aqua clear

Lornek8

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Apr 21, 2009
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How aquaclear what works?
Aquaclear filters? They make more than one aquaclear product.

And by how it works do you mean how well?
 

ccole

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Jan 15, 2011
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norfolk
I dont know you always want the details- but at least you ask so nicely :)

Was a spelling mistake
Accu Clear- Aquarium Cloudy Water Clear
by API

how does it work? I mean how does it make the water clear? what does it do with the particals it seems to melt away?

thanks again for your help yoda
cc
 

Lornek8

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I'm not sure the exact method by which the product works (the msds sheet had little info) but generall what these types of products do is cause the particles in the water to bunch together. This allows the filters to be able to trap the larger particles or causes the particles to fall out of the water column.
 

dw1305

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May 5, 2009
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Hi all,
These are a bit like the UV lights that they sell to pond keepers to kill off their green water. They will work, but they are really "snake oil", because they are just treating the symptom, not the cause.

Like Lorne says, the API one is a flocculant, probably a long chain polymer (polyacrylamide, should feel "greasy")? and causes the bacteria/clay colloids etc to clump together into "flocs", which are then filtered out by the filter. You can get the same effect with thick filter floss or a diatom filter.

If your water is cloudy, there will be a reason, and it might be better to find out what the reason is first.

cheers Darrel
 

ccole

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Jan 15, 2011
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thats the exact answer i was just interested in how it works and if it was 'fish friendly' in the long term. I used to use it when i first started to clear the junk from the water when i changed the filter but stopped for two reasons
1.got a better filter so the junk cleared quickly
2.was educated about the effects of adding chemicals

thanks ev31
cc
 

dw1305

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May 5, 2009
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Hi all,
How does this differ from API's Ammo-Lock? I'm assuming it doesn't? Both are chelators?
I think it will differ, and I'm not sure either are really chelators.

I'm not familiar with either product, but I assume that "API Ammo-lock" will work like "Prime" or "Amquel", where the ammonia reacts with hydroxymethanesulfonate in a "mechanistically complicated" manner, possibly involving decomposition to formaldehyde and reformation to the product aminomethanesulfonate.

The flocculants like "API Accu Clear" are slightly different, they contain large organic molecules and these form long polymer chains that either physically, or chemically (for ions), gum the colloids or cells forming the cloudiness together into much bigger particles (flocs) that settle, or can be filtered, out of the water column.

cheers Darrel
 

jessonthenet

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Oct 16, 2010
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I have this product but never used it and a representative from API on a different forum told me it was completely harmless, which they would do.

All I know is it makes small particles stick together so they are big enough to be kept and trapped in the filter.

I think my question originally was would this product harm my shrimp and API said it wouldn't.
 

bigbird

Pleco Profiles Moderator - RIP FRIEND
Sep 9, 2010
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it is my view, that apart from Seechem Prime or other medications, that all other items like the othera have stated, are just a bandage solution and do not treat the symptom. If you have cloudy water, then there is another cause, if you have algae, then there is another cause etc.
Anyway, these products I think work only for a short time frame and i also agree, they make small particles stick together to form large particles for the filters to pick up. cheers jk :thumbup: