Question Regarding Tetra Safestart

[TetraGuppyFTW]

Is it safe to add a bottle of the stuff with fish in the tank? Or should I empty the tank before adding?

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Tetra safe start is designed to be added with the fish, that's the point of it.

I'm assuming you're just setting up a new tank so make sure you buy a test kit to test the toxins being produced. The API freshwater master test kit can be bought cheapest off eBay and will allow you to make sure you don't kill your fish by allowing the toxins to rise too high.

Read fish-in cycling in the beginners section.

 

[TetraGuppyFTW]

I understand it's supposed to be added with the fish but the directions say to add the fish after pouring the bottle in I was just concerned with pouring it in while the fish are swimming around. I used a bottle before putting the fish in and I have 1 ppm of ammonia with no readings of nitrite or nitrate which I don't think is too bad.

I set up my tank, put water conditioner in and let it sit for a day and a half, then bought the safestart and the fish. I'm pretty sure I did everything right so far, I just hope the safestart stuff worked. I'll wait a couple more days I guess to see. And I've read all of the beginners section material and I have the master test kit, thank you for your help.

 

[sadguppy]

I understand it's supposed to be added with the fish but the directions say to add the fish after pouring the bottle in I was just concerned with pouring it in while the fish are swimming around. I used a bottle before putting the fish in and I have 1 ppm of ammonia with no readings of nitrite or nitrate which I don't think is too bad.

I set up my tank, put water conditioner in and let it sit for a day and a half, then bought the safestart and the fish. I'm pretty sure I did everything right so far, I just hope the safestart stuff worked. I'll wait a couple more days I guess to see. And I've read all of the beginners section material and I have the master test kit, thank you for your help.

I used it and it was completely useless - ended up with six weeks of very large daily water changes! 1ppm Ammonia is too much and you need to change at least 80% of the water asap

 

[Prime Ordeal]

I understand it's supposed to be added with the fish but the directions say to add the fish after pouring the bottle in I was just concerned with pouring it in while the fish are swimming around. I used a bottle before putting the fish in and I have 1 ppm of ammonia with no readings of nitrite or nitrate which I don't think is too bad.

I set up my tank, put water conditioner in and let it sit for a day and a half, then bought the safestart and the fish. I'm pretty sure I did everything right so far, I just hope the safestart stuff worked. I'll wait a couple more days I guess to see. And I've read all of the beginners section material and I have the master test kit, thank you for your help.

I used it and it was completely useless - ended up with six weeks of very large daily water changes! 1ppm Ammonia is too much and you need to change at least 80% of the water asap

No, you don't do water changes when you use one of these products, perhaps that's why it didn't work for you.

The OP must use a good ammonia and nitrite detoxifying dechlorinator though like Seachem Prime, which must be dosed every day, or the fish will begin to suffer and die. Anything up to 2 or 3ppm ammonia is normal in a bacterial-additive cycle.

 

[CezzaXV]

Never heard of this bacterial additive cycle you're talking about, and it's generally accepted there is no safe level of ammonia or nitrite in a tank with living creatures in it.

Not saying you're wrong, but the OP is a beginner and you might wanna clarify before giving dangerous advice like that.

 

[TetraGuppyFTW]

Here's what I came across, straight from a rep at Tetra.

You can test the water any time, but really, you should probably wait at
least 48 hours. We expect TSS to start slowly seeding the tank, and
making a difference in about that time. You have to have some ammonia
occur in the tank to provide the cycle needed, so it will usually create
levels or reduce levels to around 1.0-1.5 ppm, and they should stay
there for a week to 14 days, and then come down. Sorry, these levels
would be for both ammonia and nitrite. These are considered stress, but
not toxic, levels, and should not cause any long term damage to the
fish.

Here's the rest of the conversation someone had with the rep: http/www.fishlore.com/fishforum/aquarium-nitrogen-cycle/58116-q-tetra-tetra-safestart.html

So far my results are consistent with what the rep said. If the ammonia level increases significantly then I think there will be a problem. It's been around 1 ppm for a couple of days. And Prime Ordeal is 100% correct, the bacteria needs some level of ammonia to grow.

 

[sadguppy]

No, you don't do water changes when you use one of these products, perhaps that's why it didn't work for you.

The OP must use a good ammonia and nitrite detoxifying dechlorinator though like Seachem Prime, which must be dosed every day, or the fish will begin to suffer and die. Anything up to 2 or 3ppm ammonia is normal in a bacterial-additive cycle.

With respect, if your fish are gasping and going pink-gilled you do need to do a water change! I don't believe these products work, I have never seen evidence of it and I searched quite thoroughly - all I found was a lot of threads where people had been sold a miracle product and ultimately were left with a normal 6 week fish-in cycle.

 

[TetraGuppyFTW]

No, you don't do water changes when you use one of these products, perhaps that's why it didn't work for you.

The OP must use a good ammonia and nitrite detoxifying dechlorinator though like Seachem Prime, which must be dosed every day, or the fish will begin to suffer and die. Anything up to 2 or 3ppm ammonia is normal in a bacterial-additive cycle.

With respect, if your fish are gasping and going pink-gilled you do need to do a water change! I don't believe these products work, I have never seen evidence of it and I searched quite thoroughly - all I found was a lot of threads where people had been sold a miracle product and ultimately were left with a normal 6 week fish-in cycle.

I've read quite a few success stories actually. It all depends on how it's done.

 

[sadguppy]

No, you don't do water changes when you use one of these products, perhaps that's why it didn't work for you.

The OP must use a good ammonia and nitrite detoxifying dechlorinator though like Seachem Prime, which must be dosed every day, or the fish will begin to suffer and die. Anything up to 2 or 3ppm ammonia is normal in a bacterial-additive cycle.

With respect, if your fish are gasping and going pink-gilled you do need to do a water change! I don't believe these products work, I have never seen evidence of it and I searched quite thoroughly - all I found was a lot of threads where people had been sold a miracle product and ultimately were left with a normal 6 week fish-in cycle.

I've read quite a few success stories actually. It all depends on how it's done.

I am sure it must work, some of the time, otherwise they wouldn't be able to market it. However your best bet is to get hold of some mature filter media - that will work a treat

 

[TetraGuppyFTW]

Agreed. If only it was easy to get though, I guess I can try a local shop. When you used TSS, how high were your ammonia levels that you wanted to change the water?

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Never heard of this bacterial additive cycle you're talking about, and it's generally accepted there is no safe level of ammonia or nitrite in a tank with living creatures in it.

Not saying you're wrong, but the OP is a beginner and you might wanna clarify before giving dangerous advice like that.

Read carefully what I said Cezza. The advice is in no way dangerous as I clearly point out the need for a good ammonia and nitrite detoxifying dechlorinator for the fish's health.

A bacterial-additive cycle is one where a bacteria-in-a-bottle product is used to cycle the tank - hardly needs explaining really does it?

And of course there is a safe level of ammonia or nitrite in a tank when it's effects are being negated by the dechlorinator, this is how you do a bacteria-in-a-bottle cycle, but then you've never done one have you?

Honestly.

No, you don't do water changes when you use one of these products, perhaps that's why it didn't work for you.

The OP must use a good ammonia and nitrite detoxifying dechlorinator though like Seachem Prime, which must be dosed every day, or the fish will begin to suffer and die. Anything up to 2 or 3ppm ammonia is normal in a bacterial-additive cycle.

With respect, if your fish are gasping and going pink-gilled you do need to do a water change! I don't believe these products work, I have never seen evidence of it and I searched quite thoroughly - all I found was a lot of threads where people had been sold a miracle product and ultimately were left with a normal 6 week fish-in cycle.

Like Cezza you haven't read what I said or you don't understand how to do a bacterial additive cycle. The additive must be used in conjunction with a good ammonia and nitrite detoxifier, daily. No gasping and no pink gills and yes, if used correctly these products do work.

 

[sadguppy]

Agreed. If only it was easy to get though, I guess I can try a local shop. When you used TSS, how high were your ammonia levels that you wanted to change the water?

I don't recall exactly, but they were high enough that I noticed definite reddening of the gills (despite using prime) and it is then that I found this site, and started doing large water changes every day. Maybe I could have got through it without the changes - I don't know - but I couldn't watch them suffer. I never let the ammonia go over 0.25 and managed to get all my fish through the cycle, it was hard work however I have learned from this and I am currently fishless cycling my new tank.

 

[TetraGuppyFTW]

Prime, I actually read the opposite. You're not supposed to use those detoxifiers, as it also kills the bacteria from TSS.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Agreed. If only it was easy to get though, I guess I can try a local shop. When you used TSS, how high were your ammonia levels that you wanted to change the water?

I don't recall exactly, but they were high enough that I noticed definite reddening of the gills (despite using prime) and it is then that I found this site, and started doing large water changes every day. Maybe I could have got through it without the changes - I don't know - but I couldn't watch them suffer. I never let the ammonia go over 0.25 and managed to get all my fish through the cycle, it was hard work however I have learned from this and I am currently fishless cycling my new tank.

But I bet you weren't overdosing by five times were you? Only a large overdose negates the effects of ammonia and nitrite.

By the way, I'm not advocating that people should use this method, I'm merely explaining the ins-and-outs of it for the benefit of the OP.