Add Tss+ Or No

So I’ve been doing a fish in cycle since the 3rd of August and I was thinking should I add in TSS+ to help speed up the cycle or just let the tank cycle naturally with the fish ?

 

So I’ve been doing a fish in cycle since the 3rd of August and I was thinking should I add in TSS+ to help speed up the cycle or just let the tank cycle naturally with the fish ?

I thought I was doing a fish in cycle when I got my first tank, but in like 2 months it still wasn't cycled. I got TSS+, followed the directions and after 14 days it was cycled. If you keep up on water changes and testing, you should be ok with continuing the fish in cycle. It's up to you to be honest.

 

Well, I'm a huge fan of TSS, so of course I recommend using it

 

I agree with Rhako, it is your choice. If it was me I would do a decent sized water change and dose the tank with prime. Wait 24 hrs after dosing prime and then add TSS. Remember not to do a water change for 14 days after adding TSS.

Adding fish to a new tank and hoping for it to cycle is not only time consuming, but very stressful on our fish. This is why a lot of people recommend TSS, it works fast and is effective when used properly.

 

Well, I'm a huge fan of TSS, so of course I recommend using it

What’s your preferred method of doing it ?

 

If it's a new tank with no inhabitiants:
1) Fill tank with dechlorinated water
2) Wait 24 hours (very important to wait a minimum of 24 hours)
3) Add a few small fish & an entire, well shaken, appropriate size bottle of TSS+
4) Do nothing but lightly feed fish for next 14 days (no water changes, no adding chemicals, no testing unless fish seem stressed...nothing)
5) On day 14 test water and if all worked correctly...you're cycled.

 

If it's a new tank with no inhabitiants:
1) Fill tank with dechlorinated water
2) Wait 24 hours (very important to wait a minimum of 24 hours)
3) Add a few small fish & an entire, well shaken, appropriate size bottle of TSS+
4) Do nothing but lightly feed fish for next 14 days (no water changes, no adding chemicals, no testing unless fish seem stressed...nothing)
5) On day 14 test water and if all worked correctly...you're cycled.

How about if I already have fish inside my tank and they’ve been there for almost two weeks?

 

In that case:
1) Perform a large water change, or even back to back water changes to get ammonia and/or nitrite as close to 0ppm as possible
2) Wait 24 hours (very important to wait a minimum of 24 hours)
3) Add an entire, well shaken, appropriate size bottle of +
4) Do nothing but lightly feed fish for next 14 days (no water changes, no adding chemicals, no testing unless fish seem stressed...nothing)
5) On day 14 test water and if all worked correctly...you're cycled.

 

In that case:
1) Perform a large water change, or even back to back water changes to get ammonia and/or nitrite as close to 0ppm as possible
2) Wait 24 hours (very important to wait a minimum of 24 hours)
3) Add an entire, well shaken, appropriate size bottle of +
4) Do nothing but lightly feed fish for next 14 days (no water changes, no adding chemicals, no testing unless fish seem stressed...nothing)
5) On day 14 test water and if all worked correctly...you're cycled.

So I can’t even test the water ?

 

You can test the water all you like, but it isn't needed nor recommended by Tetra for at least 48 hrs so that the product can begin working.

 

You can test the water all you like, but it isn't needed nor recommended by Tetra for at least 48 hrs so that the product can begin working.

Okay I won’t test it I guess but also what’s the difference between TSS+ and TSS ?

 

what’s the difference between + and TSS ?

TSS+ is the one that you want. Its used to get a cycle going with fish.
TSS is supposed to be an additive to keep your cycle going. Its supposed to be used with every water change. In other words...its a ripoff and not needed. Once you have a established your cycle. It's there until something happens that causes your cycle to crash.
So save your money. Prime is the only thing you need for a water conditioner.

appropriate size bottle of +

In other words...a big bottle.

 

TSS+ has a higher concentration of beneficial bacteria than regular TSS

 

TSS+ is the one that you want. Its used to get a cycle going with fish.
TSS is supposed to be an additive to keep your cycle going. Its supposed to be used with every water change. In other words...its a ripoff and not needed. Once you have a established your cycle. It's there until something happens that causes your cycle to crash.
So save your money. Prime is the only thing you need for a water conditioner.

In other words...a big bottle.

Is the one for up to 500 gallons good ?

 

I may be the only one that thinks this since okthers disagree but I strongly recommend you add the TetraSafeStart directly into your filter. That’s where your beneficial bacteria will end up growing and living. So why not put it there.

I’ve even sprayed it into a sponge filter.

But as has been said, always wait at least 24 hours after doing a water change.

And the reason they don’t want you to test is because the parameters will fluctuate greatly. Then you may do something to stall the cycle because of the test.

Hardy fish in tank? Then you should be good.

 

I always recommend against testing during the first 14 days because the results could scare you into doing something that would cause TSS to fail.

TSS+ is supposed to be more concentrated than TSS. Both products will cycle a tank, but the same size bottle of TSS+ will cycle a larger tank than TSS will. The bottle will tell you what size tank it will cycle. Be aware you really can overdose with it, so if in doubt but a bottle that will cycle a larger tank than what you have, not a smaller one. And no matter what, use the whole bottle.

Pouring directy into the filter is not necessary. I've always just poured it right into the tank and it worked every time I used it, although I do not know that pouring it into the filter would hurt in anyway.

 

I always recommend against testing during the first 14 days because the results could scare you into doing something that would cause TSS to fail.

TSS+ is supposed to be more concentrated than TSS. Both products will cycle a tank, but the same size bottle of TSS+ will cycle a larger tank than TSS will. The bottle will tell you what size tank it will cycle. Be aware you really can overdose with it, so if in doubt but a bottle that will cycle a larger tank than what you have, not a smaller one. And no matter what, use the whole bottle.

Pouring directy into the filter is not necessary. I've always just poured it right into the tank and it worked every time I used it, although I do not know that pouring it into the filter would hurt in anyway.

Okay I did a water change last night so when I’m home from school and soccer I’ll pour the whole bottle of TSS+. Thanks for the help

 

I’ve poured TSS+ both in the tank and directly into the filter, and the tanks cycled both ways. I don’t know if one way was faster or more effective than the other; I just know that after 14 days, they were cycled.

 

I’ve poured TSS+ both in the tank and directly into the filter, and the tanks cycled both ways. I don’t know if one way was faster or more effective than the other; I just know that after 14 days, they were cycled.

I’ll just dump it into the filter because that’s where the bacteria grows but thanks

 

I always recommend against testing during the first 14 days because the results could scare you into doing something that would cause TSS to fail.

TSS+ is supposed to be more concentrated than TSS. Both products will cycle a tank, but the same size bottle of TSS+ will cycle a larger tank than TSS will. The bottle will tell you what size tank it will cycle. Be aware you really can overdose with it, so if in doubt but a bottle that will cycle a larger tank than what you have, not a smaller one. And no matter what, use the whole bottle.

Pouring directy into the filter is not necessary. I've always just poured it right into the tank and it worked every time I used it, although I do not know that pouring it into the filter would hurt in anyway.

Do I dump the whole bottle in even if it says for up to 500gallons ?

 

Jdhef’s post said you can overdose it. Meaning their is no limit (within reason) to how much you put in.

Not that you can't overdose by putting too much in.

Buy the next size bottle up from the size tank you’re putting it into.

 

Jdhef’s post said you can overdose it. Meaning their is no limit (within reason) to how much you put in.

Not that you can overdose by putting too much in.

Buy the next size bottle up from the size tank you’re putting it into.

So I bought the one that says it treats up to 500 gallons is it fine to dump the whole bottle into a 20 gallon tank ?

 

It will be fine to dump the whole bottle in. But better would have been to purchase a bottle that treated a tank closer to the size of yours.