This is confusing...

[Rocky998]

So I know and trust the brand API but they have two similar products one being stress coat and the other being water conditioner... It almost sounds as if they do the same thing... Could someone explain please?

 

[HabsBettas]

Water conditioner removes chlorine and chloramine and detoxifies the heavy metals in the water while stress coat does that and keeps the fish stress free with aloe vera and supposedly reduces fish stress. Quick Start and Stress Coat make a good combo I've heard

 

[Sgooosh]

Water conditioner removes chlorine and chloramine and detoxifies the heavy metals in the water while stress coat does that and keeps the fish stress free with aloe vera and supposedly reduces fish stress. Quick Start and Stress Coat make a good combo I've heard

too much aloe is bad for fish
just stick with tap water conditioner
and quick start for new tanks

 

[Ichthys]

too much aloe is bad for fish
just stick with tap water conditioner
and quick start for new tanks

Indeed. There has never been any evidence to suggest that fish need help in maintaining their mucous coat. Aloe vera (a terrestrial plant from semi-desert regions) is pure gimmick, and totally unnecessary. It stimulates the fish to produce excess mucous. My assumption is that it does this by irritation, in which case it would be causing stress rather than reducing it.

 

[Essjay]

The safety data sheets for the two products are interesting.

Tap Water Conditioner contains sodium thiosulphate [removes chlorine] and EDTA tetrasodium salt [binds metals]
Stress Coat contains "Not available". Below this it states

The specific chemical identity and/or exact percentage (concentration) of composition has been withheld as a trade secret.

So what exactly is in it?

If a company won't say what's in it I won't use it.

 

[Rocky998]

Water conditioner removes chlorine and chloramine and detoxifies the heavy metals in the water while stress coat does that and keeps the fish stress free with aloe vera and supposedly reduces fish stress. Quick Start and Stress Coat make a good combo I've heard

Ok thanks.

 

[Rocky998]

Indeed. There has never been any evidence to suggest that fish need help in maintaining their mucous coat. Aloe vera (a terrestrial plant from semi-desert regions) is pure gimmick, and totally unnecessary. It stimulates the fish to produce excess mucous. My assumption is that it does this by irritation, in which case it would be causing stress rather than reducing it.

Wait really? I never thought API would do something like that for their supplies... So just stick with the dechlorinator not stress coat. Got it.

 

[Rocky998]

The safety data sheets for the two products are interesting.

Tap Water Conditioner contains sodium thiosulphate [removes chlorine] and EDTA tetrasodium salt [binds metals]
Stress Coat contains "Not available". Below this it states

So what exactly is in it?

If a company won't say what's in it I won't use it.

Uhhh thats not cool... But I do trust API... Just won't use stress coat cause of the aloe.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Uhhh thats not cool... But I do trust API... Just won't use stress coat cause of the aloe.

And, you don't need "quick start" or any other gimmicky products to do a fishless cycle...conditioner (API Tap Water Conditioner, or Seachem Prime, which I use) and ammonia are all you need...

 

[Rocky998]

And, you don't need "quick start" or any other gimmicky products to do a fishless cycle...conditioner (API Tap Water Conditioner, or Seachem Prime, which I use) and ammonia are all you need...

I do plan on having live plants so I dont know if that changes anything. Wont the plants just take the ammonium straight out?

 

[Rocky998]

And, you don't need "quick start" or any other gimmicky products to do a fishless cycle...conditioner (API Tap Water Conditioner, or Seachem Prime, which I use) and ammonia are all you need...

Also... I have heard that API quick start does have beneficial bacteria and dies work. But you cant put fish straight in like it says... You still gotta wait. Correct me if I'm wrong

 

[Slaphppy7]

I do plan on having live plants so I dont know if that changes anything. Wont the plants just take the ammonium straight out?

If the tank was absolutely filled with fast-growing plants, then yes, they would "ingest" some of the ammonia...lightly planted won't make much difference

 

[Slaphppy7]

Also... I have heard that API quick start does have beneficial bacteria and dies work. But you cant put fish straight in like it says... You still gotta wait. Correct me if I'm wrong

I have no clue, because I've never wasted $ on products like that...they just aren't needed.

What DOES help a cycle along is seeded media, substrate, or deco from an established tank...but still, you can cycle without this as well....the BB (beneficial basteria) that you will be growing occurs naturally in our environment

 

[Byron]

Additives in water conditioners are generally risky if not dangerous, and should be avoided. The following citation [from "A review of polymer-based water conditioners for reduction of handling-related injury" by Ryan A. Harnish, Alison H. Colotelo and Richard S. Brown, 2011] on aloe vera, which API says is in Stress Coat, points out such risks.

Some additives contain aloe extract from leaves of the Aloe vera plant. Manufacturers of these products claim that the Aloe vera extract promotes healing of damaged tissue. One potential drawback to water additives that contain Aloe vera extract or CMC is the addition of organic waste load that can reduce the water quality and oxygen levels in a closed system. This may not be an issue, depending on the density of fish, length of time fish are held, and oxygen content of the water. However, the effects of these substances on gill tissue are unclear. Taiwo et al. (2005) tested the survival and behavior of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to different concentrations of aqueous extract of A. vera for up to 96 h. One hundred percent of tilapia exposed to 50 ppm A. vera died within the duration of the experiment. Fish used in this experiment exhibited severe depigmentation and destruction of organs (including gills). The evidence of the toxic effects of A. vera on fish solidifies the need to empirically test water conditioners, and their chemical components, for potential negative effects on fish.​

The entire study paper is available (free) here:

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alison-Colotelo/publication/226656472_A_review_of_polymer-based_water_conditioners_for_reduction_of_handling-related_injury/links/5598108e08ae99aa62ca1f6a/A-review-of-polymer-based-water-conditioners-for-reduction-of-handling-related-injury.pdf

 

[Rocky998]

Additives in water conditioners are generally risky if not dangerous, and should be avoided. The following citation [from "A review of polymer-based water conditioners for reduction of handling-related injury" by Ryan A. Harnish, Alison H. Colotelo and Richard S. Brown, 2011] on aloe vera, which API says is in Stress Coat, points out such risks.

Some additives contain aloe extract from leaves of the Aloe vera plant. Manufacturers of these products claim that the Aloe vera extract promotes healing of damaged tissue. One potential drawback to water additives that contain Aloe vera extract or CMC is the addition of organic waste load that can reduce the water quality and oxygen levels in a closed system. This may not be an issue, depending on the density of fish, length of time fish are held, and oxygen content of the water. However, the effects of these substances on gill tissue are unclear. Taiwo et al. (2005) tested the survival and behavior of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to different concentrations of aqueous extract of A. vera for up to 96 h. One hundred percent of tilapia exposed to 50 ppm A. vera died within the duration of the experiment. Fish used in this experiment exhibited severe depigmentation and destruction of organs (including gills). The evidence of the toxic effects of A. vera on fish solidifies the need to empirically test water conditioners, and their chemical components, for potential negative effects on fish.​

The entire study paper is available (free) here:

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alison-Colotelo/publication/226656472_A_review_of_polymer-based_water_conditioners_for_reduction_of_handling-related_injury/links/5598108e08ae99aa62ca1f6a/A-review-of-polymer-based-water-conditioners-for-reduction-of-handling-related-injury.pdf

Wow... I will stay away from stress coat definitely to be safe