Api quick start with prime

[RyanU]

I just checked my grow out tank for the heck of it too see what the water parameters are. With twice daily water changes i want expecting to see anything but I actually have ammonia. About 1ppm maybe more. It's definitely green but not super dark. I'm getting ready to do another water change and will take out 50% . I use prime for dechlorinating. I have some quick start as well and was wondering if I can add that as well. I know bb isn't all that is cracked up to be but I was going to do a little expirament. I'm going to change the water, measure the ammonia and then add the bb. And then recheck 24hrs later to see what happens.

 

Whet I want to make sure is that mixing the two won't have any bad reactions and possibly kill the Cory fry. 

 

TIA

[RyanU]

I think I'm going to go another route and pull some filter out of my main tank. How will that work with only a sponge filter in the tank. Just set it close to it in some pantyhose. 

[Struggle]

I’d just use some sponge/ filter gravy from a established filter to jump start it. 

[RyanU]

That's what I ended up doing. I took a piece of filter out and rinsed all thy crud of it and stuck it in some pantyhose with some gravel to weigh it down and put it right in front of the sponge

[ThomasLC]

Prime neutralizes ammonia.  This is great for immediate need to remove ammonia however it starves your BB.   Hampering your filters ability to grow your BB colony to the needed levels.  If you can keep doing water changes dont use Prime or any other water conditioner that detoxifies ammonia.   Use one that ONLY de-chlorinates.  To boost BB Stability and Zyme 7 are both good.  I use Evolution Aqua Pure Pond.  I know it says pond but it works for aquariums.  Generally givin to you when you buy Biohome media.  They are slow release.  

So, water changes for short term control.

Nothing to detoxify ammonia unless truly needed.  Believe me, sometimes you do.  If you can not do the water changes and still want a chemical assistance in bringing ammonia down use something like Fluval Ammonia Remover, Chemical Filter Media for Freshwater Aquariums.  Place it in your filer AFTER your bio media.  This way your bio media gets all it can eat and the left overs are handled by the ammonia remover.  Once the BB has grown you can remove the crutch of the ammonia remover.

And add BB and let it grow.

[RyanU]

I just looked up seachem on their website and this is what it says

Prime® may be used during tank cycling to alleviate ammonia/nitrite toxicity. It contains a binder which renders ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate non-toxic, allowing the biofilter to more efficiently remove them. It will also detoxify any heavy metals found in the tap water at typical concentration levels. Use at start-up and whenever adding or replacing water.