Plants With Tetra Safestart Cycle?

So I am going to be doing a tetra safestart cycle with guppies on wednesday, but wanted to know if I could add some plants when I add the guppies? I have 2 inches of sand.

 

Is there a reason you want to do a fish-in cycle? If you don’t have the fish yet I would recommend you do a fish less. If you already have a cycled tank you can even add some media from that and add it to help your cycle.

To answer your questions, it is fine to add plants while cycling.

 

Is there a reason you want to do a fish-in cycle? If you don’t have the fish yet I would recommend you do a fish less. If you already have a cycled tank you can even add some media from that and add it to help your cycle.

To answer your questions, it is fine to add plants while cycling.

Any plants you recommed? Preferably ones that are easy to care for. Low light?

 

Good for you for planning so well. Yes plants are fine (the plants section/forum has lists of recommended low light plants.
TSS+ works great for a fish in cycle if you 1. Adhere to the super light stocking guidelines (1 inch of fish per 10 gallons) and 2. Feed lightly for the 14 days.
Good luck

 

Mom2some , do you think it would be as important to keep the super light stocking while cycling since BettaFishKeeper4302 wants to put live plants in the tank during the cycling process?

The reason I mention this is (although I've never had any live plants) I have heard that live plants will absorb ammonia from the water column, which I would assume could starve out the TSS bacteria.

 

Mom2some , do you think it would be as important to keep the super light stocking while cycling since BettaFishKeeper4302 wants to put live plants in the tank during the cycling process?

The reason I mention this is (although I've never had any live plants) I have heard that live plants will absorb ammonia from the water column, which I would assume could starve out the TSS bacteria.

I don’t know. The super light stocking is the TSS recommendation. It is where I think people report TSS “fails” because they fully stock the tank & then expect TSS to work. So with plants maybe the OP should aI'm for 1.5-2 inch of fish per 10 gallons?

 

Good for you for planning so well. Yes plants are fine (the plants section/forum has lists of recommended low light plants.
TSS+ works great for a fish in cycle if you 1. Adhere to the super light stocking guidelines (1 inch of fish per 10 gallons) and 2. Feed lightly for the 14 days.
Good luck

Yep I know and thanks.

I don’t know. The super light stocking is the TSS recommendation. It is where I think people report TSS “fails” because they fully stock the tank & then expect TSS to work. So with plants maybe the OP should aI'm for 1.5-2 inch of fish per 10 gallons?

I was going to do 3 guppies because 1. I am planning to have guppies in this tank and 2. I have a 29 gallon so is that one gallon gonna make a difference?

 

No the one gallon won’t matter. I cycled my 34 gallon tank with 6 fish - 2 guppies & 2 platys. They were all young, I had no plants. What is your final stocking plan? You might want 4-5 fish, depending on how small/big they are.

 

No the one gallon won’t matter. I cycled my 34 gallon tank with 6 fish - 2 guppies & 2 platys. They were all young, I had no plants. What is your final stocking plan? You might want 4-5 fish, depending on how small/big they are.

My final stocking plan is
6x guppies
6x neon tetras
6x Albino corys
X1 Smaller species of pleco like pitbull or something.

 

I might cycle with 4 guppies. I would be concerned about temperature compatibility between the albino Cory’s & neons. Beware many people have issues with neons being poorly bred.

 

I might cycle with 4 guppies. I would be concerned about temperature compatibility between the albino Cory’s & neons. Beware many people have issues with neons being poorly bred.

So what should I replace the neons with?

 

So what should I replace the neons with?

I think the temperature may be all right. Neon tetras prefer 68-78 degrees, albino corydoras prefer 72-79 degrees, guppies prefer 70-80 degrees, and pitbull plecos prefer 68-78 degrees. All seems to work out, but if you're worried about the quality of the neon tetras, then harlequin rasboras are a good replacement.

 

I think the temperature may be all right. Neon tetras prefer 68-78 degrees, albino corydoras prefer 72-79 degrees, guppies prefer 70-80 degrees, and pitbull plecos prefer 68-78 degrees. All seems to work out, but if you're worried about the quality of the neon tetras, then harlequin rasboras are a good replacement.

So do I get 3 or 4 guppies when I start the cycle tomorrow? Also I know tanks need to run for at least 24 hours but is 20 hours close enough?

 

So do I get 3 or 4 guppies when I start the cycle tomorrow? Also I know tanks need to run for at least 24 hours but is 20 hours close enough?

Yeah, 20 hours is fine. Three to four guppies seems all right, but make sure to test the water daily just in case. If ammonia gets above 1 ppm, perform a water change and use Prime to detoxify ammonia/nitrites (unless Safestart does that already).

 

Yeah, 20 hours is fine. Three to four guppies seems all right, but make sure to test the water daily just in case. If ammonia gets above 1 ppm, perform a water change and use Prime to detoxify ammonia/nitrites (unless Safestart does that already).

When doing a safestart cycle I am not aloud to do any water change for 14 days. On the 15th day I can do a water change with prime but if I do it during the 14 days the bacteria will be killed by prime.

 

When doing a safestart cycle I am not aloud to do any water change for 14 days. On the 15th day I can do a water change with prime but if I do it during the 14 days the bacteria will be killed by prime.

Ah, okay. I've never used it, so I wouldn't know. Just follow the directions and you should be all right.

 

Ah, okay. I've never used it, so I wouldn't know. Just follow the directions and you should be all right.

Yep

 

Yep

Yes - you are right. Do not test or water change with TSS+. You can top off after 7 days using dechlorinated water if needed. I am excited for you!

 

Yes - you are right. Do not test or water change with TSS+. You can top off after 7 days using dechlorinated water if needed. I am excited for you!

Thanks! But I think I have run into a minor problem. Guppies. They breed and I am not interested in having a tank full of guppies exept I want to keep them and I want to have some live plants. What do I do?

 

Thanks! But I think I have run into a minor problem. Guppies. They breed and I am not interested in having a tank full of guppies exept I want to keep them and I want to have some live plants. What do I do?

Get all male or all female.

 

Get all male or all female.

Males are the ones that look the best but i've heard they will pick on one to death and so on and on. I was reading something about this and I was convinced on getting just females until I heard most are sold inpregnated. Will they still eat their young if they are?

 

Males are the ones that look the best but i've heard they will pick on one to death and so on and on. I was reading something about this and I was convinced on getting just females until I heard most are sold inpregnated. Will they still eat their young if they are?

I'm pretty sure they'll try to eat them if they can find it. The amount that survives depends on how much cover there is in your tank. I would go with the males. As long as the male guppies are of similar size, they shouldn't be too aggressive with each other. With three, two dominant males may pick the other one off. With four, it should be pretty evened out.

 

I'm pretty sure they'll try to eat them if they can find it. The amount that survives depends on how much cover there is in your tank. I would go with the males. As long as the male guppies are of similar size, they shouldn't be too aggressive with each other. With three, two dominant males may pick the other one off. With four, it should be pretty evened out.

But I have to do 3 fish because its 1 fish per 10 gallons when doing a tetra safestart plus and I have a 29 gallon fish tank. I am already pushing it by 1 fish because its 1 fish per 10 gallons and I have a 29 gallon and I am getting 3 guppies.

 

But I have to do 3 fish because its 1 fish per 10 gallons when doing a tetra safestart plus and I have a 29 gallon fish tank. I am already pushing it by 1 fish because its 1 fish per 10 gallons and I have a 29 gallon and I am getting 3 guppies.

Well, it'll only be for a week, right? I'm sure they'll be fine as long as there are plenty of hiding places.

 

Well, it'll only be for a week, right? I'm sure they'll be fine as long as there are plenty of hiding places.

Yeah.... I'll just get all females and yolo it. I'm sure they will eat there young anyway. Also I heard that guppies csn chsnge gender is this true?

 

"Most of the livebearers can change sex if required. Swordtails, platties, mollies,guppies. Females changing to males although I haven't seen males change tofemales. A fertilised female can retain milt for a few generations too so you don't necessarily need males in your tank to have babies."

Can guppies change sex?

 

"Most of the livebearers can change sex if required. Swordtails, platties, mollies,guppies. Females changing to males although I haven't seen males change tofemales. A fertilised female can retain milt for a few generations too so you don't necessarily need males in your tank to have babies."

Can guppies change sex?

All these fish want to do is breed...

 

Just get males. The females I have heard can store sperm & continue producing fry for months. The females are also much less pretty. You will have other fish in the tank for distraction after the first 2+ weeks anyway.

 

Just get males. The females I have heard can store sperm & continue producing fry for months. The females are also much less pretty. You will have other fish in the tank for distraction after the first 2+ weeks anyway.

So eariler adriifu said I need four male guppues for them not to kill each other. But is four pushing the 1 per ten gallon rule for the cycle? Their bioload is pretty small.

 

So eariler adriifu said I need four male guppues for them not to kill each other. But is four pushing the 1 per ten gallon rule for the cycle? Their bioload is pretty small.

I agree with Mom2some . Males would be more ideal. I'd like to hear what they say about four guppies, though.

 

I agree with Mom2some . Males would be more ideal. I'd like to hear what they say about four guppies, though.

Yeah and they are the prettiest. But I am just worried about them picking each other off. Also I need to know if 4 guppies is pushing it for the safestart cycle because the safestart cycle rules for success is 1 fish per ten gallons. I have a 29 so I could do 3 males but I need 4 to prevent them teaming up on 1. What do I do? Mom2some

 

Yeah and they are the prettiest. But I am just worried about them picking eachother off. Also I need to know if 4 guppies is pushing it for the safestart cycle because the safestart cycle rules for success is 1 fish per ten gallons. I have a 29 so I could do 3 males but I need 4 to prevent them teaming up on 1. What do I do? Mom2some

Does it say anything about adding a slightly larger dosage than normal?

 

Does it say anything about adding a slightly larger dosage than normal?

No TSS just said pour the whole bottle.

 

No TSS just said pour the whole bottle.

All right. Well, I guess we'll just wait and see what she says.

 

All right. Well, I guess we'll just wait and see what she says.

Yep.

Here is a link to a previous post on here. A mod reached out to tetra safe start plus and they gave proper instructions on how to use their own product.

Link: Q & A With Tetra about Tetra SafeStart

 

I would say you would be fine with 4 fish. People have trouble when they fully stock the tank, then use TSS+. Most guppies at the pet store are barely an inch anyway.

 

Ok 4 males coming home tomorrow then. I will keep you all posted. Thanks!