Is my tank ok?

[Chris1212]

20gallon tank I've had running for 9 days. I know I know I didn't do a fishless cycle and instead used tetra safe start plus for a day and then introduced 3 platies and 3 swordtails. I've tested every day and have done one 25% water change with gravel vaccum. I use water conditioner. All of my tests (6 in 1, ammonia strips) come back safe. 5 of the fish are doing great, one of the platies is struggling. Feed once a day.

My question, how do I know my tank is doing ok? Should I add Seachem stability or prime? Would it be bad to add another dose of safe start plus to ensure the bacteria are good to go?

Thanks

 

[charliebankston]

The tetra bio start is the only one I'm aware of that doses one time only. Seachem, api, fluval, etc, have a 7 day program to keep dosing. From what I've read they work if you follow the directions/ dosing and only start with a few fish. Yours may be ill for a number of reasons. Stress takes alot of the little fish after getting them home. So, it wouldn't hurt to dose per directions with bacteria again. Keep checking water parameters daily, do water changes if the ammonia, nitrites or nitrates start climbing

 

[charliebankston]

Just fyi, I have had aquariums for years, and currently have 15 running. Never have done a fishless cycle. You just have to be diligent or risk losing all your new buddies

 

[Chris1212]

Thanks for the quick reply. The aquarium is a reward to the kids for a crappy summer so we want to do it right. Fun to watch the five healthy fish interacting, especially when the 2 healthy platies sneak into the swordtails house and he comes back to chase them away.

So I guess just test test test. We should have everything on hand should numbers spike but it seems like a water change is the best solution should the numbers go up.

 

[charliebankston]

That's a fun reward. Good job! They are fun to watch, and relaxing. Those are both great fish. Your right, test and water change. It'll be fully cycled soon, so don't stress on it since you have a game plan. And good luck!

 

[Aiken Drum]

You know your tank is cycled sufficiently for the fish you currently have stocked when you are testing everyday and consistently getting 0ppm ammonia and nitrite and your nitrate is steadily rising. Once you are getting these readings consistently you can cut back on the testing. If you see detectable ammonia or nitrite you should be doing a 25% water change.

If you have dosed safestart there is no need to dose stability. They do the same thing. Adding another dose of safestart wont hurt, but if your water parameters are good, there isn't really any need. Maybe add another dose or add stabilty next time you do a water change.

Seachem prime is a water conditioner, and i assume you are already using a water conditioner. Your water conditioner should be added whenever you do a water change. Prime also makes the claim that it will detoxify ammonia and nitrite, but there is some debate about whether their claims are true. So, i wouldnt rely on prime to control ammonia and nitrite. Water changes should be your first solution to ammonia and nitrite and prime should be a backup. By all means use prime as your water conditioner, it will do this job fine.

Also, i would recommend a liquid test kit. Test strips are considered to be less accurate than a liquid test, and you get 100s of tests from a liquid test kit, so they are more cost effective in the long run.