Does tetra safe start really work as advertised?

[piao liang yu]

I set my 60 gallon up last night after weeks of "planning" and went to a mom and pop fish store that was actually going out of business and got some really good pieces of driftwood with plants etc. He also threw in a bottle of tetra safe start with my order. He just gave it to me and he had a price on it of $18. Anyway, does it really allow to add fish immediately? If so, how many fish can i add with it. I plan on fish like fancy guppies, tetras, red wags, rasboras etc. What can i stock with this tetra safe start if anything? 60 gallon 48' x 13' and is 2 feet deep.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

It does work to help get your tank cycled expeditiously. I've used it before on my first tank with success. However, you still need to add fish very slowly, a little bit at a time. Start with the most hardy fish that you plan to stock in this tank. Monitor your parameters with a good liquid test kit such as API Freshwater Master Test Kit. Once you start seeing ammonia and/or nitrites get dangerously high, do an immediate partial water change. Keep monitoring until you see some nitrates in the tests. Then you can continue to add more fish, a little bit of a time. Eventually, you'll have a fully cycled tank with a full stock. Just exercise patience.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

You can also do a fish-less cycle with TSS. You just need a pure ammonia source such as Ace Hardware Brand ammonia to get the bacteria thriving from the TSS. This is safest route. But if you really want to cycle with fish... Zebra Danios or Cherry Barbs are a good hardy fish to start with.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

On a side note... Sad news about a LFS going out of business, especially a mom and pops' establishment. That's good you went there to buy from them. Too bad more people didn't do that prior to them losing the business.

 

[piao liang yu]

On a side note... Sad news about a LFS going out of business, especially a mom and pops' establishment. That's good you went there to buy from them. Too bad more people didn't do that prior to them losing the business.

Yeah, i did not even know about them. An individual i bought some plants from told me about them. I got most of what you see in my tank for $50 including the water conditioner/dechlorinator and the tetra safestart.

 

[Fishanatic]

Honestly, people say they dont work. They just dont shake the bottle!

 

[piao liang yu]

You can also do a fish-less cycle with TSS. You just need a pure ammonia source such as Ace Hardware Brand ammonia to get the bacteria thriving from the TSS. This is safest route. But if you really want to cycle with fish... Zebra Danios or Cherry Barbs are a good hardy fish to start with.

I actually hope to be patient enough to do a full fishless cycle and add more plants to even possibly accomplish a "silent cycle", but if i were to get some cherry barbs how many should i start with? Since they are a schooling fish it would need to be at least five right? How many should i start with IF if decide to cycle with the tetra safestart?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Well I started with 3 in my 12 gallon when I used TSS (no losses). So I think it would be safe to say 5 for the 60g.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Here's a good read on TSS...
Autotrophic Nitrifying Bacteria and Their Practical Application in a Freshwater Aquarium

 

[Nelsontreyjones]

I used Safe Start on three tank with great results. Just make sure you use their water conditon AquaSafe. If you do use something like Prime you will need to wait 24/48 hours before adding Safe Start. This was the only product that actually worked for me.

 

[Lt.]

I use Stability when starting a new tank. It worked as advertised for me.

 

[brennae]

I've had good luck starting 3 tanks with Tetra SafeStart. I stocked very minimally and the place I bought it from keeps it in the fridge.

 

[FrankAbagnale]

I used Stability and it worked great for me.