Tetra Safe Start Cycle

[Alexp08]

So im starting up a new 20g. Ive read mixed reviews about tetra safe start, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

Anyways it's day 3. I read it does better with fish so I bought 3 feeder fish to use as well.

We'll my ammonia is going up but not the nitrate. Do I need more time than 3 days or did I get a bum bottle?

Thanks

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[cowgirluntamed]

Did you read this? It tells all about the cycling process.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/

Also, fish in cycles aren't a good idea as it can harm the fish. So check out this article and the other ones on this page and you'll have a much better understanding of things.

 

[Alexp08]

Yes buy i dont see anywhere in that, that say about tetra safe start

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[cowgirluntamed]

I meant in regards to how and when the tests show up. The safe start can help establish the cycle a bit by speeding it up. But you still need to understand the process of what comes first. Ammonia will show up, then nitrite, then nitrate. Please review the article again to try to understand that part better. Its the cycle you want to understand. If you have ammonia in the tank then you should be doing a lot of water changes if the fish are still in it.

Also, what type of filter do you have? Different media types hold bacteria better than others.

 

[Byron]

Three small fish (hope these are not goldfish, but small minnow-types?) in a 20g with SafeStart should not have any ammonia or nitrite showing in tests.  Eventually nitrate will appear.  Make sure you keep nitrite and nitrate distinct, many do get them mixed up.  The fish to water volume ratio alone is safe, plus the bacterial supplement.  Are your tests today different?

 

[Alexp08]

The fish were 3 feeder minnows from petsmart.

Today is the 4th day and ammonia is very low, almost unreadable with api master test kit. Nitrite is 0 nitrate is 5ppm I believe. So I took the minnows out, did a small water change 10%. So it should be ready for my main fish. The filter is a built in overflow. Is got 500g of fluval ceramic rings, fine and course mesh and 2 bags of carbon.

The tank is a nuvo fusion 20. 15g main, 5gal overflow filter

 

[Byron]

The fish were 3 feeder minnows from petsmart.

Today is the 4th day and ammonia is very low, almost unreadable with api master test kit. Nitrite is 0 nitrate is 5ppm I believe. So I took the minnows out, did a small water change 10%. So it should be ready for my main fish. The filter is a built in overflow. Is got 500g of fluval ceramic rings, fine and course mesh and 2 bags of carbon.

The tank is a nuvo fusion 20. 15g main, 5gal overflow filter

 
OK, just keep in mind that the bacteria now established will be sufficient for the ammonia that was being produced.  They willnot die off, but if more fish are added they will then multiply accordingly.  Provided the fish are few and small, there should be no issues.  It is when too many/too large fish are added at once that trouble sets in.  To be safe, I would use the SafeStart (if any is left) when you add the fish.  Once the bottle is opened, it has to be used anyway, and it will not cause any harm.

 

[Alexp08]

The fish were 3 feeder minnows from petsmart.

Today is the 4th day and ammonia is very low, almost unreadable with api master test kit. Nitrite is 0 nitrate is 5ppm I believe. So I took the minnows out, did a small water change 10%. So it should be ready for my main fish. The filter is a built in overflow. Is got 500g of fluval ceramic rings, fine and course mesh and 2 bags of carbon.

The tank is a nuvo fusion 20. 15g main, 5gal overflow filter

 
OK, just keep in mind that the bacteria now established will be sufficient for the ammonia that was being produced.  They willnot die off, but if more fish are added they will then multiply accordingly.  Provided the fish are few and small, there should be no issues.  It is when too many/too large fish are added at once that trouble sets in.  To be safe, I would use the SafeStart (if any is left) when you add the fish.  Once the bottle is opened, it has to be used anyway, and it will not cause any harm.

I'm all out of safestart. I dumped the whole bottle in.

I was thinking about getting 10neon tetras. The LFS has fry/juvies less than a half in in size.



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[Byron]

That will work for fish load.  Do you have live plants?  They will safeguard even more as they are good consumers of ammonia/ammonium.