Tetra Safe Start Plus

I need some help, 7 days ago, I added Tetra safe start plus to my 8 gallon tank, with two fish in it.. but accidentally dumped in the whole bottle meant for a 20 gallon..I made the mistake of testing my ammonia last night and I'm reading 2ppm, 0 nitrites, 20 nitrates, and 7 for ph..I now that it could be the ammonium causing the high ammonia reading, since the API ammonia test kit doesn't differentiate between the two..Should I do a partial water change, or wait out the 14 days.. The fish are acting completely normal, no signs of ammonia poisoning..but they are babies so I'm concerned..Any advice would be great..

 

I need some help, 7 days ago, I added Tetra safe start plus to my 8 gallon tank, with two fish in it.. but accidentally dumped in the whole bottle meant for a 20 gallon..I made the mistake of testing my ammonia last night and I'm reading 2ppm, 0 nitrites, 20 nitrates, and 7 for ph..I now that it could be the ammonium causing the high ammonia reading, since the API ammonia test kit doesn't differentiate between the two..Should I do a partial water change, or wait out the 14 days.. The fish are acting completely normal, no signs of ammonia poisoning..but they are babies so I'm concerned..Any advice would be great..

If you are concerned, you can definitely do water changes to lower the ammonia. The presence of nitrate indicates nitrification is occurring, and seven days is plenty of time for nitrifiers to colonize biomedia. So yeah, should defo be safe to do water changes.

 

it has nothing to do with the dosage. You can dose the whole bottle, it simply means your tank is not cycled yet.

I would do partial water changes and keep an eye on the parameters.

 

Wait it out . The Safestart gives weird readings because of the ingredients that keep the Bacteria alive in the bottle. After the 14 days do a 50+ % water change and start taking readings.

 

I agree with Donthemon, and would just wait it out if your fish seem to be okay. Actually, you are supposed to add the entire bottle, even if it will treat a tank larger than what you have...you cannot overdose. So that was a bit of a happy accident.

One thing I wanted to ask, what test kit are you using?

 

I'm using the API ammonia test kit, and the API 5 in one test strips..I'm between 1 and 2 ppm according to the colour, it's been that colour since I tested 2 days ago..

Wait it out . The Safestart gives weird readings because of the ingredients that keep the Bacteria alive in the bottle. After the 14 days do a 50+ % water change and start taking readings.

Thank-you for your response, I really appreciate your help

I agree with Donthemon, and would just wait it out if your fish seem to be okay. Actually, you are supposed to add the entire bottle, even if it will treat a tank larger than what you have...you cannot overdose. So that was a bit of a happy accident.

One thing I wanted to ask, what test kit are you using?

Thank-you, I was freaking out, by the fish seem fine..

If you are concerned, you can definitely do water changes to lower the ammonia. The presence of nitrate indicates nitrification is occurring, and seven days is plenty of time for nitrifiers to colonize biomedia. So yeah, should defo be safe to do water changes.

Ok, thank, I'm scared to wreck the cycle, will a water change remove the bacteria that is colonizing?

 

Ok, thank, I'm scared to wreck the cycle, will a water change remove the bacteria that is colonizing?

No, water changes do not remove the bacteria colonizing. The majority would be on surfaces now. Once you have enough starting to colonize surfaces, which is not long, even 100% water changes have minimal impacts on the cycle. So long as you continue to have an ammonia and/or nitrite source to help your nitrifiers establish of course, whichever is applicable.

For fish-in cycles especially at this point, it has basically zero impact. Even if you do a 100% water change (normally not recommended, but could happen in an emergency), there is no problems because of course immediately after the fish will continue producing ammonia to feed the nitrifiers.

That's why I'd recommend doing the water change if you are worried. So far your fish seems to be unaffected by the ammonia, but if you want peace of mind, you can do it with no worries. Despite the SafeStart instructions. In my opinion.

 

With TSS+ you are not supposed to perform any water changes before 14 days after dosing. So as long as the fish seem okay, I would hold off on a water change

 

Personally I would not be able to do a fish in cycle by adding TSS+ and waiting. If one chooses to do so though the instructions need to be followed for it to work as it was designed to do.

The instructions say add and do nothing for 14 days. No testing, nothing. If you test you will see things that make you want to do something. As long as the fish appear to be doing well give the TSS the time it needs to do what it is supposed to do.

If it has done its job at the end of the 2 weeks you should see 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and some nitrates. If you are still seeing ammonia the TSS did not do its job. It will be time to start doing water changes to get and keep the ammonia down.

 

No, water changes do not remove the bacteria colonizing. The majority would be on surfaces now. Once you have enough starting to colonize surfaces, which is not long, even 100% water changes have minimal impacts on the cycle. So long as you continue to have an ammonia and/or nitrite source to help your nitrifiers establish of course, whichever is applicable.

For fish-in cycles especially at this point, it has basically zero impact. Even if you do a 100% water change (normally not recommended, but could happen in an emergency), there is no problems because of course immediately after the fish will continue producing ammonia to feed the nitrifiers.

That's why I'd recommend doing the water change if you are worried. So far your fish seems to be unaffected by the ammonia, but if you want peace of mind, you can do it with no worries. Despite the SafeStart instructions. In my opinion.

Thank you very much for your help, and advice!! I checked the ammonia again today, and it still hasn't come down , my fish seem ok, but I may do a water change just to be sure..

Personally I would not be able to do a fish in cycle by adding TSS+ and waiting. If one chooses to do so though the instructions need to be followed for it to work as it was designed to do.

The instructions say add and do nothing for 14 days. No testing, nothing. If you test you will see things that make you want to do something. As long as the fish appear to be doing well give the TSS the time it needs to do what it is supposed to do.

If it has done its job at the end of the 2 weeks you should see 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and some nitrates. If you are still seeing ammonia the TSS did not do its job. It will be time to start doing water changes to get and keep the ammonia down.

The ammonia still hasn't come down today, it's hovering at almost 2 ppm, so I might do a water change, just to be sure, is not the ammonia, but ammonium

Wait it out . The Safestart gives weird readings because of the ingredients that keep the Bacteria alive in the bottle. After the 14 days do a 50+ % water change and start taking readings.

So should I do a water change?

No, water changes do not remove the bacteria colonizing. The majority would be on surfaces now. Once you have enough starting to colonize surfaces, which is not long, even 100% water changes have minimal impacts on the cycle. So long as you continue to have an ammonia and/or nitrite source to help your nitrifiers establish of course, whichever is applicable.

For fish-in cycles especially at this point, it has basically zero impact. Even if you do a 100% water change (normally not recommended, but could happen in an emergency), there is no problems because of course immediately after the fish will continue producing ammonia to feed the nitrifiers.

That's why I'd recommend doing the water change if you are worried. So far your fish seems to be unaffected by the ammonia, but if you want peace of mind, you can do it with no worries. Despite the SafeStart instructions. In my opinion.

Ok, so this is the test result today

Wait it out . The Safestart gives weird readings because of the ingredients that keep the Bacteria alive in the bottle. After the 14 days do a 50+ % water change and start taking readings.

Today's reading, I'm freaking out

Thank you very much for your help, and advice!! I checked the ammonia again today, and it still hasn't come down , my fish seem ok, but I may do a water change just to be sure..

The ammonia still hasn't come down today, it's hovering at almost 2 ppm, so I might do a water change, just to be sure, is not the ammonia, but ammonium

So should I do a water change?

Ok, so this is the test result today

Today's reading, I'm freaking out

So if this is really ammonia, and not ammonium from the Tetra Safe start plus..Will my fish live to 14 days? This is day 8 today..I'm showing about 25 nitrates, and 0.5 nitrites..

Thank you very much for your help, and advice!! I checked the ammonia again today, and it still hasn't come down , my fish seem ok, but I may do a water change just to be sure..

The ammonia still hasn't come down today, it's hovering at almost 2 ppm, so I might do a water change, just to be sure, is not the ammonia, but ammonium

So should I do a water change?

Ok, so this is the test result today

Today's reading, I'm freaking out

So if this is really ammonia, and not ammonium from the Tetra Safe start plus..Will my fish live to 14 days? This is day 8 today..I'm showing about 25 nitrates, and 0.5 nitrites..

worried the safe start plus failed, and I can't find an ammonium test anywhere to be sure..

 

The only way I know of to differentiate between ammonia and ammonium is with an ammonia alert. Some thing like this. https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-Labo...34743683&sprefix=ammonia+alert,aps,213&sr=8-5

It doesn't register ammonium.

 

Awesome thank you!! I will order one....I did do a substantial water change, and added more safe start plus, so now I have for I myself to test for 14 days unless.I see my fish acting abnormal..