SeaChem Prime - Tech Answer to Slime & Metals

Roan Art

Roan Art

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Can't remember what post we were yapping about this in, so I started a new one. It'll be easier to find if someone needs it in the future anyhow . . .

This is Seachem's response to my query as to why Prime has "slime enhancers" and their claims of "removing heavy metals":

Headers et al removed for obvious reasons:

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Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 12:56:17 -0500
To: Eileen Kortright (by way of Seachem Tech Support)
From: Seachem Tech Support
Subject: Re: Prime Slime Coat/Metals

Hello Eileen,

I appreciate your concerns and will try to address them below;

Our Prime contains a mild stimulant to assist the fish with production of slime coat. Prime does help the fish "provide a slime coat" by stimulating the fish to do so. We do not use amine based polymers for this purpose as most of our competitors do.

This is quite different from another product in our line called Stress Guard. Stress Guard contains protein active polymers that actively seek out exposed proteins (wounds, abrasions, etc.) for healing purposes.....it can almost be thought of as a liquid bandage. Basically Prime helps to stimulate while our Stress Guard actually coats.

Regarding another statement "..... fish that cannot replenish its slime coat in 24 hours is sick and needs a lot more help than Prime." I completely agree! That is why we do not market Prime as a medication. However we do manufacture a full line of medications if needed.

As for metal precipitation, this was an unintended function of the product. Other dechlorinators use sulfur based reducing salts and the result is similar. So it is listed on the label.... mainly for marketing purposes. But again, I agree that if you have lead or other harmful metals present in your source water a better method of removal if called for. That is why we also offer RO/DI filters for ultimate water purification.

Best Regards,
Seachem Technical Support,rb
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seachem Laboratories, Inc. www.seachem.com 888-SEACHEM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roan
 
Its sweet to know. I'll still use Prime for my fish tanks. It works great and is concentrated so it lasts longer.
I've always known that metals can't be removed from tapwater unless you use RO/DI or ppt them and then filter the metals out of the water before pouring the treated water into the tank. All about chemistry.
 
Nice one, Eileen! Now I know your real name.

It's nice to hear from a product suplier that actually is willing to explain their labels. As expected, they recognize the heavy metal remover is for marketing porpuoses.
 
Our Prime contains a mild stimulant to assist the fish with production of slime coat. Prime does help the fish "provide a slime coat" by stimulating the fish to do so. We do not use amine based polymers for this purpose as most of our competitors do.
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I wonder what they do use?

I'm very curious, because the last time I tried using Prime for a routine water change, immediately afterwards all of my fish became extremely agitated -- just absolutely hyperactive and horribly irritable and aggressive towards one another. I was/am positive I dosed it correctly, and my water parameters were stable before and after.

I wonder if it's even possible if the "stimulant" is strong enough to elicit that kind of behavior or if it was a coincidence or some weird reaction with my local water or something else entirely? *ponders*

(Incidentally, this is one of the reasons I don't believe there is a "best" anything in this hobby. A lot of people really like Prime and swear by it, and though I'm rather spooked on it now, I don't want to bag on it or anything. I'm more curious than anything else.)

(Edit: P.S. I realize we are not talking about a "stimulant" like caffeine or something. ;) But I wonder if it felt physically irritating to them.)
 
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I should also add, that the on the following 2 days I did a large water change with Stress Coat, which is what I had been using before, and their behavior returned to normal. Again, I am not trying to argue that one is better than the other, just curious about what the actual stimulant is.
 
Red K said:
I wonder if it's even possible if the "stimulant" is strong enough to elicit that kind of behavior or if it was a coincidence or some weird reaction with my local water or something else entirely? *ponders*
Click to expand...

Like you say, I sincerely doubt that Seachem uses a general stimulant like caffeine in Prime. I use Prime in every water change I do, and the fish do get more active, but I think that's because the water I'm putting in there is fresh and highly oxygenated.

Seachem has always been very straightforward with any responses people here have posed to them. Especially compared to companies like Jungle for instance, who are somewhat cagey about their products. Seachem provides MSDS for all their products so you know generally what's in them that might cause problems according to OSHA. Which is helpful for my office tank.

Side note: Did you know you need an MSDS for any chemical you have at work? OSHA regs say so. That includes dechlorinator. Important info for office fishkeepers.

I've not had a single problem with Prime, and if they add a little something that stimulates a natural response (as opposed to Stress Coat which goops up my water with unnecessary aloe vera gel), so be it.
 
Soulcoffr said:
I've not had a single problem with Prime, and if they add a little something that stimulates a natural response (as opposed to Stress Coat which goops up my water with unnecessary aloe vera gel), so be it.
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Well, I guess we WERE arguing, although I went out of my way to be nonargumentative. I guess the "mystery stimulant" is better than aloe vera. :rolleyes:
 
Red K said:
Well, I guess we WERE arguing, although I went out of my way to be nonargumentative. I guess the "mystery stimulant" is better than aloe vera. :rolleyes:
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Heh. Well, I just don't like adding excess bioload to my tank if I don't have to, which is what aloe vera is. Although the slime coat stimulator Seachem uses is still somewhat of a mystery and probably a trade secret.

I have the bad habit of slamming folks with a barrage of information, Red K, and I apologize for that.

I don't have a problem with a mild slime coat stimulant honestly. And, as the e-mail from Seachem indicates, it's not intended as a medication. It's a water preparation chemical. They have other products for wound treatment.

Although I'm curious why they put the stimulant in there in the first place. It's gotta be a marketing thing...
 
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