with a python, so whichever way you do it will be fine.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

It works almost instantaneously, I just make sure it's mixed well into tap water then dump into my tank.

Or dose my tank and fill with my Python- never had any losses.


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## deleted_user_7 (Jul 7, 2003)

Sorry to be OT but is there any benefit to adding it if your water has no ammonia/clorine/chloramines? Does it bind copper or anything? I have well water and copper pipes.

Hypothetically, if you add it at every water change to water that doesn't have ammonia/chlorine/chloramines, and a fish dies a couple days later, does the prime bind the ammonia and protect the other livestock from that ammonia?


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

justlikeapill said:


> Sorry to be OT but is there any benefit to adding it if your water has no ammonia/clorine/chloramines? Does it bind copper or anything? I have well water and copper pipes.


Yep. I'm on well water and use it too, just to be on the safe side.


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## LilGreenPuffer (Sep 23, 2010)

I'm in the exact same situation, except that I have 1ppm ammonia! I've never had trouble putting it into the tank right away.


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## Captivate05 (Feb 23, 2010)

Ah, what I wanted to hear!

I thought that may be the case, but I wasn't positive. I'll probably just treat the 50% remaining water before adding tap in my 29g. The shrimp tanks I'll pretreat, as that's just two gallons a week anyway. 

Oh this is going to be so much easier and cheaper than straight ro from the grocery store! I had to run 18 gallons of ro water down a flight of stairs once a week. Started to get a bit much after I got pregnant. 14 weeks along, and I'm still battling morning sickness! :confused1:

Ok, next thing I want is a python! My fiance is not going to go for that...


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## jetajockey (Aug 23, 2010)

Prime only detoxes ammonia for up to 48 hours according to the seachem techs.


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## captain_bu (Oct 20, 2007)

Captivate05 said:


> Ok, next thing I want is a python! My fiance is not going to go for that...


You can easily make your own. A couple of pieces of PVC tubing fashioned into a U shape plus a PVC to hose adapter, a garden hose and whatever adapter you need to use to attach the garden hose to either a faucet or shower is a much cheaper alternative. Do a search in the DIY forum... sure it has been discussed.


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## Dempsey (Oct 27, 2009)

captain_bu said:


> You can easily make your own. A couple of pieces of PVC tubing fashioned into a U shape plus a PVC to hose adapter, a garden hose and whatever adapter you need to use to attach the garden hose to either a faucet or shower is a much cheaper alternative. Do a search in the DIY forum... sure it has been discussed.


True. That, or you can go to a walmart and get a "Lee's gravel syphon"(or something like that...) for $25. Pretty much the same thing. I got one from Walmart for $25 and then the following weekend I saw a 29g tank, stand, hood, filter and Python for $25! Go figure...... I picked it up anyway.


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## jetajockey (Aug 23, 2010)

kensfish.com has pythons for 32 bucks, the shipping is not bad if you are buying a few other things while on there.


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## Xalyx (Sep 26, 2010)

Sorry for being a noob but what is prime and how do I get it? Setting up my scape soon.


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## acropora1981 (May 30, 2010)

According to my Ontario Wastewater Treatment manual; sodium thiosulphate's neutralization reaction is almost instantaneous.


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## syzygy9 (Aug 9, 2010)

jetajockey said:


> Prime only detoxes ammonia for up to 48 hours according to the seachem techs.


Makes me wonder if the same thing is true for the detoxing of Chlorine and Nitrites/Nitrates.


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