# Warning!!! about Amquel plus



## spec-v (Feb 27, 2005)

I want tell everyone about my experience. Last night I decided to do my weekly water change on my tank but I was out of water conditioner. So I went to the LFS and bought some Amquel plus I prefur to use Prime I think it is one of the best out there anyways all went well till I woke up the next morning... My prized Piraya was laying on his side laboring for breath so I called work and told them I had a family emergency and rushed to my normal fish store and got some prime as well as live bacteria and fresh filter cartridges and carbon. To make a long story short my fish are all doing fine thanks to fast acting and several water changes slowly done through out the day borrowing water from some of my other tanks. to the point so I went back to the store that sold me the amquel and decided to open a few bottles and give them a sniff guess what?? a foul oder in not one but all the bottles the local fish guy said that they are supposed to smell that way bullsh*t







I said I have used this product in the past and have never had an oder associated with it. Has anyone ever had declor that they bought go bad ??? thanks for reading.


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## red&black (Feb 25, 2005)

I NEVER USED IT BUT ILL MAKE SURE NOT TO


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## Atlanta Braves Baby! (Mar 12, 2003)

Amquel + does indeed have a foul smell to it. It is normal actually. I use Amquel + all the time on my water changes also.

The regular Amquel doesnt have a smell to it though.


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## thePACK (Jan 3, 2003)

indeed amquel plus does has a smell..similar to "prime" smell..did you check you ammonia,nitrates,ph>


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## spec-v (Feb 27, 2005)

yeah my water conditions were fine I have both of my P's in a 75 gallon and I am running 2 emepror 400's and 2 powerheads ammonia 0 nitrates were almost unreadable p.h. 6.8 I do weekly 20% waterchanges all the time I have a reef tank and I am not a noob it just was weired how it happened so suddenly, thanks guys


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

spec-v said:


> yeah my water conditions were fine I have both of my P's in a 75 gallon and I am running 2 emepror 400's and 2 powerheads ammonia 0 nitrates were almost unreadable p.h. 6.8 I do weekly 20% waterchanges all the time I have a reef tank and I am not a noob it just was weired how it happened so suddenly, thanks guys
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How long has your tank been running. Find it odd that you say your nitrAtes were almost unreadable. Sounds to me your piraya is showing signs of nitrIte poisoning. Why would you replace the filter cartridges that contain your bacteria ??? If the tank was right, why would you buy bacteria ?? I personally don't think your tank was cycled properly. Amquel/Amquel plus is one of the most trusted products in the world. Amquel did not do this.


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## RedBelly Dom (Mar 22, 2005)

i use amquel plus sometimes and im glad ive never had a problem with it


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## Blitz023 (Feb 19, 2004)

i had the same problem. I bought Amquel (forgot if its plus or prime) it had a foul odor, i thought that was fine but the next day after i placed it on all of my 4 aquariums. There was an ammonia spike on all of my tanks. and it burned my featherduster (salter worm). Since then i never used it again.


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

In My expierience the amquel+ I buy always had a odor , Like sh*t or eggs ....

I have never used it for the main purpose as Conditoner , only to kill Nitrates and Nitrites , and ammonia

Nova Aqua is my water conditioner of choice ..


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## RedBelly Dom (Mar 22, 2005)

i used amquel plus before to get my ammonia down. Im sure glad that i found this topic or else i probably would have used that stuff again. So far i havent had any problems with it and ive used it about 3 times. But it would be to risky to use it again.


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## spec-v (Feb 27, 2005)

jerry_plakyda said:


> spec-v said:
> 
> 
> > yeah my water conditions were fine I have both of my P's in a 75 gallon and I am running 2 emepror 400's and 2 powerheads ammonia 0 nitrates were almost unreadable p.h. 6.8 I do weekly 20% waterchanges all the time I have a reef tank and I am not a noob it just was weired how it happened so suddenly, thanks guys
> ...


the tank in qustion had a red devil in it for two years I never completely drained the tank when I removed the red devil and put the p's in. I know what new tank syndrome is and there are 2 biowheels on both tanks that are well seasoned I add new cartridges because they were do to be changed as well as adding carbon to help absorb some of the toxins in the water. amquel the most trusted hummm... not by me I prefur prime. P.S. after adding the amquel to my water in the initial water change it caused a spike in nitrates as well as ammonia the earlier pereameters were before I used amquel that is why I believe it caused my tank to go out of wack everyone is entitled to an opinion but this was deffineatly bad water conditioner :nod:


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

I would definitely test your tap water. Your water district may have done something new to your water. As far as an increase in nitrates you said originally they were unreadable so i doubt it was enough to disturb your piraya. As far as ammonia i know for a fact if your using the Nessler based ammonia test kit that will happen with Amquel. You should be using a salicylate based ammonia test kit....If you are, retest your tap water first before your next water change...Good luck.....Jerry


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## FIRE Newt MIKE 767 (Apr 11, 2005)

never used it and never will 
i like to use the genissis stuff


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## spec-v (Feb 27, 2005)

jerry_plakyda said:


> I would definitely test your tap water. Your water district may have done something new to your water. As far as an increase in nitrates you said originally they were unreadable so i doubt it was enough to disturb your piraya. As far as ammonia i know for a fact if your using the Nessler based ammonia test kit that will happen with Amquel. You should be using a salicylate based ammonia test kit....If you are, retest your tap water first before your next water change...Good luck.....Jerry
> [snapback]993023[/snapback]​


thanks for the tip I forgot they can give false readings


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## Mykoe817 (Feb 13, 2005)

amquel smells like piss. works great for me tho.


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## phishie (Sep 22, 2004)

damn i have a bottle of amquel plus in my cabinet right now







that stuff smells awful. i don't use it as conditioner, just for ammonia spikes. I've never had problems with it though.


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## rbp75 (May 2, 2004)

when using amquel plus you need to make sure you have a lot of airation in the tank, as it says on the bottle.The amquel lowers the oxygen in the water. Your P. was gasping for air because there was probably no oxygen in the water. Make sure you use a good size bubble rock or tube with a strong pump and you should not have any problems. I used this on an emergency hospital tank that I had no filter for and it kept the amonia and nitrites 0 while the filter I bought was establishing a bioload. And the stench is normal.


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## spec-v (Feb 27, 2005)

I have 2 powerheads and 2 empreor 400's on the tank aeration isn't a problem but thanks for the input


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