API StressCoat really junk?!

[c333davis]

Holy guacamole, I just read in another thread that lots of you experienced folks consider API's StressCoat to be worthless! I had no idea. When Jim moved in with our first tanks, he brought the StressCoat with him, and we've used it for years as our dechlorinator for our 8 freshwater tanks and now the saltwater tank.

I'm considering switching to Seachem's Prime for dechlorination. Do you foresee issues with me simply starting to use Prime instead of StressCoat when I fill the water jugs next?

FYI, I use tapwater, and I do age all of our water at least 24hrs, especially the saltwater that I mix.

[Pufferpunk]

No issues in changing dechlorinators. I posted a link to a decent search on this issue. I'm hoping RTR might chime in too.

[ramcharger1979]

I recently switched to Prime and honesty I feel much better about it.

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

Candice, after using Stress Coat for all your tanks for all them years ever had any problems? Well I have also used API Stress Coat and still do mainly for the extra slime coat enhancement. Yeah I have read a load of articles about Stress Coat causing this and causing that, blah, blah blah. But it is only people's opinion. Now nothing is going to beat Seachem's Prime (been using it for years) so no need to compare any product out there to it, imo. Just saying Prime is a much better product but still nothing wrong with Stress Coat but they do claim that most carbon/resin's and Stress Coat don't work together. You would have to ask the API company themselves rather then another company that will say this and that about the other companies products. It's competition to one company to another.

[RTR]

Is it absolutely worthless? No, of course not. It does act as a dechlorinator. Is it a valuable product? Absolutely not. Healthy fish do not need any slime coat enhancement, in the wild or in captivity. Healthy fish can and do produce all the slime coat that they need or require. The physiologic processes for that have operated just fine for millenia and do not need any branded product to assist them. There is a real and valid need for de-chlorination or de-chloramination however. IMHO & IME, Seachem's Prime fills that need most effectively and efficiently. It too offers some branded slime coat enhancement, but it is tiny and trivial - it is present only because generations of hobbyists have been conditioned by manufacturers to believe their puffery on slime coats - which is about 98% invalid. Folks would either not buy Prime or add another product if there were no slime coat effect mentioned on the labels and in the formulation. Prime is the best - both the most effective and the most concentrated and also offers the widest margin of safety of the products currently on the market. It does the job needed and has a wide margin of safety so long as you follow the maker's suggestions. Because so little is required for full effectiveness, it is also rather inexpensive per required dose.

So save you money and be assured that your water is safe for your fish by using what you need to treat tap water and don't throw your money away and pollute your tanks with unneeded and/or ineffective products.

HTH

[c333davis]

hobbyists have been conditioned by manufacturers to believe their puffery on slime coats

Pun intended?

Seriously, I appreciate the explanation and info!

[Pufferpunk]

Told ya!

Puffery: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffery

[Mac Myers]

Is it absolutely worthless? No, of course not. It does act as a dechlorinator. Is it a valuable product? Absolutely not.
So save you money and be assured that your water is safe for your fish by using what you need to treat tap water and don't throw your money away and pollute your tanks with unneeded and/or ineffective products.

HTH

+1

[RTR]

Yes, I am totally unable to resist a good pun. I make be a character flaw, but I do enjoy it. And to sneak in two was just irresistible.

[geronimo69]

I've been using Aqua Plus for years (I used to get it cheap from a friend) but have just ordered my first bottle of Prime. Prime, even though I havent' used it, is attractive to me because of the small amount needed. 1 capful doses a lot more than 1 cap of Aqua Plus.

[Pufferpunk]

I use 1 drop/g.

[c333davis]

...It does the job needed and has a wide margin of safety so long as you follow the maker's suggestions.

Second pun?

[Pufferpunk]

He's good, isn't he?

[RTR]

I think the appropriate word is incorrigible.