What Happens to Prime?

[JamesW]

No, sulfite wouldn't detoxify ammonia. A partially oxidized sulfur salt like hydroxymethanesulfonate that is used in Amquel and is prone to oxidation is likely what locks up the ammonia in Prime. As this is prone to oxidation after 24h it would no longer function.

Thiosulfate in my experience has the tendency to generate sulfur in acidic aqueous solutions so wouldn't be a great choice.

My point being is that in addition to the nitrogen cycle, there is the carbon cycle, phosphorous cycle, sulfur cycle etc. all of which are occurring in your fish tank. Whatever is rendering your chlorine and ammonia non-toxic in prime will be chewed up by bacteria. It is most likely an organic sulfite of some sort that can both reversibly trap ammonia and reduce chlorine/chloramines. Eventually (after ~24h) this will be oxidized or otherwise metabolized and rendered non-active. Presumably it is pretty non-toxic, the ingredient in Amquel would generate CO2 and sodium sulfate but would eventually need to be removed by water changes.

[CammieTime]

I read somewhere it gases off after 24 hours. Not sure if that is true or not.

[Luke in Phoenix]

Good question. Basically, what chemical residue is left behind by the prime?

[Megalodon]

I read that it was degraded biologically but without Seachem disclosing the actual ingredient, we can only speculate.

Anybody want to chip in to have Prime deformulated? I've been thinking of having it done to end the mystery once and for all.

[JamesW]

Good question. Basically, what chemical residue is left behind by the prime?

CO2 and sodium sulfate is my guess.

[JamesW]

I read that it was degraded biologically but without Seachem disclosing the actual ingredient, we can only speculate.

Anybody want to chip in to have Prime deformulated? I've been thinking of having it done to end the mystery once and for all.

Amquel+ uses this: https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog...g=en&region=US

I would guess that Safe/Prime could be: https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog...g=en&region=US

It would react/trap ammonia, it would break down chlorine and chloramines, it is a stable solid that is readily soluble in water. It'll also reduce Cr(VI) to Cr(III) which counts as detoxifying a heavy metal.

Also a patent claiming efficacy of the above compound for the detoxification of ammonia in an aquarium setting: https://patents.google.com/patent/DE102006045333A1/en

Further reading, this is the active ingredient in Tetra AquaSafe Plus...

I stand by my original statement, CO2 and sodium sulfate is the end fate of Prime in your aquarium.

[Megalodon]

I would guess that Safe/Prime could be: https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog...lang=en®ion=US

It would react/trap ammonia, it would break down chlorine and chloramines, it is a stable solid that is readily soluble in water. It'll also reduce Cr(VI) to Cr(III) which counts as detoxifying a heavy metal.

Also a patent claiming efficacy of the above compound for the detoxification of ammonia in an aquarium setting: https://patents.google.com/patent/DE102006045333A1/en

Further reading, this is the active ingredient in Tetra AquaSafe Plus...

Interesting. So, regular sodium bisulfite won't do the same thing?

It seems that AquaSafe Plus is sodium thiosulfate now:

IMG_1980_resized_cropped.jpg

I checked all the ones at Wal-Mart recently and they listed STS also.

[JamesW]

OK cool, tetra just has the patent for the glyoxal bisulfite adduct so I assumed it was in their dechlorinator.

An aldehyde adduct is what is required to trap ammonia. Hmm the patent is owned by Tetra GMBH but they obviously aren't using it in AquaSafe Plus. Maybe it is in their ammonia safe tablets.

Regular bisulfite will reduce chlorine and chloramines the same as thiosulfate but to trap ammonia you need to have an activated aldehyde adduct and that was the least complex one I could find on Sigma Aldrich, a common supplier for many chemicals.