Tetra SafeStart

[Platiesareawesome]

Hello! I just got my first fish tank (A 10 gallon) today! Anyway, I would like to know if tetra safestart instantly cycles a tank (Like in minutes). If it doesn't can I put fish food in the water as a source of ammonia to keep the beneficial bacteria alive? Thanks!

 

[Catfish Lover]

Their is no such thing as a "instant cycle". These bacteria in a bottle products are kind of hit or miss. Sometimes it will get the cycle jump started and get the cycle finished within a couple of weeks and sometimes they won't work at all. Nothing wrong with giving it a try. If it is working you will see nitrates immediately, but likely will see ammonia and nitrites also. Monitor carefully if you add fish and I would recommend prime to detoxify the ammonia and nitrites and won't stunt the cycle.

 

[Platiesareawesome]

Their is no such thing as a "instant cycle". These bacteria in a bottle products are kind of hit or miss. Sometimes it will get the cycle jump started and get the cycle finished within a couple of weeks and sometimes they won't work at all. Nothing wrong with giving it a try. If it is working you will see nitrates immediately, but likely will see ammonia and nitrites also. Monitor carefully if you add fish and I would recommend prime to detoxify the ammonia and nitrites and won't stunt the cycle.

I think I want to do a fishless cycle. How do I do that?

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

I added that safe start, it got my parameters in a day and a half, really good, but I would still wait a week or two to add the fish after the bacteria

 

[Cardex]

I used this product last week when setting up a new 10 gallon along with taking driftwood and a moss ball out of my established tank and got an instant cycle as in 0/0/5 after 1 week tank is a little over stocked with 3 panda Cory's and 10 glow-light tetras everyone is doing well I'm sure the wood and moss from my main tank was the major factor in the quick cycle but I did get the cloudy water of a bacterial bloom about 30 min after I added the tetra stuff first time I have ever had that happen with one of the boosters and its a very good sign that it actually had live bacteria in it.

petco has a tank with presoaked driftwood in it cheap nice decoration and cycle booster all in one

 

[Cardex]

I think I want to do a fishless cycle. How do I do that?

Basically what you do is get a test kit and dump bathroom cleaner into your tank every day and test the water every day until the test come out right then do a huge water change 90% give or take a little before adding any fish. What kind of fish are you wanting to keep for some fish I would go fishless but most of the time it's not needed

 

[Platiesareawesome]

Basically what you do is get a test kit and dump bathroom cleaner into your tank every day and test the water every day until the test come out right then do a huge water change 90% give or take a little before adding any fish. What kind of fish are you wanting to keep for some fish I would go fishless but most of the time it's not needed

Won't putting cleaner in a tank mess up the water? I mean I know it has ammonia in it but...

 

[Cardex]

Won't putting cleaner in a tank mess up the water? I mean I know it has ammonia in it but...

By bathroom cleaner I mean pure ammonia (well not pure that would kill you I think the bottled cleaners are about 10%) be sure to get one listed as either white or clear not the lavender or lemon ones. I really don't like fish less cycling have been keeping fish for 20+ years and never used it myself, I would just start by making a list of what you want to be in the tank the slowly add fish starting with the easiest fish then the hardest a few months down the line