HCA: Hermit Crab Association

According to the SeaChem website, Prime will bind to ammonia for about 24-48 hours.

"Prime will bind up those compounds for up to 48 hours. If they are still present after that time frame, they are released back into the water, unless Prime is re-dosed accordingly. Also, if your ammonia or nitrite levels are increasing within a 24-hour period, Prime can be re-dosed every 24 hours."

http://www.seachem.com/prime.php

I just found this little tidbit today. Should this be a concern? I've never had any problems with ammonia in the crabs' drinking water.

No, its good to know anyway if you have other pets - like fish - that need mature water... but its fine to know that ammonia isnt likely to be in their water - or at high concentrations if you refill their bowls at appropiate times.

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That's good to know. Also, I found this article from the Crab Street Journal about using Prime. It basically says to change the water on a regular basis, but also suggests treating the water right in the bowls.

http://crabstreetjournal.org/blog/2018/ ... ter-prime/

I treat my water by the gallon and use it throughout the week. Water bowls are changed out every other day using said water, and the moss pit gets misted daily. This would be an acceptable procedure if using Prime, correct?

JoeHermits wrote:That's good to know. Also, I found this article from the Crab Street Journal about using Prime. It basically says to change the water on a regular basis, but also suggests treating the water right in the bowls.

http://crabstreetjournal.org/blog/2018/ ... ter-prime/

I treat my water by the gallon and use it throughout the week. Water bowls are changed out every other day using said water, and the moss pit gets misted daily. This would be an acceptable procedure if using Prime, correct?

I also treat my water in containers before pouring them in, but I do not condition my freshwater, I use RO water for freshwater.

JoeHermits wrote:That's good to know. Also, I found this article from the Crab Street Journal about using Prime. It basically says to change the water on a regular basis, but also suggests treating the water right in the bowls.

http://crabstreetjournal.org/blog/2018/ ... ter-prime/

I treat my water by the gallon and use it throughout the week. Water bowls are changed out every other day using said water, and the moss pit gets misted daily. This would be an acceptable procedure if using Prime, correct?

That would be fine.

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Hey JJ, do you think it would be an issue with high levels of chloramines? If it splits off the ammonia but only binds for 24 hours then wouldn't that cause issues in a non-cycled bowl?



I change my crabs' bowls out daily, same as all my critters and cats. It only takes a minute and I think everything deserves fresh water.

wodesorel wrote:Hey JJ, do you think it would be an issue with high levels of chloramines? If it splits off the ammonia but only binds for 24 hours then wouldn't that cause issues in a non-cycled bowl?



I change my crabs' bowls out daily, same as all my critters and cats. It only takes a minute and I think everything deserves fresh water.

Tbh, I'm not entirely sure. Partially for the reason is that Seachem has never stated the science behind how they bind ammomia.... we just assume that's its a NH4 complex. And also what is an acceptable "high" level?

I personally think that whatever it is, it will bond strongly to the chlorine so at least the chloramine compound will not be reformed. However, trace amounts of ammonia could remain, like you said.

Honestly, the only way to completely know is to test it out using water that contains high levels of chloramine. I would love to test myself, but for once, Melbourne water isn't suitable in this instance - I do a 90% waterchange on my aquariums and not have chlorine or ammomia problems... which has happened more than one occasion for me....

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I read through the new Seachem page and they flat out admit they don't know how the bonding occurs. Just that enough people have said their nitrite and ammonia levels dropped so they started putting it on the label. The things we trust! But it is a side effect of the most common dechlor ingredient. And it would not rebind to chlorine as the new chlorine bond is solid. Only amonnia and nitrite revert back.

And I would not expect problems in a fish tank, given that the bacterial filter would render even bound ammonia harmless in a short period of time.

I seem to remember having issues when I lived with my mom and did a series of tests on her water over time, but that was 14 years ago. She had a 1.0 ppm ammonia reading straight out of the tap, which is why I started using Prime in the first place. I tested religiously back then.