# Seachem Safe



## fish bait (13 Jun 2013)

Hi, does any know which is best Seachem Prime or Safe, as I believe they they are the same only one is dry and one is a liquid. Do they remove copper and other metals to.

	  Thanks Jeff


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## dw1305 (13 Jun 2013)

Hi all,


fish bait said:


> Hi, does any know which is best Seachem Prime or Safe, as I believe they they are the same only one is dry and one is a liquid. Do they remove copper and other metals to.


They are definitely the same compound. Seachem won't tell you how Safe/Prime works other than it "contains hydrosulfite" (could be either HSO2- or - O2S-SO2-) and "bisulfite" (HSO3-) it is not obvious whether these ingredients actually react with ammonia, or whether some other unnamed ingredients perform that function. Best guess would be that the reaction product is H2NCH2SO3Na, an aminomethanesulfonate salt, with "Prime" using the same types of compounds as Kordon's "Amquel", which is patented, and has a known list of ingredients. 

For heavy metals it says:


> It will also detoxify any heavy metals found in the tap water at typical concentration levels.


 <Seachem. Prime>, but it doesn't tell you what the mechanism is. Seachem don't mention EDTA, but they say "precipitates" and


> 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.


 
Not very satisfactory as an answer.

cheers Darrel


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## Iain Sutherland (13 Jun 2013)

i prefer prime simply because its easier.... no measuring spoon supplied with safe


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## LancsRick (13 Jun 2013)

I'm a fan of Safe since you need such a tiny amount it lasts forever!


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## fish bait (13 Jun 2013)

Thanks for the replies.


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## justin85 (28 Jun 2013)

I am also a fan of Safe, being so concentrated 250g which cost £15 lasts for a good 2 years on my 4 tanks but prime rocks too.


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