Meenu

Good evening! I'm the one who has been asking for help regarding my tank: I put in 3 fish and Tetra SafeStart, but when I took my water to be tested at Petsmart, there was ammonia and so I panicked and added ammonia detoxifier. That was 2 days ago. Since then, one of the danios died (came from the LFS asting funny, so I think the poor thing didn't handle the transition well). I've been doing 20% water changes in the mornings, and testing the water about 2 hours after. I'm getting no nitrites, no nitrates, and my ammonia stays clear (doesn't even turn yellow as the "0" reading should be). I am using a brand new API master kit. However, last night, Petco detected some ammonia.

So 2 questions:
1) How can I tell if my test kit is working right?
2) Do you think that when I added the ammonia detoxifier a day after the safestart, I killed the safestart, and need to find another bottle to dump in the tank?

Lucy

How long ago to did you add the TSS?

1) There are 2 bottles you need to test the ammonia, did you use both bottles in the right order?
2) Maybe, what's the name of the product?

iloveengl

1) Once you add SafeStart, you don't test for 7-10 days because your readings will be all over the place.
2) It's definitely possible. I recommend only using a normal conditioner like Aquasafe or loads of other brands.

My tanks were cycled with fish in 7 days when I added TSS at the beginning.

Note: if you have used Prime, you'll need to do a heavy water change with normal conditioner before you add new TSS.

Call me a cynic, but I would trust your own API liquid testing than Petco; I wouldn't be surprised if they either didn't know what they were doing or were trying to sell conditioner products. But that's just my .

Meenu

Tetra AmmoniaSafe, says it detoxifies dangeous ammonia, fast-acting.

Meenu

I was only using 8 drops from bottle 1 - if I'm doing it wrong, doh (smack on the head Homer Simpson-style)

How do I decide if I should add another bottle of TSS? Wait a week and take my readings, and if the tank isn't cycled, then do it? Or should I just go ahead and assume the ammoniasafe killed the bacteria and start again?

iloveengl

Wait... will this be the 3rd attempt at TSS?

I'm recalling your previous thread about this: uh oh, I think I messed up

If that second try of TSS still didn't work either, I'd have to recommend just going with a fish-in cycle.

Meenu

No, I've still only done the one bottle of it - I was just retyping the history for anyone who didn't read my other thread.

Lucy

You've got to use both bottles of the ammonia test otherwise it won't work.
Add 8 drops from bottle #1....mix, add 8 drops from bottle # 2, mix, wait 5 minutes then compare it to the card.

iloveengl

Ah, I see. Well, I still agree with the advice given on these same questions earlier by Tony, Alyeska girl, and Aquarist48. From my own experience with TSS, I'm LED to agree with them.

If you want to try again:
1. Change 90% water. Add normal water conditioner (nothing that affects ammonia or pH).
2. Add fish if water temp is ok for the fish.
3. Add TSS.
4. Sit and wait for 7-10 days. No water changes and no water conditioner or it wastes/ruins the TSS.
5. Don't test the water. Your readings will be all over the place during those 7-10 days, so it will just freak you out.
6. After a minimum 7 days, test water for ammonia, nitrItes, and nitrAtes.

Unfortunately, it sounds like the water changes and conditioner made the first attempt fail.

Meenu

got it, will start over. thanks so much!! i can't believe i messed this up so bad.

iloveengl

Totally understandable - those parameters in the 7-10 day period are super freaky!!! Especially if you've recently lost fish because of water parameters. It's scary stuff!

Best of luck!

jprime84

Just a note, Prime will not affect your cycle getting started. I use it to remove chlorine, which you do need to do to not kill the bacteria. It also states that it does not affect pH.

Meenu

I don't have chlorine. We have extremely hard water in san antonio, so my husband and I bought a water softener and we use RO (reverse osmosis) water in the tank. It has nothing in it. So I think I just need to do the 90% water change and add the TSS, and wait a week before doing anything else.

About the TSS - I want to make sure I use it right this time:

I need to take the 2 danios out of the tank into a bucket, then drain the tank and put in the new water, pour in the TSS, and then put the fish back in? How long do I wait before putting the fish back in? And once they are in, I don't do anything except feed them for a week, no water changes at all, not even small ones?

Also, my understanding is that TSS is the bacteria you need in your tank, and it needs ammonia to grow. So will the 2 danios in my 30 gallon tank produce enough ammonia, or do I need to buy more fish? I would prefer not to add more fish until the tank is cycled, so as to not cause any more fish to be harmed.

jdhef

Okay, here's what I would do. I would change about 90% of the water and replace it with new water treated with Tertra AquaSafe (since this is the conditioner Tetra Recommends to be used with SafeStart). I would let the tank run overnight with the two danios in it.

The next day I would then add SafeStart and all the additional fish you intend to add. (Since that is how SafeStart was designed to work).

Then wait 7 day before testing your water. If you are seeing any ammonia or nitrates wait one day and test again. Keep testing, and if after a total of ten days you are still showing ammonia or nitrites you will need to start doing daily water changes using Prime as your water conditioner.

Shawnie

+2 ..perfect explination jdhef!!! but I wouldnt add anymore fish and just go with what you have now..once the tank is cycled, then slowly begin to add after 2 - 3 weeks of a good cycle.. do not use prime with tss...the aquasafe is whats recommended and if you spend the money on tss again, go with what they suggest

Meenu

ah, thanks so much everyone for your awesome answers!

Diggly

good luck and keep us updated you will be fine I was worried with my first tank too lol.