Prime or Safe??

[christian1971]

Is it necessary to use Prime or Safe during the initial cycling process? Can I just add my ammonia to my ro/di water? I understand using Prime or Safe once the tank is cycled and during water changes.

[aalbina]

It is not necessary during cycling. If you are using RO/DI then there is no chlorine in your water, which would kill the necessary bacteria you're trying to grow. It is probably not necessary to use Safe or Prime even after your tank is cycled if you are using RO/DI water. If you are mixing the RO/DI water with tap water - then you may need Safe or Prime to eliminate chlorine/chloramines. Are you on municipal water?

A future discussion for you might be -why- you need RO/DI water at all? It really isn't necessary with discus unless you have some pretty serious source water composition issues or you want to breed discus (many here successfully breed in tap water actually). Can you tell us what your water parameters are before you go through your RO/DI unit? pH, hardness, carbonate hardness, nitrate, nitrite levels? You may not need RO/DI which will save you a lot of hassle and money.

Adam

[Jhhnn]

It is not necessary during cycling. If you are using RO/DI then there is no chlorine in your water, which would kill the necessary bacteria you're trying to grow. It is probably not necessary to use Safe or Prime even after your tank is cycled if you are using RO/DI water. If you are mixing the RO/DI water with tap water - then you may need Safe or Prime to eliminate chlorine/chloramines. Are you on municipal water?

A future discussion for you might be -why- you need RO/DI water at all? It really isn't necessary with discus unless you have some pretty serious source water composition issues or you want to breed discus (many here successfully breed in tap water actually). Can you tell us what your water parameters are before you go through your RO/DI unit? pH, hardness, carbonate hardness, nitrate, nitrite levels? You may not need RO/DI which will save you a lot of hassle and money.

Adam

Well said. My domestic malaysian discus thrive in Denver tap water. Breeding may well be another story, but I haven't advanced to that.