Water changes with tetra brand safestart normal and/or necessary?

[SalviniCichlidFan]

Hey all,

For my 7 years of fish keeping experience, I've always added 5mL of tetra brand safestart (nitrogen fixing bacteria I think) after my water changes to boost my aquarium's beneficial bacteria colony.

However, I was wondering if this habit is normal across the fish keeping world and/or necessary?

The labelling on the tetra brand safestart bottle says that its for cycling aquariums but can it be used after water changes too?

 

[deeda]

I wouldn't think it was necessary to add Tetra Safestart on a cycled tank since that is it's purpose according to their website.

You should use a dechlorinator for new water and pick a product that treats for chlorine and/or chloramine depending on your water source and disinfection treatment.

Most hobbyists in the U.S. use Seachem Prime (liquid) or Safe (powder) or other brands.

 

[duanes]

The only thing I've ever used is once a tank is cycled is dechlor.
For many years just a bloop of just straight sodium thiosulfate.

 

[jjohnwm]

Do the math; 5ml per water change for 7 years. Easy enough to calculate the cost of this practice...which in turn tells you the value of what you're doing.

Of course, the value is strictly accrued by Tetra; you and your fish don't get anything out of it.

I suppose that if you had just increased the bioload of your tank by a large amount, the addition of bottled bacteria might just possibly help you for a day or two, until your existing bacterial colony increases to match the new bioload. Fasting the fish for a day or so would likely be just as (or even more) useful.

 

[SalviniCichlidFan]

Thanks for the info y'all!

I was always scared that if I didn't add the bacteria solution, then my tank cycle will collapse and ammonia spikes will happen. But it's great to know that this won't happen so I can save my money on other things.

 

[esoxlucius]

It's truly amazing how many catastrophic things will happen to your tank if you don't add this product, or that product......according to the manufacturers of said products, lol.

I guarantee that 50% of all the various off the shelf products at LFS's, whether they are disease or water quality related, are plain and simply snake oil!

Good old fashioned regular maintenance and simply observing your tank will mean, for the most part, that you shouldn't need to go down the route of adding this that and the other.

 

[phreeflow]

The only thing I've ever used is once a tank is cycled is dechlor.
For many years just a bloop of just straight sodium thiosulfate.

This thread has me wondering if I even need to continue using all these fancy, expensive water conditioners. I remember only ever using sodium thiosulfate or Dechlor when I started out and never had issues. Then I got sucked into the marketing and started worrying about all sorts of stuff in the water

Duanes, are you saying that a well cycled tank will take care of the disassociated ammonia if the source water has chloramines? If so, I may ditch the expensive water conditioners going forward and just buy a bag of thiosulfate crystals

 

[duanes]

I never use anything in my tanks except water.
And lots of it.
Too me, water changes are the most important factor in of all fish keeping.

 

[esoxlucius]

I never use anything in my tanks except water.

To be clear though I believe much of your freshwater replenishing your tanks is rainwater, so there is no need for dechlorinating products, for you.

However, the vast majority of us have a chlorine riddled municipal supply. Dechlorinating products are essential for us, unless you have a way to store vast supplies of tap water post water change to gas off naturally, and very few, if any, have the means to do that.

Dechlorinator, in my case Seachem Prime, is the only "chemical" I need, in fact it's absolutely essential for me. I don't care for, or need, any other products whatsoever.

 

[duanes]

This is true.
During the dry season, I try to change somewhere between 30-40 % every other day.
During the rainy season, perhaps 50% per night. by default.