What do you think is the best product line for freshwater aquariums. API seachem fluval ECT.

[AbbeysDad]

I don't think there's any one product line that's better than another. I probably have used products from most of the major players...and frankly I'm pleased that we have choices. I still remember (on good days ) the old days when products were very limited if and when they were available. Fish food is a great example as these days we have so many quality commercial foods that just didn't exist in my early days in the hobby.

 

[Retired Viking]

I don't think there's any one product line that's better than another. I probably have used products from most of the major players...and frankly I'm pleased that we have choices. I still remember (on good days ) the old days when products were very limited if and when they were available. Fish food is a great example as these days we have so many quality commercial foods that just didn't exist in my early days in the hobby.

I remember that too, not much to choose from back then, food was pretty much one size fits all.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

"Don't take this personal agree to disagree. But I personally think you clean your tank too much. Every surface you have being substrate rocks plants intake valves air pump lines plastic decor has nullifying bacteria.

I clean my filters every 12 weeks but I have two filters so I cycle 1 filter every 6 weeks. I do anywhere from 18 to 20% what it changes every 7 to 10 days that's like 10 of 14 gallons. Send me a picture of your tank"

I actually go by what most of the moderators and experts on this forum agree- large water changes weekly. If I did what you're suggesting I would have a filthy looking tank where I couldn't see the fish. I am getting MUCH better but for a long time I was over feeding. These weekly cleanings were really essential then. Even now, there are days where the fish eat everything or virtually nothing (I do an EXTRA small water change and suction the next day before feeding again). It's not really about water quality - my water quality would likely be the same if I only changed the water every two weeks but it's also about being able to SEE the fish and having a crystal clear tank. Below are 3 of my 4 tanks (the 4th has babies in it right now). My tank stats are Amonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 5-10, PH 6.49 to 7. (I used Neutral Reducer or my PH would be 9+ due to our cities water). These are all 29 gallon tanks. The first one is Acrylic which is why it is VERY clear.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

Byron wrote: " Which brings me to the Prime. This messes with the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate chemistry and this is best left to the bacteria and plants. Here again there are unnecessary chemicals getting into the fish. Think of it like taking antibiotics when you don't need to; it is not going to help the fish, and over time seems likely to do the opposite. However, in new tanks this can help initially, and if you have ammonia/nitrite/nitrate in the source water (at minimal levels to begin with), a conditioner that detoxifies these can help, by making the water initially safe, and by the time Prime becomes ineffective (24-36 hours) the bacteria/plants will be able to carry on. With excessive nitrate though this doesn't work either."

Don't you also feel it is deceptive that Seachem doesn't have a way of telling the user that their ammonia has been detoxified (for the next day or two) since it doesn't distinguish between active and inactivated ammonia. Now when I was cycling my tanks I didn't know or care - the goal was to get ammonia from ammonia to nitrites and from nitrites to nitrates. I didn't really care (or understand) active vs inactive. Then my tanks lost my cycling by adding too many fish at once and it overloaded the bio-load so the ammonia wouldn't all convert - it was perpetually high. Finally I found out that by using prime every day I was at least inactivating it because I wondered "why are my fish not dying?". But manufacturers really almost need to send a book with each chemical they sell explaining what it does and how it works and other things impacted - then maybe they wouldn't be a chemical junkie like me. LOL. But Prime DID keep my fish alive. during that horrible period where I couldn't get it cycled. I don't have that problem now and have both API and Prime water conditioners and use whatever is handy when I'm doing a water change.