Conditioning Salts

jessicaanne

jessicaanne

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At the moment I'm using the API Stress Coat+ conditioner (the lady at the aquarium claimed it was the best water conditioner even after I mentioned about having an axolotl). The day after I purchased it, I was reading on the forum and found that people are against it because of the artificial slime coat formula etc. My question is, has anyone had any experience with the conditioning salts as they don't add any nasties from what I read on the packet and are much easier to measure a dosage but I don't want to risk it. I understand that they'll need time to dissolve but I already leave the liquid in the bucket for 15-20 mins before I put it into the tank anyway.
 
Hi Jessica Anne,

I use the Tetra Aquasafe product, which is pretty similar to API Stress Coat. When I lived in Europe, I only used API Stress Coat. In my opinion it's perfectly fine for axolotls. Can you point me in the direction of where people are saying bad things about it so I can digest those threads please?

As for the conditioning salts, I've never heard of such a product in solid form, except for the adjustment of water pH and/or hardness. Are you use the conditioning salts you're describing are for removing chlorine and ammonia/chloramines from water?
 
Hi John thanks for replying. These links are just two threads that I could find where people objected to using products with slime coats as they are apparently only suitable for fish.

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-beginner-newt-salamander-axolotl-help-topics/f48-axolotls-ambystoma-mexicanum/f57-axolotl-general-discussion/81186-slime-coat-water-conditioner.html

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-advanced-newt-salamander-topics/f6-vivaria-enclosures-product-reviews/f7-general-discussion/80892-recommended-dechlorinator.html

In regards to the salts, in Australia (my local pet shops at least) we have water conditioning salts that remove chlorine and other nasties that are found in tap water. I asked the lady at the pet shop about these and she claimed that such a product didn't exist and I must have been mistaken for salts that control the hardness etc. However when she looked on the shelf, sure enough there were salt products for conditioning purposes. My partners mum uses them for her freshwater aquariums and I was using them for a little while before I bought the stress coat product.
 
I can only surmise that the salts you're talking about also include solid sodium thiosulfate (the chemical that makes tap water safe).

With regard to the conditioner, I understand Johnny's argument, but in Ireland I kept axolotls with just API stress coat and I was producing axolotls with gills like this fellow:

axolotl_ambystoma_640_15.jpg

That's actually my photo that someone has used without permission, but it is the only quick link to it that I can find.
 
John said:
I can only surmise that the salts you're talking about also include solid sodium thiosulfate (the chemical that makes tap water safe).
Click to expand...

I'll go to the pet shop tomorrow and let you know what it is made up of and I'll also try and find a link to the product just so someone can clarify that the product is safe and beneficial to use :happy:

John said:
With regard to the conditioner, I understand Johnny's argument, but in Ireland I kept axolotls with just API stress coat and I was producing axolotls with gills like this fellow
Click to expand...

Oh okay. Well those gills look mighty healthy and if you don't find a problem with using the product then I shall continue to use it! I just have trouble dosing it because I use 10L buckets to do water changes so hopefully I'm putting enough in or not overdosing :eek:

Many thanks for your input.
 
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