# Water Conditioner



## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

So, I'm curious about how long topfin betta water conditioner needs to sit in order to work. If anyone knows any information about this, thank you!


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## ThatFishThough (Jan 15, 2016)

I personally would just go out and buy Seachem Prime. Prime can be put in & fish added immediately.


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## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

I know. But I have a huge bottle of topfin and I need to use that up first.


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

Most water conditioners are instant, and everything I'm reading about Top Fin is saying it's instant.


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## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

THANK YOU!!:smile2::smile2:


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## brianbetta1 (Oct 29, 2016)

My policy on water conditioners is this. Unless it specifically says to let it sit for a specific amount of time, I make up my water for my water change and get it to the right temp and all that and I put in my water conditioner and I let it sit for about 30 minutes. Right before I put it in, I stir it. That probably isn't necessary but I do it anyway. 

I believe most water conditioners are basically instant but I did have a betta that died once very soon after a water change where I had been a little careless and did the water change in a hurried fashion. Never do that. If you don't have time or you're in a bad mood or just not feeling like doing it right then, you're probably better off waiting until later in the day or something. Nothing worse than feeling like you lost your fish because you just weren't doing your water change at a good time.

As for water conditioners? I used to buy big bottles of Prime and other stuff that you can only get at someplace like Petco but I found that it's just better for me to buy Tetra stuff because you can get it almost anywhere for cheap and don't need to buy such a massive bottle. I still use a little Prime in my water change because I still have some. I do like that it gets rid of ammonia for a while but I might not buy it again when I run out. 

The problem I have with buying big bottles is you're always opening and closing them and it's kind of easy to contaminate them in one way or another. If you have a small bottle that only cost a couple of bucks and you think you might have contaminated it or it might be old or something, it's no problem to just get rid of it and buy a new one.


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

Seachem Prime comes in 3.4 oz bottles for only $4.89 on Amazon, or $3.99 on Chewy, Tetra BettaSafe Water Conditioner cost $1.85 for a 1.69oz bottle on Amazon, so it's not really that much cheaper then Prime. The problem is that with the Tetra you have to use 7 drops per gallon of water, with Prime you only need 2 drops per gal, so you will go through Tetra faster. Prime does a lot more then Tetra, Prime will detoxify ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite, tetra does not do that. According to Seachem if you store Prime correctly it will never go bad, so if it takes you years to go through it it's not a problem. For me Prime is the better bargain.


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## brianbetta1 (Oct 29, 2016)

Rainbo said:


> Seachem Prime comes in 3.4 oz bottles for only $4.89 on Amazon, or $3.99 on Chewy, Tetra BettaSafe Water Conditioner cost $1.85 for a 1.69oz bottle on Amazon, so it's not really that much cheaper then Prime.


 Oh, I didn't mean to give the impression that it is cheaper. I meant that it's just easier for me because I don't get out much and I have a store right around the corner that I usually go to once a week that sells the Tetra stuff. To me, using a conditioner that I'm able to go get anytime of the day or night without driving all the way across town is more important than saving money.

I don't like ordering from Amazon and usually when I go someplace like Petco, it's the only place I'm going. Gas, traffic etc. I just buy the Tetra stuff while I'm buying groceries so it isn't a special trip. As far as I know, I haven't lost any fish by using the Tetra. 

Anyway, that's just how I like to do things. I don't really like to make a habit out of buying anything that I can't buy at the same store I buy almost everything else at. That's really what it boils down to. Simplifying my life. And yes. Ordering stuff on Amazon makes your life more complicated. It might not be a problem for a lot of people but it is for me. 

Bottom line. I would buy Prime if they sold it where I shop. They don't so I don't. If I lose a fish because of it and I know for a fact that's what caused it then I might start going out of my way to buy Prime.

It's certainly not the best water conditioner but it shouldn't kill your fish if you're doing regular water changes. Which you can't really avoid whether you're using Prime or not. 



> The problem is that with the Tetra you have to use 7 drops per gallon of water, with Prime you only need 2 drops per gal, so you will go through Tetra faster. Prime does a lot more then Tetra, Prime will detoxify ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite, tetra does not do that.


 I didn't say it does. Again, an established tank will take care of most of that if you're doing regular water changes. I didn't say Prime isn't great. I just don't like going out of my way to buy something I always have to have on hand. 



> According to Seachem if you store Prime correctly it will never go bad, so if it takes you years to go through it it's not a problem. For me Prime is the better bargain.


 Whatever works for you. I didn't say it was wrong.


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## bettatanksalot (Mar 6, 2018)

*Relatively Instant I believe!*

Good question, from what I understand it is supposed to be relatively instant. I do let the water sit a couple minutes just to check the temperature is right. I have a small 3 gallon tank so it's not all that much water when I do water changes. I have a Betta that looks just like your black Betta.


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