4.0 Ammonia

[fatheadminnow]

I guess if it was free why not try it lol.  I would probably do the same.  

 

[metulburr]

After looking through the stores of fish appliances and chemicals. I was surprised at how much the manufacturers take advantage of fish owners too. I decided i would not buy that stuff. But since i got it for free. Why not, lol. I just wasnt sure if doing water changes as frequent would decrease the chance of the product actually working if it had one. 

 

[fatheadminnow]

After looking through the stores of fish appliances and chemicals. I was surprised at how much the manufacturers take advantage of fish owners too. I decided i would not buy that stuff. But since i got it for free. Why not, lol. I just wasnt sure if doing water changes as frequent would decrease the chance of the product actually working if it had one. 

 
You hit the nail right on the head with that one.  Fish stores do take advantage of us fish keepers.  Although, there are few fish stores that actually are in the business for the right reasons, although these are harder to come by.  So far it sounds like your fish store is pretty good and not asking you to buy things.  So maybe you got lucky.  Every time I go a fish store they always try to sell me some random product.  It doesn't matter where I go.  Now, since I know what I'm doing I usually keep to my self when I go to a fish store and just get what I need.  Sometimes I will strike up a conversation with someone there.  
 
Back to your original question about water changes.  It is more important to keep your ammonia and nitrite down, for the sake of the fish, than it is for this product to work in your tank. So, just keep to the water changes and in time everything will work out.  

 

[metulburr]

Thanks. I will do so. 
 
My LTS owner, seems like a good guy. Likes to chat about random events, and doesnt try to pressure me to buy things when i go there. When i go to petsmart for example, i feel like i am in a lair of salesman, trying to find my way out of the maze. 

 

[fatheadminnow]

Hahah yes petsmart and petsco both.

 

[Ch4rlie]

It must be similar to Bio Spira.  That one worked very well.  I do agree there are some that do have benefits but nothing that I have seen at LFS that do and not the product the OP purchased.  
 
I just did some reading.  Tetra safestart actually is the product that replaced Bio Spira.  (didn't know that).  I guess Marineland joined with Tetra to make a product that did not require refrigeration.  Good to know.  
 
http/www.aquariumplants.com/SAFESTART_instant_tank_cycler_replacement_for_Ma_p/tet-01.htm

 
Indeed, in fact its Dr Tim Hovanec helped discover the relevant bacterias required (nitrospira), he did work for Marinland and he patented Bio-Spira and then Tetra then made changes so Tetra Safe Start and then Dr Tim's One and Only.
 
Basically all the same product, though Bio-Spira (Instant Ocean Bio-Spira Start Up Nitrifying Bacteria Aquarium Additive) is for SW i think as it worked better in SW than FW, and this needed to be kept refridgerated, though TSS and Dr Tims do not.
 
A brief intro about Dr Tim Hovanec - http/www.drtimsaquatics.com/about

 

[fatheadminnow]

 

It must be similar to Bio Spira.  That one worked very well.  I do agree there are some that do have benefits but nothing that I have seen at LFS that do and not the product the OP purchased.  
 
I just did some reading.  Tetra safestart actually is the product that replaced Bio Spira.  (didn't know that).  I guess Marineland joined with Tetra to make a product that did not require refrigeration.  Good to know.  
 
http/www.aquariumplants.com/SAFESTART_instant_tank_cycler_replacement_for_Ma_p/tet-01.htm

 
Indeed, in fact its Dr Tim Hovanec helped discover the relevant bacterias required (nitrospira), he did work for Marinland and he patented Bio-Spira and then Tetra then made changes so Tetra Safe Start and then Dr Tim's One and Only.
 
Basically all the same product, though Bio-Spira (Instant Ocean Bio-Spira Start Up Nitrifying Bacteria Aquarium Additive) is for SW i think as it worked better in SW than FW, and this needed to be kept refridgerated, though TSS and Dr Tims do not.
 
A brief intro about Dr Tim Hovanec - http/www.drtimsaquatics.com/about
 

 
 
Actually there was a feshwater version of Bio Spira.  As far as I am aware, you can still buy the saltwater bio spira just not the freshwater anymore since that is safestart.