Tetra safestart

[Quin]

The bottle of my safestart was incredibly vague, so I did a little digging and found this article:

Do They Work — API Quick Start VS Tetra SafeStart?

There's an ongoing debate among fishkeepers about whether Tetra's SafeStart and API's Quick Start even work. Soo many products, but which ones work? What is the difference between Tetra SafeStart and Tetra SafeStart Plus anyway?

aquanswers.com

Is this a trustworthy site, and does anyone notice anything I should do differently than the advice listed? If not, I will use it as the site suggests

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I always use Tetra SafeStart. It is super simple to use and instantly makes tap water safe for fish. (1ml for ever 1 gallon of water, super easy to remember)

I can't tell you anything on the API stuff, but IME, API products tend to be on the cheaper side. (As in poor quality)

 

[Quin]

I always use Tetra SafeStart. It is super simple to use and instantly makes tap water safe for fish. (1ml for ever 1 gallon of water, super easy to remember)

I can't tell you anything on the API stuff, but IME, API products tend to be on the cheaper side. (As in poor quality)

When you use safestart, do you wait 24 hours after dechlorinating to use it? Also, I'm wondering if the fish can go in at the same time, or if I should wait for it to settle in

 

[PheonixKingZ]

When you use safestart, do you wait 24 hours after dechlorinating to use it? Also, I'm wondering if the fish can go in at the same time, or if I should wait for it to settle in

Is your tank full of plain tap water right now? If so, I would wait 24 hours, after mixing the tap water with the Conditionor very good.

If you have a filter, then add the filter and remove any active carbon, This tends to speed up the process.

I personally mix my water in used, clean plastic milk jugs. When I shake it up very well, I know it is safe to add to my tank.

 

[Quin]

Awesome! Thank you for the advice

 

[Byron]

I read the linked article twice. There seems to be some confusion in the writer's mind, and it makes things overly complicated. I would go with the instructions on the product (Tetra SafeStart), they seem clear enough to me.

His reasoning for no water changes for 14 days is I think in error.

As for which product, the Tetra SafeStart or API Quick Start...the Tetra is (should be) better because of the bacteria in the product. The Tetra does contain the correct nitrifying bacteria. Dr. Tim Hovanec was a member of a team of chemists that identified the Nitrosomonus sp. and Nitrospira sp. bacteria that deal with ammonia and then nitrite oxidation in freshwater. He developed the formula after that study was published, and subsequently sold the rights to the formula to Tetra, who now market it as SafeStart. Prior to this study, it had been assumed that the second stage (nitrite oxidation) bacteria were Nitrobacter, the same as in soil nitrification. The study proved this an incorrect assumption. In marine ecosystems (ocean water) the second stage is carried out by Nitrospira sp. bacteria, and the study concluded that this would more likely apply to freshwater as well. The exact species of bacteria for the second stage could apparently not be identified more exactly.

According to the data on the API website, the bacteria ingredients in Quick Start are Nitrosomonas eutropha and Nitrobacter winogradski. The second is not a species of Nitrospira. This is likely why the API claim is that the product quickens the cycling process [whereas Tetra claim SafeStart allows immediate introduction of fish]. Subsequent to his initial study, Dr. Hovanec tested several products then on the market, and he found that some of them, even with the incorrect bacteria, did quicken the establishment of the cycle by a couple of days in a 2+ week period. API Quick Start seems to be in this camp.

Here are links to the studies, which are free to read:

https://aem.asm.org/content/aem/67/12/5791.full.pdf

https://aem.asm.org/content/aem/62/8/2888.full.pdf

There are a number of related studies on oxidation of ammonia and nitrite in freshwater wastewater systems (as opposed to aquaria) which you can easily find on Google Scholar, and so far as I can remember, these have not contradicted the findings of Dr. Hovanec and his team with respect to the species of bacteria.

 

[Quin]

What is your recommended amount of water change? I also thought 14 days sounded off.

 

[Byron]

What is your recommended amount of water change? I also thought 14 days sounded off.

I always do the regular weekly water change, new tank or existing. I do water changes on Sunday every week, so if I set up a new tank on say Wednesday, it would get a WC the following Sunday with the other tanks.

Now, I never use these cycling products, and I never "cycle" an aquarium, in both situations because I always have floating plants. They make a huge difference; you really cannot ever have ammonia or nitrite poisoning (or problems) with floating plants. I never have, in 30 years.

 

[Retired Viking]

Like @Byron I use plants to cycle my tanks, it is natures way and makes a lot of sense . The plants improve the quality of the water and absorb the ammonia the fish make and in return produce oxygen and absorb the co2 the fish make a circle of life thing. Best plants for the are fast growing floating plants like hornwort, water sprite, moneywort and anacharis, It is easy to do too. I have used Tetra SafeStart Plus to help my bother-in-law cycle his tank and it worked nicely but I recommend trying a planted tank.

 

[Quin]

As of now I have a leafy plant and three small moss balls. Until I can get more, will those be sufficient in addition to the safestart? I can definitely add them to the priority list

 

[Byron]

As of now I have a leafy plant and three small moss balls. Until I can get more, will those be sufficient in addition to the safestart? I can definitely add them to the priority list

If this is the 10g tank with a single male Betta, yes. The SafeStart and the plant will handle this with no issues.

Floating plants are a good idea regardless. Bettas come from such water and even though they are tank-raised they still retain their inherent expectation of cruising among floating plants.

 

[Retired Viking]

The moss balls are actually a form of algae and will deal with Nitrates but not ammonia, The leafy plant if is is a fern will do some The fast growing plants absorb it at a faster rate. SafeStart Plus will help but read up on it. As Byron said you should be good to go.

 

[Quin]

Thank you for the help! You guys are total life savers

 

[FishGuest5123]

Safe Start + is the best. If doing a fishless cycle and adding ammonia then you should try not to do a water change for the 14 day period. If doing a fish in cycle you will have to do changes when the numbers start spiking and you don’t add ammonia as the fish will do that. Seachem Prime is excellent but should not be used for the first 24 hours after adding the Safe Start as it will destroy the bottled bacteria. Use another dechlorinator the first 24 hours. After that, start using the Prime. Be patient. We’re here if you need us.

 

[Quin]

Safe Start + is the best. If doing a fishless cycle and adding ammonia then you should try not to do a water change for the 14 day period. If doing a fish in cycle you will have to do changes when the numbers start spiking and you don’t add ammonia as the fish will do that. Seachem Prime is excellent but should not be used for the first 24 hours after adding the Safe Start as it will destroy the bottled bacteria. Use another dechlorinator the first 24 hours. After that, start using the Prime. Be patient. We’re here if you need us.

The Prime has already been used unfortunately. It's okay to just wait 24 hours before adding bacteria right?