Dechlorinators or conditioners are essential in an aquarium system because it removes chlorine from the water, making it safer for fish. For aquarium owners, two of the most popular conditioners today are Seachem Safe and Seachem Prime water dechlorinators.
But what is the difference between these two conditioners? In general, Seachem safe is the drier version of Seachem Prime. It is usually more concentrated because it is in powder form. The difference between Seachem safe vs prime will be discussed in this article.
| Features | Seachem Safe | Seachem Prime |
| Form | Powder Form | Liquid Form |
| Concentration | Super Concentrated | Less Concentrated |
| Value | Can Treat less Volume of Water | Can Treat More Volume of Water |
| Practical Usage | For Large Aquarium | For Smaller Aquarium |
| Dosage | Less Dosage | More Dosage |
Contents
Form and Concentration
In general, both Seachem Safe and Prime conditioners share the same features, but they have different levels of concentration. The two products also have various forms, which make them unique from each other.
Safe is in powder form and super-concentrated, which means it provides better value compared to Prime. Since Prime is in liquid form and is less concentrated and provides lesser value when applied to the fish tank.
Value
You can also tell the difference between these two dechlorinators by the amount of value they bring for every purchase. Because it is super concentrated, Seachem Safe has a huge advantage in providing more value to the user.
Seachem Safe is in powder form and is a dry conditioner which makes it more concentrated. With its concentration, the product can treat more water compared to Seachem prime. In fact, a small 250 grams container of Safe will treat 50% more volume of water compared to a 4-liter bottle of Seachem Prime.
To give you an idea, please check the table below:
| Seachem Safe (Package Size – Volume of Water Treated) | Seachem Prime (Package Size – Volume of Water Treated) |
| 50 grams Treats 12,000 Gallons | 50 ml Treats 500 Gallons |
| 250 grams Treats 60,000 Gallons | 100 ml Treats 1000 Gallons |
| 1 Kilogram Treats 240000 Gallons | 250 ml Treats 2500 Gallons |
| 4 Kilograms Treats 960000 Gallons | 500 ml Treats 5000 Gallons |
| 1 Liter Treats 10,000 Gallons | |
| 2 Liter Treats 20,000 Gallons | |
| 4 Liters Treats 40,000 Gallons |
Practical Usage
The two conditioners can also be compared on the practical usage that these products can be applied to. With its high concentration, it is practical for the Seachem safe to be used for bigger fish tanks. It is recommended to use Seachem safe for fish tanks with a 40-gallon capacity or bigger. If you only own a smaller aquarium, then it is recommended to use Seachem Prime.
Dosage
You can also tell the difference between these two dechlorinators by the amount of dosage you can use for a particular aquarium. As a sample, the amount of Seachem Safe is different to the amount of Seachem Prime for a particular fish tank.
The reference is the 50 ml bottle per gallon accuracy which makes the Seachem Prime perfect for smaller fish tanks. On the other hand, a 50 gallon of water using Seachem Safe can be treated with a single scoop only.
As a result, if you are using Seachem Safe for a smaller tank, you will need to divide the dose amount slowly and accurately to get the exact amount. This situation makes it easier to use Seachem Prime when dechlorinating smaller aquariums.
Additional Features
You can also tell the difference between the two by the other benefits these products provide when applied to the aquarium. Both products are dechlorinators which means both remove chlorine and chloramine from the aquarium water.
When both of these products are used in the aquarium water in the right dosage, it will be beneficial to both the fish and the other microorganisms in your fish tank. These conditioners will convert dangerous ammonia into harmless nitrites and nitrates, which is beneficial to the fish.
However, there are added features that Seachem Prime has that Seachem Safe does not have. Please see below:
Heavy Metal Detoxification
This feature allows Seachem Prime to remove potential heavy metals in your aquarium water. Unfortunately, Seachem Safe does not have this special feature. Among these heavy metals which can be found in water are mercury and lead, which can poison the fish in the fish tank.
Growth of Natural Slime Coats
Another special feature of using Seachem Prime is its ability for the fish to have a physiological effect which will force them to generate extra mucus. This mucus will encircle the fish covering and protecting their body against diseases.
Additional Accessories
Lastly, these two conditioners can be compared by the additional accessories you will get upon purchasing them. When you buy Seachem Prime, you will also get an extra dropper which you will use during the application.
On the other hand, all Seachem Safe conditioners also come with a scoop which will be used in applying the product to the aquarium water. These accessories will be helpful in the application of these products to the aquarium water.
Conclusion
Comparing Seachem Safe vs Prime will give you an idea of the best product to use when dechlorinating your Aquarium. These products are manufactured by the same company and have the same purpose. However, these products can be used differently depending on the size of your aquarium.