The difference between the two products is that API Quick Start can be used in both freshwater and saltwater aquariums whereas Tetra SafeStart can only be used in freshwater systems by design. These aquarium cycle starters also contain slightly different strains of bacteria, which affects how fast each product works.
Both Tetra Safe Start and API Quick Start will work, given that they are applied in a correct manner. The cycling of a new tank will speed up significantly but it won’t happen overnight.
Generally speaking, with proper use you can realistically expect to wait about 14 days to fully cycle a fish tank with API Quick Start. Tetra SafeStart takes about the same time although often it may finish the process in just 10 days. Dosage plays a major role in success.
Unfortunately, following the instructions on the back is not something that will help, as they are pretty vague.
After experimenting hard I’ve managed to highlight what strengthens your chance for success, eventually finding a process that, in my opinion, is foolproof.
I ran two tests on both before actually using them in a real fish tank project.
The only disappointing part is that they will not cycle your fish tank the same day.
Also, by the “add fish instantly” on the label they don’t mean all the fish the tank can hold but rather just a couple, until the beneficial bacteria settle.
Both API Quick Start and Tetra SafeStart can be added with live fish in the tank.
The bottles obviously don’t contain substrances harmful to fish, just the opposite.
How to use them and make them work?
After running a couple of tests I am confident to share my success formula with you.
Going through hundreds of forum threads and speaking with fishkeepers I know, I did find confirmations of my findings.
This means that my logic was correct.
Firstly you’d need to get the right bottle of bacteria.
Safe Start and Quick Start both contain live “inactivated” bacteria. By being inactivated like this the products last longer on the shelf and are easier to store, which makes them more beginner-friendly.
Both brands are claiming no refrigeration is needed.
The perfect temperature for the bacteria’s shelf and in-water life would be between 40°F and 80°F (5°C to 25°C).
Going beneath or above that range may spoil it, by killing the microorganisms and rendering the product useless.
Trusting your local fish store is okay, but I do prefer getting mine over at Amazon (link that will open in a new tab).
Anyway, if you do insist on getting the bottles from your local market make sure that they were safely stored and aim to get the most recently shipped ones (with the farthest expiration date).
Some instructions before you start are:
Get a bottle that has been manufactured as recently as possible – The newer the bottle, the better. Also, get at least two bottles, I will explain why later.
Choose a bottle meant for a larger aquarium than yours – For me, it worked best when I used the 3.38 Oz bottle of Tetra SafeStart Plus for my 20 gallons, and also when I doubled the dose recommended for the API Quick Start.
Make sure the ammonia is not already deadly high – everything above 2.5 ppm of ammonia will be harmful to your fish AND the bacteria. Before you start with the nitrogen cycle you need the ammonia lowered as much as possible.
With that out of the way, you can start cycling your aquarium.
If you’re cycling a 5-gallon tank it’s really best to put a source of ammonia in it and no live fish. Such source could be fish food.
Anyway, it’s technically true that you can stock the tank up, but you’d need very clean fish (ones that do not poop as much) and you’d have to feed them very carefully to either not overfeed (leaving extra ammonia work for your bacteria) or starve them (being too cautious not to overload your tank with ammonia).
Add another bottle of the product if that happens.
This is why I told you to get a second bottle.
However, there’s another solid reason behind this point.
You’re probably using chlorinated tap water for your fish tank. In order to perform a water change you’d need to dechlorinate the water first, right?
Water facilities in the more developed cities use Chloramine instead of Chlorine for disinfection.
Chloramine represents the chemical bond between chlorine + ammonia.
Seachem Prime (a commonly used dechlorinator), for example, breaks down chloramine to chlorine and ammonia, takes care of the chlorine, and detoxifies the released ammonia. Every product that claims to detoxify ammonia likely transforms it into ammoniUum Ammonium is harmless to bacteria and fish alike, but the detoxifying effect only lasts for 24 to 48 hours if your tank’s pH is above 7.0. This does not mean that having more than 7.0 pH is bad, it just means that using ammonia detoxifiers in a non-cycled tank is not a good long-term solution.
Anyway, after that, the ammonium turns back into ammonia, which means you now have more of the latter in the cycling aquarium.
The more Chloramine your water facility uses, the more the released ammonia after the effect of the detoxifier expires. This could consequently harm your bacterial biofilter and fish if the contents turn out to be too high for the bacteria to handle in time.
Author’s note: This only affects new aquariums that do not have an established colony of nitrifying bacteria.
Anyway, another argument for not changing the water in the first 14 days of cycling (unless there’s a dangerous ammonia spike out of nowhere) is that studies suggest that nitrifying bacteria use ammonia instead of ammonium for their source of energy.
Continuously using a dechlorinator that turns ammonia into ammonium could actually slow down the nitrogen cycle in your aquarium even further. The nitrifying bacteria would not be interested in the latter and will not be stimulated to multiply further.
This can easily turn into a vicious circle and a never-ending supply of Prime for a new, non-cycled fish tank…
If you’re using bottled bacteria you’d want your fish tank to cycle as soon as possible, right?
Tip: The best way to avoid all of this is by having a separate batch of dechlorinated water to use for water changes during aquarium cycling. The “emergency batch” should be dechlorinated at least 24 hours before use. Add a little bit of bottled bacteria to it to make up for the residual ammonia and it’s good to go.
Despite the described scenario Seachem’s Prime still remains a fantastic option for water dechlorination in a fully cycled aquarium. I’d recommend it to anyone who is using tap water for their aquarium. The residual ammonia from breaking down the Chloramine would be negligible to the already-established bacterial colony in a mature tank.
Anyway, after 14 days of cycling, you can perform a water change the regular way.
Don’t test the water for the first 2 days.
It’s okay to test it whenever you want but that is something that I stuck with throughout my tests.
Turn the UV lights off for the first day or two.
Ultraviolet light does affect the bacteria in a negative way.
For it to successfully establish I’d strongly recommend not turning those lights on the first day after the application (if you have them).
After the second week you can gradually add fish, but of course, don’t add 10 at a time. This would overwhelm the bacteria.
When doing the first water change the ammonia may go up, as there may be some ammonia in tap water, but I wouldn’t worry about it that much.
The levels should be overall low and should quickly get back to normal within the next 12 hours or so.
Also, don’t freak out if you don’t see your nitrites spike when water testing.
If you’re using Tetra’s SafeStart the process will skip the nitrites building up and will directly build into nitrates.
Don’t worry if your aquarium becomes cloudy at first.
The water will get clear within two to three days or a week at most.
Seeing cloudy water in a new aquarium at the beginning of its Nitrogen cycling is completely normal and it means that different bacteria are establishing their hierarchy.
Visit the link if you’d like to understand the process in depth. Understanding aquarium microfauna is, in my opinion, a core component of long-term success in fish keeping.
And that’s not an overstatement.
Which of the two should you choose? Which one is the best for your?
This is not one of those posts where I discuss the pros and cons of both products and leave the choice to you.
I have a statement:
Both can be (successfully) used for a start but If you’re starting a brand new empty fish tank and want to establish an environment safe from Ammonia, I’d recommend using Tetra SafeStart.
If you’re starting a brand new planted tank, doing huge water changes, or adding a lot of fish at once to an already cycled planted tank I’d go for API Quick Start.
Tetra SafeStart’s better at handling the nitrites (it virtually skips them) and API Quick Start will normalize the ammonia levels in the water quicker. The latter is more important in a mature tank with many live fish in it.
The API Quick Start is more efficient when you have a planted tank as it does not handle the nitrite levels as well as Tetra’s SafeStart. Live aquatic plants prefer ammonia and nitrite over nitrate as their source of nitrogen so, by using API’s product you will both speed up the cycle and let your plants feed on the nitrite.
Note: Between Tetra SafeStart and Tetra SafeStart Plus the difference is only in the concentration of the bacteria. I’m really happy with Using the Plus version, so the instructions will remain the same.
The alternative bottled bacteria for saltwater aquariums is called Bio Spira.
API doesn’t have a saltwater version, you just double the dose.
What’s with the mixed opinions then?
Honestly, it’s probably a human error.
Seeing how (upon proper use) the products kept proving themselves to me and others I spoke to, I can only conclude that.
Then again, the negative reviews pushed me to test them myself, before anything.
Conclusion
Fishkeeping is a hobby that requires some patience.
Momchil Boyanov is the Founder and now Senior Editor of AquAnswers. He has over 13+ years of experience in keeping home aquariums as well as providing professional aquarium services. Momchil has had his fair share of adventures in aquarium care. He has made MANY mistakes throughout his fishkeeping journey and thus learned A LOT. Through Aquanswers, Momchil shares knowledge about freshwater and saltwater aquariums with the people within this community.
390 thoughts on “Do They Work — API Quick Start VS Tetra SafeStart?”
Hi
Thank you for the really interesting article. My son asked for fish for Christmas and I am amazed and shocked that the pet store made no reference to cycling a tank at all, and I spoke to them several times before buying the tank to see if I had all equipment and info I needed. its been quite the learning curve. The tank was set up with filter boost on Saturday and two danios added the next day with a moss ball. Sadly one died that evening, but the other seems ok. I am reading everything I can and now see you’d have recommended only 1 fish max as it’s a 5g tank. I feel very sad about the lost fish but am determined to do the best possible for the survivor.
So my question is, have I read it right and you think I can add another Danio after one week? I am worried about him being lonely on his own but don’t want to add another too soon. There will only be two danios and two platy in total as its a small tank.
Today’s readings are ph 8.2, nitrites 0, nitrates10-20 and ammonia 0.25 using the api master test kit. My tap water ph is 7.2
I fed him flake today but wont feed tomorrow. He ate the lot. I didn’t use the whole shop brand bottle of filter boost as I didn’t discover your article in time, but I have been adding a little more daily as recommended on the bottle for the first week. The tank went cloudy on Saturday but has already cleared.
Thank you for any guidance you can give.
Hi Jo,
Unfortunately, Danios are schooling fish and they will indeed feel lonely if not in a school of at least 5. If the school has less than 5 members, the remaining Danios may nip others’ fins or have a shortened lifespan because of the loneliness and stress that brings in.
A 5-gallon tank is too small for a school of danios. You can return the survivor and get a more centerpiece-like fish that will do well in that environment? Or get a school of micro fish (I have an article on possible options for that, you can look it up in the search bar). Don’t go for a goldfish!
The tank seems almost cycled, judging by the nitrates, however, ammonia is still present so be careful with adding fragile fish.
You got misguided in the pet store which is common…
Hope this helps in some way 🙁
Hi, thanks for taking the time to reply. I am cross about being misinformed, the store said two danios and two platy would be fine as a group together. I feel sorry for this little guy and am concerned returning him will cause lots of stress to him. I’ve read your micro fish article and it looks like 4 cloud minnow would work well, is there any way the danio could stay happily living with them? Or would they bully him? If that could work I would probably get the minnows in a week or so provided my ammonia results are down to zero.
Thanks again for your he jolp. And happy new year!
Cloud Mountain Minnows are a good option for this setup. Danios are members of the minnow family and they will get along just fine. The other cool thing is that both of these fish species require lower water temperatures, so you won’t need a heater. Make sure the tank is at a cooler place in the house without direct sunlight baking it in the summer. Just get a small thermometer to keep an eye on the temp. These fish will live longer and healthier in colder waters. Also, if you can, decorate the thing a little to make their schooling more exciting.
No, I thank you for being responsible and actually doing research.
Happy holidays!
Thank you again, that is really reassuring. One last question! Should I add the rest of the fish in pairs to allow the tank to adjust or can I add them all together?
Hi, in my opinion, wait for the tank to cycle and add them in pairs.
I have read and reread this article a bunch of times. I wish I had read it before I started my 29 gallon tank but I did not find the article until after. I am starting a ten gallon tank for a betta and I have all the supplies. Wish me luck! Thank you for the helpful article!!!
Jessica,
I’m sure you don’t need luck. Being eager to learn is what leads to success in my experience.
Happy fishkeeping 🙂
Like everyone else. says, you’re article is just what any aquarium owner needed. Thank you for compiling your experience and findings. Set up my 72g Bow 10 days ago with 6 fish and doubling the dosage of TST. Been feeding every day and I’m still showing 0,0,0 across the board. Sounds like I’m on my way thru the cycle since there’s no ammonia reading. And as you say, Tetra skips the Nitrites, correct? How long would you say it take until the typical Nitrate reading is present?
Thanks again for such a valuable write up!
Hi there,
Thank you for your warm words.
Onto your question: 10 days is enough time for the nitrate to start showing. However, your case is not unseen. You can either patiently wait a couple more days for them to show up or try to see if your water tests are accurate. Are you using strips? They are harder to read, where the API Master Test Kit would provide more accurate readings.
Hope this was of help.
Yes, I’m using the API Master Test Kit. If a couple more days pass and the readings are the same, any tips on my next move? Add more ammonia source (fish) or feed more heavily? Thanks
I’d say add more fish, because ammonia dosing can be tricky. Adding fish is a more regulated, natural process.
Keep me posted
Update: I’m on day 16 and nitrates are still not registering from my API master kit. Added a couple larger fish two days ago. Would adding another bottle of TST+ hurt?
Hmmm, do you have lots of plants? They may be sucking on the nitrates.
About the TST+: No, not at all. Go for it.
Regards
No live plants. Crushed coral substrate and minimal rockscape. I’ll grab some more TST and see if I can gain some traction. Thank you!
Well, it’s certainly not a bad thing to have no nitrates in the aquarium, it’s just that it seems to me like your setup have SOME at least…
It could also be that your local water is super pristine (the one you used in the aquarium).
Meh, keep me updated!
I thank you for your input!
Momchil, my unusual situation continues. I’m currently on day 20. 5 days ago, I added another big TST bottle and added 6 more fish two days ago. I’m hoping to see ammonia or even better, nitrates…something! I still read 0,0,0 on my parameters. Still haven’t done a water change.
The water is pretty cloudy as I guess that’s a sign of bacteria figuring itself out? The fish I added, I don’t want to lose so at what point do I do a water change? If parameters are good, don’t do one until they’re not? Seems that this a stall out of some sorts. Hoping the new fish will help jump start the process. Anyways, wanted to give you an update and my Nitrogen Cycle Guru. Thanks!!
Hehe…
A cloudy fish tank is definitely a sign of cycling going on! I have an article on that (you can use the search bar) though it’s geared towards severe cases of continuous foggy water and its removal. For now, you just wait.
Fogginess is caused by autotrophic bacteria, which are aggressively multiplying, because there’s an abundance of organic nutrients. They “mineralize” these organic nutrients (fish poop or uneaten food) and release ammonia in the process. The ammonia is then handled by the beneficial nitrifiers (not the same set of bacteria). TST+ has beneficial nitrifiers in it.
If you don’t mind me asking – did you by any chance get a sample of your aquarium water to your local fish store for them to test it? Just in case, there’s something wrong with your test kit.
I’d do that if I had the time. They will do it for free.
Thank you for the info on the cloudy water; gives me reassurance that I’m headed forward in the cycle.
I have not taken my water in yet. I picked up some of the API strips as well as a dual authentication tester on nitrates. Shows similar as the master kit. Strips don’t test for ammonia, which I really need to be sure about at this moment as not to kill off/injure my fish. I may go ahead and take some water down today, thanks for the advice.
Sure, Kyle.
Let’s see how that turns out.
Good luck 🙂
Day 25 and I’m still reading all 0’s. HAhahha. Crazy. Took water in to my LFS and they confirmed the reading. Have 9 fish in my 72g and nothing seems to change. Today the water looks noticeably clearer. Been feeding twice a day to get something moving, but nothing moving. Have 4 more fish coming tomorrow and we’ll see if that extra load helps feed the nitrates. Everyone’s cycle is different, but this one is just sipping tea with a pinky out.
Lol, Kyle
On the bright side – it seems very gradual which is good for both the fish and the bacteria. No tricky fluctuations and all that.
This is great.
Momchil, what’s your thoughts on me doing a partial water change? I did a measly 5% the other day, but thinking I should do another 10-20% change just to keep the water rotated. I don’t know…the parameters are 0 so is it needed? Just figured after 25 days, some fresh water is likely needed? Fish do seem to flash a bit more today.
If so, does it matter if I use API stress coat vs Prime? Since Prime eradicates ammonia temporarily, Thought that would be counterproductive.
Let me know when you have a chance.
Thank you!!
Hi,
You do have a filter that moves water, right?
The general consensus about water changes is that they help to balance pH and remove nitrates.
See, live aquarium bacteria activity will slightly lower the acidity of water over a long period of time. Nitrites are not good to have in the aquarium for a plethora of reasons.
Currently… You have none of those issues. I know fish stores that never do water changes and the fish thrive (try looking up “natural aquarium store tour” on YouTube and see what I’m talking about).
So you should not do a water change, for now, I think.
There’s no need to decide on a product for dechlorinating water for now, as well. API stress coat also locks out ammonia temporarily, but it’s the better product from the two and also the pricier. Prime is just a tap water conditioner where API Stress coat has additional health benefits for the fish.
Thanks for the response. I’ll continue with the current water, no water changes. Yes, I have a FX4 with some decent surface agitation. Tested a slight ammonia increase to .25 today…yay. No nitrates yet. I’ll keep you posted when nitrates finally show up.
Momchil, it’s day 35 and still no nitrates. Ammonia is looking to be barely .50 on the API master kit with no nitrites either. I’m doing water changes of 5% every 5 days to get the waste and uneaten food vac’d up, but that’s it. Pretty odd that no nitrates are forming, don’t you think? I have 11 fish in my 72g ranging from 1.25 to 3”. The ammonia load is there. Any recommendations? Becoming increasingly worried as time passes. Thank you!
Hey Kyle,
Nothing to worry about so far. It seems it’s still slowly cycling. In my opinion you should keep monitoring the ammonia and if it raises past 0.5 you can add another TSS+. This is really weird. Are you sure the bottled bacteria you got is not old, by any chance?
Both bottles I’ve added had almost 2 years before expiration. Shook the hell out of them, too. Water has been crystal clear for the last few days. My plan is to give it 10 more days before adding another bacteria brand.
Sorry to keep posting updates and questions, but I feel we are on this journey together now. Haha. Do you think it’s possible that the tank is cycled, but my bio load is light enough to keep my parameters in check? Wishful thinking, I’m sure. But…this is now 40 days with fish in…Ive had 11 2-3.5” cichlids in for the last 2 weeks and ammonia is now 0, nitrites 0 and nitrates remain 0. I check parameters daily, fish are healthy being fed twice a day. I’m guessing nitrates are present but just need to build up their colony.
Haha, no problems, Kyle.
If there’s any detectable ammonia then the tank is not fully cycled yet. Last time you said there was some but now it’s gone? With this bioload, you should at least have SOME nitrate. Or you have one of the most balanced aquariums ever… If fish seem healthy and there’s no ammonia or nitrite then, perhaps, there’s nothing to worry about. If you’re using a test kit (not strips because they tend to be unreliable) and the “toxic” parameters are stable then I’d say it’s all good. 40 days in with so many fish and not a single loss? You must be doing something right.
We set up a new 55gal and followed your theory using safe start plus and added 4 fish. It has been 2 days so I just tested the water (only PH and ammonia). Ammonia level is 0 and PH is 7.6 using reg. PH test solution and 7.4 with the high range PH solution. So im going in the middle of 7.5.
Is this level ok?
Will it come down as it cycles?
And do i want it right at 7.0?
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5.0
Hi, Jennifer,
Thanks for trusting my “theory”.
7.5 pH is completely fine and is within the normal range for most aquariums.
I did not understand, however, why you’d want it lower?
Bacteria activity lowers pH with time, but that’s stretched out in months (everything else being equal, even in a fully cycled aquarium).
I think your fish tank is still early in the cycling process judging from the lower nitrate range, but 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite is a great sign.
If you elaborate on the 7.0 pH thing, I can help further.
Regards
Hi! Thank you so much for the post, it has been very helpful. I have a ten gallon tank with one betta fish in it. I wanted to do it fishless but i was not seeing any progress and i felt bad that he was living in a vase so I used the API Quickstart 5 days ago. My ammonia has been steady at .5 ppm and my nitrates are at about 3 pmm now but my nitrites are at 2 ppm and I am concerned for my fish. SHould I do a water changes for the nitrite level? Or will this break the cycle. Any help is appreciated and thanks again!
Hi,
In my experience – no, don’t change the water. You can add some aquarium salt though. This significantly increases endurance to nitrite in fish. You can type “nitrite” in the search bar and skim through another post of mine for more info (if you haven’t doen that already).
Good luck! Oh, and… Plants! Live ones.
First of All Thank you much for this write up! I have been searching through the internet trying to find something to quick get into the cycling of the tank 3 weeks ago. I do wanna go into details but in the place we stay here, there are activities for kids to catch fishes and they allow them to bring back the few young fishes back. This is where the issue arises, i do not wish to let the fish die so, i ran to my LFS and grab what i need to help to fishes to survive.
With almost no experience, i setup a much smaller tank and then eventually setup a 5 gallon/20 liter tank with 2 remaining fish alive at the moment. I later found out that they are comet goldfish which is 3 cm long now (after reading much, eventually they will be move to bigger tank).
About 2 week ago, While i am moving the fishes to 5 gallon tank, i stumble upon your page and it really helps me to kick cycle the nitrogen cycle fast (i am using API quick start as it is easier for me to get). And you know what, it really helps, now i am into 12th day of the cycle, Ammonia level is already 0 for the past 4 days but my Nitrite keep hovering around 3 (there is a day it spite to 5) and my Nitrate is constantly at 20 for past 3 days. The fishes are do not show any sign of stress and in fact their color is much vibrant as compare.
Question: Is it normal that Nitrite keep hovering the same level for a few days? FYI, i feed them every other day, once per day at the moment.
Let say if the water parameter remain the same, what should it on 14th day? Should change the water? My water KH has been dropping and my PH has drop from 7.2 to near 6.8 now. I am using Tetra Easy Strip. Thank you in advance and for all the information you post here. It is really helpful.
Hi Vic,
Sure, it’s normal, I have an article about nitrite around here, which will help you to negate any potential damage as it is toxic to fishies.
I understand that my reply comes a little bit late, so I’m guessing you already made your decision?
Just in case – I would reduce the feeding to every other day until the parameters stabilize. As I keep repeating around the blog – Goldfish are “dirty” in their nature and will produce more waste than an average aquarium, fish of the same size. Goldfish can be happy in soft water, no probs. The acidity you describe is a bit high for a goldfish tank, however. It should stabilize with time and goldfish are very hardy, so I would not worry about that for now. Also, you can add a teaspoon of aquarium salt in there, both for the nitrite and to reduce other stress if there’s any.
Regards
Dear Momchil,
Thank you for Ur reply. I did read Ur other article on nitrite and nitrate. Anyway, I am going to change water soon, today or tomorrow. The nitrite and nitrate level is very stable. I just test the water and the nitrite remain ard same or slightly lower. I considering to get API test kit to test so that I can verify the nitrite level.
As for feeding, I have been feeding slightly more for the last 2 time. And I see the water quality remain ard the same or slightly better. My fishes do not look stress and infact they look happy in there. That being said, I will reduce my feeding so to get nitrite down first. Hopefully there is good news!
Update: 2 days after the last post my nitrite level went all the way to 0! However, one of comet develop sunken belly. I did not manage to save him due to my inexperienced… The good news is the other one is doing very well now. The current water parameters, pH ard 7, ammonia and nitrite is 0, nitrate is ard 10ppm. I just wanna say Ur method really works even on 5 gallon tank.
Good to hear, Vic, thanks for sharing your experience!!
I have a 2.5 gallon tank that I set up yesterday and I am getting a betta sometime next week. As of right now I am
running the filter but have not added any thing to it. Should I add the API now or wait for the arrival of the fish? Thanks in advance.
Denise
Hi, wait until you get the fish, because if you ad the bacteria now there will be no real ammonia source for them to feed on.
You could add API now and introduce ammonia artificially, but this way you don’t really have control over the process. With the betta in it it will be regulated by its waste and the bacteria will establish their numbers accordingly.
Regards
I have a 2.5 gallon tank that I set up yesterday and I am getting a betta probably the end of next week. Can I add the API now without the fish or should I wait til the fish arrives? As of right now I am running the filter with no additives to the tank. Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
I really need some help as I have a bit of a situation on my hands with my two small goldfish. I made a large whiskey barrel pond and put two goldfish in it over the summer months with just an air pump and regular water changes. No filter! I’ve now got myself in a huge pickle and want to keep the poor fish alive over the winter when the temperature drops. I would like to bring them inside and have bought an 120L/26 gallon fish tank, filter and sand substrate. I have since been doing my research on cycling a fish tank before adding my fish. In my situation with the fish still outside in a barrel pond would you recommend I complete a cycle and wait a month or try to move them into the tank with filter and proper aeration quicker?
I have added Filter Active by Tetra and dechlorinator to the tank water and bought test strips which I really don’t understand! I am going away for 20 days in which time I can ask a friend to help me cycle the tank by adding fish food? Or do you think I should just get the fish in there and do a cycle that way?
Many Thanks! Clueless
Hi Miya,
The fact that you’re going away tells me that you should better let your friend do a cycle instead of caring for a fragile environment with live fish in it (assuming they are not into fishkeeping that much). This way you won’t risk your goldfish getting mistakenly killed by a sudden ammonia spike (people tend to overfeed, especially when the tank is not their own).
After you’re back from the trip you can add the fish (only two right?) and pour in some bottled bacteria just in case. Before doing so, definitely measure the ammonia / nitrate / nitrite contents of the tank. If Ammonia or Nitrite shows above 0.25 then the tank is still cycling and you should wait with the addition of fish.
If you were present the whole time I’d recommend doing a fish-in cycle, because you’d be able to monitor the aquarium. But if someone else is looking after the aquarium I’d recommend just doing a fishless cycle.
Hope this helps!
So, let’s say I didn’t know you were SUPPOSED to add the fish in immediately, just that you could.
And I poured my bottle in, no fish in sight.
However, I have snails, who from the looks of my anubia leaves they seem to like using as a toilet, having been going to town for a week while I waited to get a better filter…would that be enough to support the bacteria (Tetra)?
I also have plants, some from my former, cycled tank, some newly from the aquarium store, right out of their tanks.
I didn’t want to drop fish in a questionably cycled tank, so I wasn’t planning to get them until next week…
(I should probably also mention that I had to bring the bottles on a plane, and I only have one bottle of Tetra and one bottle of API left…if they are even still good after all that…)
Seachem Prime (a commonly used dechlorinator), for example, breaks down chloramine to chlorine and ammonia, takes care of the chlorine, and detoxifies the released ammonia. Every product that claims to detoxify ammonia likely transforms it into ammoniU
How Long Can Fish Go Without Eating Any Food? (+ Chart)
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Comprehensive Guide to Comet Goldfish: Care, Diet, Tank Setup, and More
How Big Should a Betta Fish Tank Be – Best Size Options?
Comprehensive Guide to Fish-in-Cycle: Setting Up and Maintaining a Healthy Aquarium
Cause (+ Cures) for a Fish That’s Floating Upside-Down But is Still Alive?
What Fish Tank Mates Will Get Along With a Betta?
What to Do When Your Pet Fish is Dying? (Tips to Save it)
Setting Up a Biotope Aquarium: Replicating Natural Habitats
20 Smallest Freshwater Aquarium Micro Fish That STAY Small
Hi
Thank you for the really interesting article. My son asked for fish for Christmas and I am amazed and shocked that the pet store made no reference to cycling a tank at all, and I spoke to them several times before buying the tank to see if I had all equipment and info I needed. its been quite the learning curve. The tank was set up with filter boost on Saturday and two danios added the next day with a moss ball. Sadly one died that evening, but the other seems ok. I am reading everything I can and now see you’d have recommended only 1 fish max as it’s a 5g tank. I feel very sad about the lost fish but am determined to do the best possible for the survivor.
So my question is, have I read it right and you think I can add another Danio after one week? I am worried about him being lonely on his own but don’t want to add another too soon. There will only be two danios and two platy in total as its a small tank.
Today’s readings are ph 8.2, nitrites 0, nitrates10-20 and ammonia 0.25 using the api master test kit. My tap water ph is 7.2
I fed him flake today but wont feed tomorrow. He ate the lot. I didn’t use the whole shop brand bottle of filter boost as I didn’t discover your article in time, but I have been adding a little more daily as recommended on the bottle for the first week. The tank went cloudy on Saturday but has already cleared.
Thank you for any guidance you can give.
Hi Jo,
Unfortunately, Danios are schooling fish and they will indeed feel lonely if not in a school of at least 5. If the school has less than 5 members, the remaining Danios may nip others’ fins or have a shortened lifespan because of the loneliness and stress that brings in.
A 5-gallon tank is too small for a school of danios. You can return the survivor and get a more centerpiece-like fish that will do well in that environment? Or get a school of micro fish (I have an article on possible options for that, you can look it up in the search bar). Don’t go for a goldfish!
The tank seems almost cycled, judging by the nitrates, however, ammonia is still present so be careful with adding fragile fish.
You got misguided in the pet store which is common…
Hope this helps in some way 🙁
Hi, thanks for taking the time to reply. I am cross about being misinformed, the store said two danios and two platy would be fine as a group together. I feel sorry for this little guy and am concerned returning him will cause lots of stress to him. I’ve read your micro fish article and it looks like 4 cloud minnow would work well, is there any way the danio could stay happily living with them? Or would they bully him? If that could work I would probably get the minnows in a week or so provided my ammonia results are down to zero.
Thanks again for your he jolp. And happy new year!
Cloud Mountain Minnows are a good option for this setup. Danios are members of the minnow family and they will get along just fine. The other cool thing is that both of these fish species require lower water temperatures, so you won’t need a heater. Make sure the tank is at a cooler place in the house without direct sunlight baking it in the summer. Just get a small thermometer to keep an eye on the temp. These fish will live longer and healthier in colder waters. Also, if you can, decorate the thing a little to make their schooling more exciting.
No, I thank you for being responsible and actually doing research.
Happy holidays!
Thank you again, that is really reassuring. One last question! Should I add the rest of the fish in pairs to allow the tank to adjust or can I add them all together?
Hi, in my opinion, wait for the tank to cycle and add them in pairs.
I have read and reread this article a bunch of times. I wish I had read it before I started my 29 gallon tank but I did not find the article until after. I am starting a ten gallon tank for a betta and I have all the supplies. Wish me luck! Thank you for the helpful article!!!
Jessica,
I’m sure you don’t need luck. Being eager to learn is what leads to success in my experience.
Happy fishkeeping 🙂
Like everyone else. says, you’re article is just what any aquarium owner needed. Thank you for compiling your experience and findings. Set up my 72g Bow 10 days ago with 6 fish and doubling the dosage of TST. Been feeding every day and I’m still showing 0,0,0 across the board. Sounds like I’m on my way thru the cycle since there’s no ammonia reading. And as you say, Tetra skips the Nitrites, correct? How long would you say it take until the typical Nitrate reading is present?
Thanks again for such a valuable write up!
Hi there,
Thank you for your warm words.
Onto your question: 10 days is enough time for the nitrate to start showing. However, your case is not unseen. You can either patiently wait a couple more days for them to show up or try to see if your water tests are accurate. Are you using strips? They are harder to read, where the API Master Test Kit would provide more accurate readings.
Hope this was of help.
Yes, I’m using the API Master Test Kit. If a couple more days pass and the readings are the same, any tips on my next move? Add more ammonia source (fish) or feed more heavily? Thanks
I’d say add more fish, because ammonia dosing can be tricky. Adding fish is a more regulated, natural process.
Keep me posted
Update: I’m on day 16 and nitrates are still not registering from my API master kit. Added a couple larger fish two days ago. Would adding another bottle of TST+ hurt?
Hmmm, do you have lots of plants? They may be sucking on the nitrates.
About the TST+: No, not at all. Go for it.
Regards
No live plants. Crushed coral substrate and minimal rockscape. I’ll grab some more TST and see if I can gain some traction. Thank you!
Well, it’s certainly not a bad thing to have no nitrates in the aquarium, it’s just that it seems to me like your setup have SOME at least…
It could also be that your local water is super pristine (the one you used in the aquarium).
Meh, keep me updated!
I thank you for your input!
Momchil, my unusual situation continues. I’m currently on day 20. 5 days ago, I added another big TST bottle and added 6 more fish two days ago. I’m hoping to see ammonia or even better, nitrates…something! I still read 0,0,0 on my parameters. Still haven’t done a water change.
The water is pretty cloudy as I guess that’s a sign of bacteria figuring itself out? The fish I added, I don’t want to lose so at what point do I do a water change? If parameters are good, don’t do one until they’re not? Seems that this a stall out of some sorts. Hoping the new fish will help jump start the process. Anyways, wanted to give you an update and my Nitrogen Cycle Guru. Thanks!!
Hehe…
A cloudy fish tank is definitely a sign of cycling going on! I have an article on that (you can use the search bar) though it’s geared towards severe cases of continuous foggy water and its removal. For now, you just wait.
Fogginess is caused by autotrophic bacteria, which are aggressively multiplying, because there’s an abundance of organic nutrients. They “mineralize” these organic nutrients (fish poop or uneaten food) and release ammonia in the process. The ammonia is then handled by the beneficial nitrifiers (not the same set of bacteria). TST+ has beneficial nitrifiers in it.
If you don’t mind me asking – did you by any chance get a sample of your aquarium water to your local fish store for them to test it? Just in case, there’s something wrong with your test kit.
I’d do that if I had the time. They will do it for free.
Thank you for the info on the cloudy water; gives me reassurance that I’m headed forward in the cycle.
I have not taken my water in yet. I picked up some of the API strips as well as a dual authentication tester on nitrates. Shows similar as the master kit. Strips don’t test for ammonia, which I really need to be sure about at this moment as not to kill off/injure my fish. I may go ahead and take some water down today, thanks for the advice.
Sure, Kyle.
Let’s see how that turns out.
Good luck 🙂
Day 25 and I’m still reading all 0’s. HAhahha. Crazy. Took water in to my LFS and they confirmed the reading. Have 9 fish in my 72g and nothing seems to change. Today the water looks noticeably clearer. Been feeding twice a day to get something moving, but nothing moving. Have 4 more fish coming tomorrow and we’ll see if that extra load helps feed the nitrates. Everyone’s cycle is different, but this one is just sipping tea with a pinky out.
Lol, Kyle
On the bright side – it seems very gradual which is good for both the fish and the bacteria. No tricky fluctuations and all that.
This is great.
Momchil, what’s your thoughts on me doing a partial water change? I did a measly 5% the other day, but thinking I should do another 10-20% change just to keep the water rotated. I don’t know…the parameters are 0 so is it needed? Just figured after 25 days, some fresh water is likely needed? Fish do seem to flash a bit more today.
If so, does it matter if I use API stress coat vs Prime? Since Prime eradicates ammonia temporarily, Thought that would be counterproductive.
Let me know when you have a chance.
Thank you!!
Hi,
You do have a filter that moves water, right?
The general consensus about water changes is that they help to balance pH and remove nitrates.
See, live aquarium bacteria activity will slightly lower the acidity of water over a long period of time. Nitrites are not good to have in the aquarium for a plethora of reasons.
Currently… You have none of those issues. I know fish stores that never do water changes and the fish thrive (try looking up “natural aquarium store tour” on YouTube and see what I’m talking about).
So you should not do a water change, for now, I think.
There’s no need to decide on a product for dechlorinating water for now, as well. API stress coat also locks out ammonia temporarily, but it’s the better product from the two and also the pricier. Prime is just a tap water conditioner where API Stress coat has additional health benefits for the fish.
Thanks for the response. I’ll continue with the current water, no water changes. Yes, I have a FX4 with some decent surface agitation. Tested a slight ammonia increase to .25 today…yay. No nitrates yet. I’ll keep you posted when nitrates finally show up.
Momchil, it’s day 35 and still no nitrates. Ammonia is looking to be barely .50 on the API master kit with no nitrites either. I’m doing water changes of 5% every 5 days to get the waste and uneaten food vac’d up, but that’s it. Pretty odd that no nitrates are forming, don’t you think? I have 11 fish in my 72g ranging from 1.25 to 3”. The ammonia load is there. Any recommendations? Becoming increasingly worried as time passes. Thank you!
Hey Kyle,
Nothing to worry about so far. It seems it’s still slowly cycling. In my opinion you should keep monitoring the ammonia and if it raises past 0.5 you can add another TSS+. This is really weird. Are you sure the bottled bacteria you got is not old, by any chance?
Both bottles I’ve added had almost 2 years before expiration. Shook the hell out of them, too. Water has been crystal clear for the last few days. My plan is to give it 10 more days before adding another bacteria brand.
Sorry to keep posting updates and questions, but I feel we are on this journey together now. Haha. Do you think it’s possible that the tank is cycled, but my bio load is light enough to keep my parameters in check? Wishful thinking, I’m sure. But…this is now 40 days with fish in…Ive had 11 2-3.5” cichlids in for the last 2 weeks and ammonia is now 0, nitrites 0 and nitrates remain 0. I check parameters daily, fish are healthy being fed twice a day. I’m guessing nitrates are present but just need to build up their colony.
Haha, no problems, Kyle.
If there’s any detectable ammonia then the tank is not fully cycled yet. Last time you said there was some but now it’s gone? With this bioload, you should at least have SOME nitrate. Or you have one of the most balanced aquariums ever… If fish seem healthy and there’s no ammonia or nitrite then, perhaps, there’s nothing to worry about. If you’re using a test kit (not strips because they tend to be unreliable) and the “toxic” parameters are stable then I’d say it’s all good. 40 days in with so many fish and not a single loss? You must be doing something right.
We set up a new 55gal and followed your theory using safe start plus and added 4 fish. It has been 2 days so I just tested the water (only PH and ammonia). Ammonia level is 0 and PH is 7.6 using reg. PH test solution and 7.4 with the high range PH solution. So im going in the middle of 7.5.
Is this level ok?
Will it come down as it cycles?
And do i want it right at 7.0?
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5.0
Hi, Jennifer,
Thanks for trusting my “theory”.
7.5 pH is completely fine and is within the normal range for most aquariums.
I did not understand, however, why you’d want it lower?
Bacteria activity lowers pH with time, but that’s stretched out in months (everything else being equal, even in a fully cycled aquarium).
I think your fish tank is still early in the cycling process judging from the lower nitrate range, but 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite is a great sign.
If you elaborate on the 7.0 pH thing, I can help further.
Regards
Hi! Thank you so much for the post, it has been very helpful. I have a ten gallon tank with one betta fish in it. I wanted to do it fishless but i was not seeing any progress and i felt bad that he was living in a vase so I used the API Quickstart 5 days ago. My ammonia has been steady at .5 ppm and my nitrates are at about 3 pmm now but my nitrites are at 2 ppm and I am concerned for my fish. SHould I do a water changes for the nitrite level? Or will this break the cycle. Any help is appreciated and thanks again!
Hi,
In my experience – no, don’t change the water. You can add some aquarium salt though. This significantly increases endurance to nitrite in fish. You can type “nitrite” in the search bar and skim through another post of mine for more info (if you haven’t doen that already).
Good luck! Oh, and… Plants! Live ones.
First of All Thank you much for this write up! I have been searching through the internet trying to find something to quick get into the cycling of the tank 3 weeks ago. I do wanna go into details but in the place we stay here, there are activities for kids to catch fishes and they allow them to bring back the few young fishes back. This is where the issue arises, i do not wish to let the fish die so, i ran to my LFS and grab what i need to help to fishes to survive.
With almost no experience, i setup a much smaller tank and then eventually setup a 5 gallon/20 liter tank with 2 remaining fish alive at the moment. I later found out that they are comet goldfish which is 3 cm long now (after reading much, eventually they will be move to bigger tank).
About 2 week ago, While i am moving the fishes to 5 gallon tank, i stumble upon your page and it really helps me to kick cycle the nitrogen cycle fast (i am using API quick start as it is easier for me to get). And you know what, it really helps, now i am into 12th day of the cycle, Ammonia level is already 0 for the past 4 days but my Nitrite keep hovering around 3 (there is a day it spite to 5) and my Nitrate is constantly at 20 for past 3 days. The fishes are do not show any sign of stress and in fact their color is much vibrant as compare.
Question: Is it normal that Nitrite keep hovering the same level for a few days? FYI, i feed them every other day, once per day at the moment.
Let say if the water parameter remain the same, what should it on 14th day? Should change the water? My water KH has been dropping and my PH has drop from 7.2 to near 6.8 now. I am using Tetra Easy Strip. Thank you in advance and for all the information you post here. It is really helpful.
Hi Vic,
Sure, it’s normal, I have an article about nitrite around here, which will help you to negate any potential damage as it is toxic to fishies.
I understand that my reply comes a little bit late, so I’m guessing you already made your decision?
Just in case – I would reduce the feeding to every other day until the parameters stabilize. As I keep repeating around the blog – Goldfish are “dirty” in their nature and will produce more waste than an average aquarium, fish of the same size. Goldfish can be happy in soft water, no probs. The acidity you describe is a bit high for a goldfish tank, however. It should stabilize with time and goldfish are very hardy, so I would not worry about that for now. Also, you can add a teaspoon of aquarium salt in there, both for the nitrite and to reduce other stress if there’s any.
Regards
Dear Momchil,
Thank you for Ur reply. I did read Ur other article on nitrite and nitrate. Anyway, I am going to change water soon, today or tomorrow. The nitrite and nitrate level is very stable. I just test the water and the nitrite remain ard same or slightly lower. I considering to get API test kit to test so that I can verify the nitrite level.
As for feeding, I have been feeding slightly more for the last 2 time. And I see the water quality remain ard the same or slightly better. My fishes do not look stress and infact they look happy in there. That being said, I will reduce my feeding so to get nitrite down first. Hopefully there is good news!
Update: 2 days after the last post my nitrite level went all the way to 0! However, one of comet develop sunken belly. I did not manage to save him due to my inexperienced… The good news is the other one is doing very well now. The current water parameters, pH ard 7, ammonia and nitrite is 0, nitrate is ard 10ppm. I just wanna say Ur method really works even on 5 gallon tank.
Good to hear, Vic, thanks for sharing your experience!!
I have a 2.5 gallon tank that I set up yesterday and I am getting a betta sometime next week. As of right now I am
running the filter but have not added any thing to it. Should I add the API now or wait for the arrival of the fish? Thanks in advance.
Denise
Hi, wait until you get the fish, because if you ad the bacteria now there will be no real ammonia source for them to feed on.
You could add API now and introduce ammonia artificially, but this way you don’t really have control over the process. With the betta in it it will be regulated by its waste and the bacteria will establish their numbers accordingly.
Regards
I have a 2.5 gallon tank that I set up yesterday and I am getting a betta probably the end of next week. Can I add the API now without the fish or should I wait til the fish arrives? As of right now I am running the filter with no additives to the tank. Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
I really need some help as I have a bit of a situation on my hands with my two small goldfish. I made a large whiskey barrel pond and put two goldfish in it over the summer months with just an air pump and regular water changes. No filter! I’ve now got myself in a huge pickle and want to keep the poor fish alive over the winter when the temperature drops. I would like to bring them inside and have bought an 120L/26 gallon fish tank, filter and sand substrate. I have since been doing my research on cycling a fish tank before adding my fish. In my situation with the fish still outside in a barrel pond would you recommend I complete a cycle and wait a month or try to move them into the tank with filter and proper aeration quicker?
I have added Filter Active by Tetra and dechlorinator to the tank water and bought test strips which I really don’t understand! I am going away for 20 days in which time I can ask a friend to help me cycle the tank by adding fish food? Or do you think I should just get the fish in there and do a cycle that way?
Many Thanks! Clueless
Hi Miya,
The fact that you’re going away tells me that you should better let your friend do a cycle instead of caring for a fragile environment with live fish in it (assuming they are not into fishkeeping that much). This way you won’t risk your goldfish getting mistakenly killed by a sudden ammonia spike (people tend to overfeed, especially when the tank is not their own).
After you’re back from the trip you can add the fish (only two right?) and pour in some bottled bacteria just in case. Before doing so, definitely measure the ammonia / nitrate / nitrite contents of the tank. If Ammonia or Nitrite shows above 0.25 then the tank is still cycling and you should wait with the addition of fish.
If you were present the whole time I’d recommend doing a fish-in cycle, because you’d be able to monitor the aquarium. But if someone else is looking after the aquarium I’d recommend just doing a fishless cycle.
Hope this helps!
So, let’s say I didn’t know you were SUPPOSED to add the fish in immediately, just that you could.
And I poured my bottle in, no fish in sight.
However, I have snails, who from the looks of my anubia leaves they seem to like using as a toilet, having been going to town for a week while I waited to get a better filter…would that be enough to support the bacteria (Tetra)?
I also have plants, some from my former, cycled tank, some newly from the aquarium store, right out of their tanks.
I didn’t want to drop fish in a questionably cycled tank, so I wasn’t planning to get them until next week…
(I should probably also mention that I had to bring the bottles on a plane, and I only have one bottle of Tetra and one bottle of API left…if they are even still good after all that…)