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AmQuel Plus®

AmQuel Plus® (AQ+) from the Kordon Company detoxifies ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, with the non-toxic products allowing the cycling process to still progress forward.

If your water's KH (aka carbonate hardness/alkalinity) is less than 4 dKH (71 ppm CaCO2), then the water will be subject to pH crashes when using AQ+. Instead, use Prime or AmQuel with Buffers for cycling. Your local fish store might measure your KH for free.

pH should be monitored carefully when using of AM+ during cycling because of unexpected pH drops.

A salicyclate-based ammonia tester (not a Nessler-based ammonia tester) will allow you to accurately test for the presence of any remaining toxic ammonia, but there are no testers available that can test for the detoxified nitrites or nitrates. This presents a couple of problems:

You will not know where you are in the cycling process, most importantly, when the tank has finished cycling, which is the time when you should be performing partial water changes as a part of routine tank maintenance.

AQ+ can be used for an emergency situation in which nitrites need to be detoxified. As long as you are careful to dose the exact amount of AQ+ required, then there shouldn’t be much leftover AQ+ to act upon the nitrates. Do not exceed 1 dose per 24 hours. Sensitive fish may need the additional of an airstone for a few hours following a dosage of AQ+.

AQ+ will detoxifiy nitrates but there are no testers that can then measure this amount of nitrate in the water. Knowing the amount of nitrate in the water is extremely important because we base our tank’s partial water change amount and frequency on the nitrate level. Ideally, nitrate levels are to be kept at 10 or less, though up to 20 ppm may be fine. When using AQ+, you therefore have no idea of how much and often your tank’s water should be changed. AQ+ does not reduce the need for performing water changes as claimed… you just won’t know when to do them!

The original formulation of AQ+ had some problems associated with pH crashes, even with normal KH levels, as well as an unpleasant odor. Supposedly, these issues are going to be corrected with their new formulation.

	AmQuel Plus®
	AmQuel Plus® (AQ+) from the Kordon Company detoxifies ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, with the non-toxic products allowing the cycling process to still progress forward.
	If your water's KH (aka carbonate hardness/alkalinity) is less than 4 dKH (71 ppm CaCO2), then the water will be subject to pH crashes when using AQ+. Instead, use Prime or AmQuel with Buffers for cycling. Your local fish store might measure your KH for free.
	pH should be monitored carefully when using of AM+ during cycling because of unexpected pH drops.
	A salicyclate-based ammonia tester (not a Nessler-based ammonia tester) will allow you to accurately test for the presence of any remaining toxic ammonia, but there are no testers available that can test for the detoxified nitrites or nitrates. This presents a couple of problems:
	You will not know where you are in the cycling process, most importantly, when the tank has finished cycling, which is the time when you should be performing partial water changes as a part of routine tank maintenance.
	AQ+ can be used for an emergency situation in which nitrites need to be detoxified. As long as you are careful to dose the exact amount of AQ+ required, then there shouldn’t be much leftover AQ+ to act upon the nitrates. Do not exceed 1 dose per 24 hours. Sensitive fish may need the additional of an airstone for a few hours following a dosage of AQ+.
	AQ+ will detoxifiy nitrates but there are no testers that can then measure this amount of nitrate in the water. Knowing the amount of nitrate in the water is extremely important because we base our tank’s partial water change amount and frequency on the nitrate level. Ideally, nitrate levels are to be kept at 10 or less, though up to 20 ppm may be fine. When using AQ+, you therefore have no idea of how much and often your tank’s water should be changed. AQ+ does not reduce the need for performing water changes as claimed… you just won’t know when to do them!
	The original formulation of AQ+ had some problems associated with pH crashes, even with normal KH levels, as well as an unpleasant odor. Supposedly, these issues are going to be corrected with their new formulation.