How to use TSS?

HI everyone. I have had a Betta for a couple of months now. He started in a bowl, but has been in a 10 gallon tank for a month now. But it isn't cycling. He got fin rot so for the past while I've been doing every other day water changes but he's getting better. I am going away next week and the tank will not be going through any water changes and only light feedings. So, I decided to purchase TSS to help with the cycle. I just have a couple of questions. Will it it be okay if there is nobody monitoring the tank for a week while using TSS and a person is only feeding the fish? Will it it be okay to put in TSS now while his fin is recovering from rot? I just did a 110% water change (in a 70% and 40% part. The 40% was an accident.) Should I put in TSS now or wait? And if I should wait, then for how long? Thank you!Hello? I need to do this ASAP so please do respond!

 

Hi! I'm no expert, but I think it will be OK to not have anyone monitoring him. With TSS you don't do any water changes or anything for 14 days anyway.

I know you're supposed to wait 24 hours after using a dechlorinator to add TSS. So if you just changed the water, wait a day and then add the TSS.

Edit to add--I'm sure someone else will be along soon to give more advice too. Good luck.

 

Hi! I'm no expert, but I think it will be OK to not have anyone monitoring him. With TSS you don't do any water changes or anything for 14 days anyway.

I know you're supposed to wait 24 hours after using a dechlorinator to add TSS. So if you just changed the water, wait a day and then add the TSS.

Edit to add--I'm sure someone else will be along soon to give more advice too. Good luck.

Thanks for your response, Tikibird! Yeah that's what I was thinking because of the bubbles around the sides. I'll wait for more in case as you said, but this is plenty helpful!

Oh wait. Aquaphobia tends to be good with this cycling stuff.

 

I think that would be fine. Just remember to tell the person feeding him to only feed a tiny amount every other day. Otherwise it can overwhelm the fledgling bacteria.

 

I think that would be fine. Just remember to tell the person feeding him to only feed a tiny amount every other day. Otherwise it can overwhelm the fledgling bacteria.

Okay. I'll put in the bottle tomorrow at 5:00 pm. I'll package my sister 5 minI bettamin flakes for every other day before I leave. I'm so excited for him to finally have a cycled tank!

He'll produce enough ammonia for the bacteria by tomorrow right?

 

Yes. Pooping is not the only source of ammonia, it's a natural byproduct of life

 

Yes. Pooping is not the only source of ammonia, it's a natural byproduct of life

Haha okay. And the tank is also bare bottom (pretty much). That's okay, right? Or does he need gravel?

 

Okay now I'm putting in the bottle

 

Bare bottom is fine! I used to like sand and still do for planting in but I've been enjoying the look of bare bottom tanks with potted plants lately

 

Bare bottom is fine! I used to like sand and still do for planting in but I've been enjoying the look of bare bottom tanks with potted plants lately

Ooh! I am going to get some substrate in there eventually just so that he has a nice area to live in. I like the marbles but they are hard to clean. Merlin is the clumsiest fish ever so I don't think gravel is a good idea for him. And sand seems to be sort of dangerous for be because I'm scared it's going to get stuck in something. Plus he sucks his food off the ground. What's the point of substrate other than decoration?

 

None really unless you have live plants.

I do like the look of bare bottom tanks with a few significant pieces of decor like larger rocks and chunks of driftwood

 

None really unless you have live plants.

I do like the look of bare bottom tanks with a few significant pieces of decor like larger rocks and chunks of driftwood

Hmm. I think Merlin would appreciate that too. I'll probably leave his marbles I'm there because he likes resting on them but they don't cover much. So I'll mostly just rearrange! Haha I'm forbidden from touching his marbles, he stabs me every time my hand gets close to them. Thanks!

 

Tss is amazing!

HI everyone! I can't express my joy right now! I think my tank is finally sort of cycled! Of course it's the first proper result, so I still have to wait but it's the closest I've gotten! I've spent a month trying to cycle my tank and there has been no progress whatsoever. I put in TSS yesterday and I'm already at 0/0/5-10! This is the most amazing thing ever! And TSS is supposed to take 14 days. But I'm already seeing results! Merlin was having some trouble yesterday but today he is perfect! I can't believe this! I was thinking I would see results after coming back to town but I'm leaving tomorrow and it's already goodish. If it's still like this when I get back I'm going to consider myself cycled! Yay!

 

Pictures of Merlin please!

 

Yeah! His gills are still a bit scarred from the ammonia craziness this month but it's over soon!

 

Just remember that you can't do any water changes until the 15th day or you might mess up the process. Unless something goes wrong and you have to for Merlin's sake! Sounds like everything is going according to plan now, enjoy your trip

 

How's Merlin doing?

 

Just remember that you can't do any water changes until the 15th day or you might mess up the process. Unless something goes wrong and you have to for Merlin's sake! Sounds like everything is going according to plan now, enjoy your trip

Yup! It looks like the tank is now cycled but I will still wait for a water change. I just got back, and the trip was fun! My sister panicked me when she said he was a patriotic fish and he was no longer just red and blue, but red, white, and blue. the white scared me. But when I saw him I see that it is his fin regrowing! The new parts are white, I'm assuming that they'll get color later. They are almost clear and turning blue. New fin doesn't have color, right? So his fin rot is gone and he is healing!

How's Merlin doing?

Better than ever! He is happy, his fin is regrowing from fin rot, and his tank is finally cycled!

 

That's great! Merlin is one incredible fish!

 

Better than ever! He is happy, his fin is regrowing from fin rot, and his tank is finally cycled!

Yeah!!

 

That's great! Merlin is one incredible fish!

He definitely is! I'm glad you think so too! The poor thing has gone through a lot for the past month and I'm glad he's in a nice, clean, happy home now/soon. How many fish do you have?

All the people on this forum are so nice! This is a really nice community.

Yeah!!

. How are your fish? Do you have any bettas ;-).

 

I'm so happy for you and Merlin and I agree, the people here are great!

I just have fearless Phoenix, I'm sporting his pic as my avatar.

 

I have two beautiful bettas, Pinky and Rainbow! Gotta clean pest snails out of Pinky's tank tomorrow...ugh.

 

I'm so happy for you and Merlin and I agree, the people here are great!

I just have fearless Phoenix, I'm sporting his pic as my avatar.

Yeah! Phoenix is a good name for him, he looks like one. Merlin also sucks the bottom of his tank LOL. I'm going to post a bunch of pictures once I get his tank set up and pretty.

I have two beautiful bettas, Pinky and Rainbow! Gotta clean pest snails out of Pinky's tank tomorrow...ugh.

Oh dear, that's never fun! Which one is your profile pic?

 

I just tested. I'm at 0/0/20-30. Is this good? It had been 7 days since I put in TSS. Is it safe to do a water change?

 

Yeah! Phoenix is a good name for him, he looks like one. Merlin also sucks the bottom of his tank LOL. I'm going to post a bunch of pictures once I get his tank set up and pretty.


Oh dear, that's never fun! Which one is your profile pic?

Pinky is my profile pic! He's much happier now without all the icky snails. So I tell myself anyway.

As for the TSS...congrats, it seems like it worked well!! I don't know what the right answer is here for the water change. If it were me I would probably wait the full two weeks before doing it...but I'm sure someone else can advise!

 

Pinky is my profile pic! He's much happier now without all the icky snails. So I tell myself anyway.

As for the TSS...congrats, it seems like it worked well!! I don't know what the right answer is here for the water change. If it were me I would probably wait the full two weeks before doing it...but I'm sure someone else can advise!

Pinky is beautiful! I just love how bettas always look angry but they are actually really nice (to humans that is. Not to other bettas). I always tell myself that Merlin's happier after a water change no matter how confused he is. He figured out how to detach his thermometer, and that gets really annoying. TSS is truly miraculous, it cycled my tank in a day and it has held that cycle for 7 days now. It's amazing. Yeah I'll wait. It doesn't seem like he needs a change now anyways according to the water parameters, he can handle the 20 nitrates for another week.

 

Pictures of Merlin please!

@fisharegreat8962

This is him last week, when his fin rot stopped but his fins hadn't regrown.










(He needs to stop being so happy all the time! It's impossible to tell if he's not feeling well, because he is always swimming around as happy as can be)

This is him this week, when his tank has been pretty much cycled (just in the last week of TSS but parameters are good) and his fins are regrowing.









I'm excited that he's getting better and that he now has a good home for the rest of his life!

 

HELP! Merlin's right eye is swollen! It has a little white around it but it is cut where is it swollen so I think he just cut it. I don't think it's Popeye. I can't do a water change until Sunday because of TSS. What should I do? Or should I just leave him until Sunday? There isn't anything he can hurt himself on in the tank but he squishes his face against the tank walls a lot to watch us so that may be it. Thank you!

 

HI @, you may want to post this in the fish disease forum too, start a new thread. Sorry to read this about Merlin, he just can't catch a break.

 

HI @, you may want to post this in the fish disease forum too, start a new thread. Sorry to read this about Merlin, he just can't catch a break.

Okay, thanks. Yeah, poor thing. But he's already been through a lot and I know he can do this. Come on, Merlin. Just until Sunday!!!

 

Nope, you need to wait until day 15. Then you can do a water change

 

Nope, you need to wait until day 15. Then you can do a water change

Okay. Thanks! He hasn't gotten better or worse so I'm Pretty sure he'll be fine on Sunday. But if it gets worse I'll have to do a change.

 

Alright, everyone. do you think that today is a good day to do a water change?

It has been 15 days and the water looks stable.

 

I would say yes. What are your parameters?

 

I would say yes. What are your parameters?

0/0/30-40. It has been like that since the second day after I put it in.

 

Okay I did a water change yesterday. It changed the parameters to 0/0/10-20

 

How's Merlin holding up?

 

His eye looks the exact same but he is as active as ever! It still isn't cloudy or anything, just swollen.

 

Now you can do those frequent water changes to help him along. He's truly amazing!