# Ammo Lock or Seachem Prime?



## almes2014 (Jan 21, 2014)

Which would you recommend to treat a 3g tank? I'm so tired of dealing with ammonia problems and I suspect my betta is too. I use API Stress Coat so I was leaning toward Ammo Lock since it's another API product.


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## cowgirlsue1 (Nov 22, 2013)

Are you changing water, have plants??? What's your setup??


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## almes2014 (Jan 21, 2014)

I had an ammonia spike of 4.0+ppm a few days ago. Since then, my live Anacharis hasn't looked so good, but it's still in there.

3G, 25% WC every 2 - 3 days, gravel substrate, filtered, water heated at 78 - 80F, LED light over tank with 1 male adult betta. I treat the water with API Stress Coat and my WC additions are treated with Betta Safe (I do that because Stress Coat is too potent to put into each cup of water I bring from my tap).

Today, my ammonia jumped up to 0.5 - 1.0ppm. Before that giant ammonia spike, it had never gone about 0.25ppm. I did a 25% WC and the ammonia is now at 0ppm.


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## cowgirlsue1 (Nov 22, 2013)

Try Seachem Prime. It will remove the ammonia temporarily. Small tanks are really hard to control. But at least it sounds like everything is getting back to normal. Plants???


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## almes2014 (Jan 21, 2014)

Thank you. Buying it right now. As for plants, just my browning/pale Anacharis  It's been that way since just before the ammonia spike. I might buy another bushel.


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## almes2014 (Jan 21, 2014)

So I should only add Prime when I have an ammonia issue, or is it good to use it as my water conditioner instead of Stress Coat? Or should I use it in conjunction with Stress Coat?


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## cowgirlsue1 (Nov 22, 2013)

Stresscoat does not help the water. It helps the fish get a slime coat. Add Prime per instructions when you change water. It helps detoxify the water of ammonia, chlorine, etc.


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## almes2014 (Jan 21, 2014)

Thank you for the help!


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## cowgirlsue1 (Nov 22, 2013)

Good luck!


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## almes2014 (Jan 21, 2014)

So less than 24 hours from my last WC, my ammonia was back up to 0.50ppm...is this caused by my browning/pale Anacharis? Should I just remove it and buy a new bushel?


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## almes2014 (Jan 21, 2014)

Re-testing 20 min after my 25% WC, the ammonia only went down to .25ppm! I'm so frustrated!


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## cowgirlsue1 (Nov 22, 2013)

I have found that anacharis does that. Take it out or float it. Try watersprite or wisteria. Should be found at LFS. And it takes a few weeks for ammonia to settle down; for plants to start using the ammonia .25 is getting there. Use Seachem prime to help.


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## almes2014 (Jan 21, 2014)

Should I remove the Anacharis from the tank and trade it for watersprite/wisteria? I'm so excited for the Prime to arrive at my doorstep, you have no idea haha

I would love to keep Anacharis in my tank because it's known as a good oxygenator and ammonia remover. I'm not opposed to adding a new bushel (and removing the old bushel) in addition to the new vegetation you suggested. What do you think?

I'm so determined to fix my water quality that I would run out right now and go buy plants!


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## Betta Nut (Dec 3, 2013)

If the stems on the anacharis are still ok (my whole plant turned to gross mush), then all it's doing is adjusting. Run your fingers up along the stem and rub/pull off the dying parts, leaving the stem. I believe it should sprout new leaves, or if it's only growing at the top, snip off the bare stem part at the bottom. Getting a replacement of the same kind will probably just do the same thing.


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## almes2014 (Jan 21, 2014)

The Anacharis is completely intact but the leaves are rather transparent and its color went from green to a uniform pale brown/yellow within days. Before that, it was very green and growing like crazy for about 3 weeks.


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## cowgirlsue1 (Nov 22, 2013)

You have fish in the tank?? Cause if you don't, there's nothing to feed the plants.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

AmmoLock detoxifies ammonia, also removes chlorine and breaks down chloramine. So does Stresscoat. Prime does the same thing, just more efficiently. Don't use them together. Prime is all you need. Betta Safe doesn't do anything useful.

Healthy fast-growing plants can really help your water quality. Dying or dormant plants do not. Anacharis is a good one, but likes lower temperatures. The others were good suggestions

Rather than judging by _days, _do a 50% water change whenever ammonia rises >0.25ppm. Same with nitrite when it appears. While cycling, dose Prime @ 2-drops/gal of tank size with water changes and 1-drop/gal daily.


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## mart (Dec 18, 2013)

Haven't read the whole thread, but are you vacuuming? Lots of time if there is too much waste in your gravel or substrate, you won't be able to get the ammonia down without removing the waste.


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## cowgirlsue1 (Nov 22, 2013)

Which is why you have live plants as feeders of waste.


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## Matilda (Apr 25, 2012)

*I have anacharis in most of my tanks & I've found they really like a lot of light. I put 3 small stems in a little pot in a new tank with a full-spectrum 6700k bulb & it literally grew 5 inches within the first week.*


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## almes2014 (Jan 21, 2014)

Hello all, 
Lots of replies to keep up with.

There is 1 adult male betta in the tank, which is why I'm frantically trying to keep the ammonia down.

I removed the Anacharis from the tank and did a 50 - 60% WC. My ammonia is now .25ppm. I just can't knock it down any lower, it seems.
There are now NO live plants in the tank. Hopefully that will change tomorrow when I pick up some Wisteria and/or Watersprite from the LFS.

I'm still waiting for my bottle of Prime to come in the mail (Amazon Prime delivers in two days but doesn't guarantee instant shipment, sigh)

I have an LED light over my tank for 8 - 10 hours/day. 

I clean my gravel with a turkey baster daily and suck up food off the surface as soon as the fish isn't interested anymore. I'm feeding him very little now, just one blood worm or a few flakes a day. It doesn't seem that feeding is a factor in my ammonia issues.

It suddenly got warmer here in FL so my tank temp crept up to 84F from its usual 78 -80F. I now put the heater on a timer.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

As long as you're keeping ammonia around 0.25ppm, he'll be OK. Because you're in Florida, your pH is probably high (you'll know when you get your test kit). 

So you know in advance, your test kit will make it look like there's still ammonia in there. There is, but with Prime it's locked up safely away from your fish. Keep using Stresscoat until the Prime arrives. It locks ammonia also.

Read the _cycling_ stickies at the top of this section. You might seriously consider cycling your tank. It's better for the fish and (less important) easier for you.

Is your heater adjustable? If it is, it should turn itself off at the right tank temperature regardless of the outside temperature. No need for a timer. A timer will raise and lower the temperature instead if keeping it even.


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## almes2014 (Jan 21, 2014)

Thank you for the tips, Hallyx. How often should I drop in some Prime? I don't know the residence time of the liquid although I have read the bottle. Also, how should I go about testing my water for ammonia now that my readings are skewed by ammonia --> ammonium conversion? 

About pH, do you mean that my local water is alkaline? If so, how should I go about remedying that? I do not test for pH in my tank. My area is served by a local well, so I suspect my water hardness is high and my pH is between 6 - 7.5. I can't find any info online about my area :/ 

My heater is not adjustable, sadly. What should I do about this? I hate seeing the water temp creep up to 84F. 

I added Watersprite, Wisteria, a few drops of Prime, some fresh gravel, and a drop of fertilizer to my tank today. No water changes. I've been doing way too many and I'm scared of stressing my betta out or screwing up some other water quality parameter. 

My betta seems energetic, curious, and charismatic as ever. He happily ate some flakes today and did not seem to mind *too* much that I had both arms in the tank to plant the new vegetation. He seems to be on snail egg patrol on the plant stems.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Dose Prime one-drop/gal daily. Prime doesn't skew the readings. It reads ammonia and ammonium together as Total Ammonia. That's all you need to know. But if you really want to determine how much is "free" ammonia and how much is "bound" ammonia aka ammonium, you can use this chart:
CNYKOI - Ammonia calculator

There's no good way around an adjustable heater. Some keepers find a pre-set (no dial but) it turns itself off at 78*, so it says. Sometmes they do, if they're lucky. Mostly they're too hot or too cold. And they cost withiun dollares of a good reliable adjustable like this one. 
Amazon.com: Elite Submersible Preset Heater Mini, 25-Watt: Pet Supplies

It says but it's actually a reliable adjustable 25W heater. I've been running 5 of them for 3 years. 

How are you testing your water?


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