# Tetra SafeStart REALLY WORKS



## Ferdy

Hello group,

I am a new member to this forum, but not new to fishkeeping---so I thoroughly understand the nitrogen cycle and "new tank syndrome". So, I thought I would run an unbiased test to see if the Tetra product SafeStart works----or not.

I went out and bought a brand new aquarium setup including:

-5 Gallon acrylic tank
-5-15 HOB filter with bio/carbon cartrige (Aqua-Tech 5-15)
-Tetra 2-15 gal. auto thermostat heater (76-78 degree F)
-5 lbs regular gravel
-5 plastic plants

Rinsed and set everything up with tap water and started the filter and heater and let the system run for 24 hours. 

Empty test results:

0 amm
0 nitrite
0 nitrate
8.4 pH (my water is hard both KH and TH)

Meantime, went to the LFS and purchased 8 male fancy guppies, 2 endlers, 3 cory catfish and 8 red cherry shrimp. The average length of all the fish is about 1 1/2 inches with the exception of the Endlers and the shrimp, which are each about 1/2 inch, and a bottle of SafeStart (30 gallon size, exp. date 3/2012---from a sticker on the bottle).

I purposely WAY overstocked such a small tank, because I know how new aquarium owners are---they'll see a fish that they want more than their last trip to the fish store, and will say themselves "Well, it's only 1 more little fish, and I really want it, so it won't hurt anything"---and end up with a HUGE bioload on their poor little tank. And generally, they will not have the patience to fishlessly cycle their tank and will go with everything all at once, either out of ignorance or bad advice. This is about 3X-4X overstocked, based on the inch per gallon rule (or myth whichever camp you belong). I had a contingency plan in place to evacuate the fish to my main tank in case the test went out of control.

Anyway, on to the test. API Freshwater Master Kit

Added all of the above fish and shrimp and a double dose of SafeStart, which was 1/3 of the bottle. Fish were very healthy and active with excellent appetites. Fed twice daily all they could eat in about 3 minutes, with the cories cleaning up on bottom (Tetra ColorPlus flakes for tropical FW)--2 healthy pinches of food---one pinch crushed and one whole flake.

Day 2:

.5 ammonia
0 nitrites
0 nitrates

Day 3:

.25 ammonia
0 nitrites
~5 nitrates

Day 4:

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
5 nitrates

Day 5:

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
10 nitrates

Day 6:

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
10-20 nitrates

Day 7:

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
20 nitrates (25% water change)

Day 8:

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
10 nitrates

Day 9:

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
10-20 nitrates

Day 10:

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
10-20 nitrates

Day 11:

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
20-40 nitrates

Day 12:

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
20-40 nitrates

Day 13:

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
40 nitrates (75% water change)

Day 14:

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
10 nitrates


This cycle has continued with no ammonia, no nitrites and nitrates building to 40ppm over each 5-6 day period---well handled with once weekly 75% water changes. All fish and shrimp alive, very active and very healthy with no losses, even in such a severely overstocked condition----as a matter of fact, no signs of any kind of stress at all. The water was SLIGHTLY cloudy for the first 3 days, then on day 4 cleared to a crystal clarity. Tank has been stable as above for 3 months now.

Hopefully, whether you are in the "believer" camp or the "non-believer" camp in these potions, these results should be taken for exactly what they are and speak for itself. The product DOES work. Puzzling how the product manages to completely skip over the nitrite part of the cycle, as nitrites never showed even in the slightest throughout.

I am considering doing the same test for other products that claim to "instant" cycle (such as Stress Zyme, Cycle and the others).

Comments, flames and intelligent, non-biased conversations welcomed---:chair:

By the way, I have no vested interest in Tetra or any other aquaria related company---I am just a hobbyist fishkeeper that was curious----


----------



## Mr. fish

Glad to hear...

I personally have used Bio-spira in the past and my tests were somewhat similar.
Infact mine actually went thru the cycle a bit quicker, but, then again I didnt over stock like you did. But glad to see others out there testing.. Great work


----------



## emc7

water parameters? An old thread testing Stability found pH made difference.

Thanks for sharing this. There are so many new products making similar claim no old can test them all. Good to have another 'approved' product.


----------



## Ferdy

Ooops, sorry, forgot to mention pH readings. My tap water is pretty alkaline---8.2 to 8.4.

Oddly, the test tank pH readings were even HIGHER in the 8.6 range after a few days. My main tank tests at about 8.0-8.2. It been like that for years.

Perhaps something in the gravel is leaching out to explain the higher pH? Or, it could be something in the product that is alkaline? One thing for sure, the ammonia (at these pH readings) would be ALL NH3 and not ammonium.

Luckily the guppies don't mind the alkalinity, and surprisingly, my corys tolerate it quite well---the fish care guides usually say corys prefer a lower pH in the 7.0-7.5 range. I have both False Juliis and Peppered varieties.

I tend to discount pH readings anyway---convention seems to be that keeping ammonia, nitrites and nitrates in line is much more important than trying to have a perfect pH. My experience is that most fish can adapt quite readily.

But, for the purposes of the test (in a quick cycle situation with a quick start product), you are correct pH should be a consideration (I would assume).


----------



## chronoboy

When I cycle a tank the "quick start stuff I have used" would still take me 25-30 days before I would get a good stable reading but it does a good anough job that I am able to put fish in within a week probaly sooner but I always wait a week, but even after a week my water does'nt go toxic to where it would be harmful for fish, I just a get little ammonia spikes but is tooken care of with a 25% water change.

Actully be giving this a shot when I get my bigger hospital tank in a few day's was kinda already planning on buying that stuff cause T.O.S has mentioned in many threads that tetra safestart works.


----------



## funlad3

That's a pretty good science experiment with some VERY satisfactory results! Since then, have you moved some of the fish out of their overstocked habitat?


----------



## Ferdy

Yes, at the 3 1/2 month mark I moved all but 3 guppies and the shrimp to my main 55 gallon. By the way, the shrimp has multiplied into about 25-30 specimens! One of the females was in berry when I bought them----they are quite the little buggers! If they continue to multipy, which I'm sure they will, I plan on moving all the guppies and just having a red cherry shrimp tank.


----------



## Revolution1221

thats good to know we carry this at work but i always sell the seachem stability i just like the way you dose stability over safe start but safe start is also really expensive compared to stability. 14.99 only treats 30 gallons. id like someone to run a test on stability.


----------

