Any Seachem Safe users?

Just wondering how you use this stuff?  Do you add it to the tank in powder form or mix it with water first?

I've been mixing enough to treat the entire volume of the tank with a cupful of water, then pour it in the way I use my liquid dechlorinator which is to add most of it in when I start to refill and then the rest periodically as it refills.  

The smell is awful!!  I opened the container at the bathroom sink and was worried what the next person who went in after me would think.
Even with the lid on, I can still smell it.

I have used it for years I just add to any turbulent area it dissolves well. Much less expensive than using prime.

I switched over to safe quite a while back. Very economical, I get it online at Kens.

I mix the powder into a measuring cup of new (tap) water right. And then add it right after my water change. I used to put the powder directly in but I did not like that it did not seem to dissolve quickly or that the cichlids were trying to eat it.

Thanks for the replies.  Bassetman, that's what I tried the first time and it's how I would prefer to do it, but like DMD, I noticed my cichlids going for it like it was food, so I thought I better dissolve it first.  

DMD, you add it after the water change?  I've been dosing mine when I start refilling.

I too, am a fan of Seachem Safe. And I usually just do what you all do, mix it in a smaller amount of water, and pour into the tank.

But ever since I've been working at Aquarium Co-Op, I am convinced that our water is so clean, that the chlorine levels are so low, that it doesn't even impact our tanks... granted, I'd still use seachem safe in my own tanks, but that's just because I have a butt ton of it. =P

Some fish go for it but I have never had any ill effect. By all means do what you feel best about. Another way to add is to put it in the hang on filter if you have one . This eliminates the fish chasing the occasional crystal.

One more reason why I like wet/drys or sumps, I add it to that and have no issues.

I 2nd what Madness said. Ever since I added a sump to my 8 foot long tanks, I've realized that I can just add the powder into the sump without worrying.

Betty wrote:Just wondering how you use this stuff?  Do you add it to the tank in powder form or mix it with water first?

I've been mixing enough to treat the entire volume of the tank with a cupful of water, then pour it in the way I use my liquid dechlorinator which is to add most of it in when I start to refill and then the rest periodically as it refills.  

The smell is awful!!  I opened the container at the bathroom sink and was worried what the next person who went in after me would think. .
Even with the lid on, I can still smell it.

Looks like you got lots of replies Betty. I too just started using this a while back. Mostly on my big tanks as the measuring down on dosing seems easier on them than on some of the smaller tanks...the amount will get pretty small for say like a 20G tank. We have just been adding it in powder form as we refill, some when we start, some in the middle and some closer to the end. No problems so far.

I just cannot justify a sump on every tank. One hundred gallons and up yes but under a hundred no.

It seems that either way works fine.   My tanks are all 75 gallons or less and most have canister filters.  Donna, I'm even using the Safe on my 10 gallon tanks. I had to do a little math and I bought a set of measuring spoons that are really small. A pinch treats 15 gallons, a dash treats 30 and a tad will do 60 gallons.  

Thanks again, everyone.

How many pinches in a tad?

bassetman wrote:How many pinches in a tad?

Four?  ...  Four!

On a serious note about measuring, Betty, have you really figured out the ratio of amount of powder to use with a 10g tank?  If so, would you let us know it?  Reason being is that I'll start using it soon in my 5g and 8g tanks and that would give me a head start on figuring the dosages to use.
Thanks in advance...!

Here you go Ron...These are my calculated figures so you might want to double check but I think I did the math right  

REMOVED SEE LATER POST

OH...and I should have added this to the chart

1 Tsp = 1 teaspoon
.75 tsp = 3/4 teaspoon
.50 tsp = 1/2 teaspoon
.25 tsp = 1/4 teaspoon
.13 tsp = 1/8 teaspoon
.06 tsp = 1/16 teaspoon
.03 tsp = 1/32 teaspoon

Betty wrote:DMD, you add it after the water change?  I've been dosing mine when I start refilling.

I dose mine as Im refilling. I meant after my gravel vac

i use it exclusively. Bassetman tipped me off to it when i was buying some fronts from him. i mix it in an old prime bottle. since 1/4 tsp treats 50 gallons, and 1 cap full of prime treats 50 gallons i add a cap full of water for each 1/4 tsp of safe and use it just like prime...........i do slightly rounded tsps of safe to offset the displacement of the powder in the water though.

Oh, I see, DMD.  

Ron, Cichlid-gal's chart looks like it's about the same as what I was figuring.  I ordered some small measuring spoons because my standard kitchen measuring spoons only went down to 1/8 tsp.  These spoons measure as low as 1/64th tsp.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009X1P9S/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  


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iandraco wrote:i use it exclusively.  Bassetman tipped me off to it when i was buying some fronts from him.  i mix it in an old prime bottle.  since 1/4 tsp treats 50 gallons, and 1 cap full of prime treats 50 gallons i add a cap full of water for each 1/4 tsp of safe and use it just like prime...........i do slightly rounded tsps of safe to offset the displacement of the powder in the water though.  

Clearly you have been doing this for a while and not had any problems but I was wondering if you had checked with Seachem on the "longevity" of the mix like this. This sounds like a good way to mix it and store it but I would just wonder about it losing its effectiveness or if that is a problem. Just curious.

An even cheaper way to remove chlorine and chloramine is sodium thiosulfate. I use this now.

what is the dosing and procedure?

Dissolve the dry crystals in water and use the solution to remove chlorine/chloramine from tap water. Use one drop of the solution per gallon of tap water (or one teaspoon per 100 gallons). Water with high chlorine content may require more. You can use two drops if you're not sure about your water supply. The crystal dosages below are measured by dry weight not volume. The solution measurements are liquid volume. Make up the stock solutions following these guidelines:

Dechlor Crystals - 0.5 oz crystals - Makes 1 cup (8 oz)(236 ml) stock solution
Dechlor Crystals - 2 oz crystals - Makes 1 qt (32 oz)(4 cups)(946 ml) stock solution
Dechlor Crystals - 4 oz crystals - Makes 0.5 gal (64 oz)(8 cups)(1893 ml) stock solution
Dechlor Crystals - 8 oz crystals - Makes 1 gal (128 oz)(16 cups)(3785 ml) stock solution
Dechlor Crystals - 1 lb (16 oz) crystals - Makes 2 gal (256 oz)(32 cups)(7571 ml) stock solution
Dechlor Crystals - 5 lb (80 oz) - Makes 10 gal (1280 oz)(160 cups)(37855 ml) stock solution
Dechlor Crystals - 10 lb (160 oz) - Makes 20 gal (2560 oz)(320 cups)(75710 ml) stock solution

thanks

cichlid-gal wrote:

iandraco wrote:i use it exclusively.  Bassetman tipped me off to it when i was buying some fronts from him.  i mix it in an old prime bottle.  since 1/4 tsp treats 50 gallons, and 1 cap full of prime treats 50 gallons i add a cap full of water for each 1/4 tsp of safe and use it just like prime...........i do slightly rounded tsps of safe to offset the displacement of the powder in the water though.  

Clearly you have been doing this for a while and not had any problems but I was wondering if you had checked with Seachem on the "longevity" of the mix like this.  This sounds like a good way to mix it and store it but I would just wonder about it losing its effectiveness or if that is a problem.  Just curious.

i only mix up what i will be using for that days water changes. forgot to add that. safe is the same as prime, except that it does not have the stabilizer additive. i googled it and seachem says not to store it for more than a week if i remember correctly.

iandraco wrote:

cichlid-gal wrote:

iandraco wrote:i use it exclusively.  Bassetman tipped me off to it when i was buying some fronts from him.  i mix it in an old prime bottle.  since 1/4 tsp treats 50 gallons, and 1 cap full of prime treats 50 gallons i add a cap full of water for each 1/4 tsp of safe and use it just like prime...........i do slightly rounded tsps of safe to offset the displacement of the powder in the water though.  

Clearly you have been doing this for a while and not had any problems but I was wondering if you had checked with Seachem on the "longevity" of the mix like this.  This sounds like a good way to mix it and store it but I would just wonder about it losing its effectiveness or if that is a problem.  Just curious.

i only mix up what i will be using for that days water changes.  forgot to add that.  safe is the same as prime, except that it does not have the stabilizer additive.  i googled it and seachem says not to store it for more than a week if i remember correctly.  

OK...good to know...thanks iandraco!

This has been a great thread...! Betty, thanks for starting it!  And everybody else, thanks for your input...!

Here's an updated Safe Dosing Chart with the measurement key at the bottom.  I ordered in some of those nice little measuring spoons that Betty posted up and added them to the key also (they are labeled tad, dash, etc.)  

REMOVED FOR CORRECTIONS

thanks Donna.

Nice chart. Thank you.

bassetman wrote:thanks Donna.

DMD123 wrote:Nice chart. Thank you.

UR welcome.

It has been brought to my attention in another forum that apparently Seachem Safe is sold in different sized containers and some of those containers have different dosing than my chart.

I set up my chart with my container of Seachem Safe...the 1kg/2.2lb container. So for further disclaimer, please do not use my chart unless you have this formulation/container of Safe as I haven't looked at those other dosings and was unaware of them. I don't want anyone to lose fish because of an incorrect dose.

I may redo this chart or I may pull it totally. Still deciding on that one.

Well I have an error in the chart too that I have to fix...so until I do don't use the Nitrate/Nitrite doses

My bottle is much smaller, but the dosage on the label is the same as yours, Donna.  Apparently we have older bottles because looking at the Seachem website, the dosages are updated and are quite different.  

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A question that was asked about the dosage...
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Thanks Betty for that info. After further info it seems the dosing changes on the website were being discussed as far back as late 2012. I purchased my container from Big Al's Pet Supply in August 2013. I received nothing from them about the dosing directions being different or incorrect on my container of SAFE. I will be contacting Big Al's and filing a complaint. I thanked the gentleman on the other forum for bringing this to my attention and apologize to any who used my chart which clearly is incorrect as the dosing is quite different on the website from the packaging instructions.