Review on Safely Cycling New Aquariums with Tetra SafeStart Plus: An Efficient Solution by Terence Vaz

I have been using this product for over a decade and have opened at least five aquariums from scratch with it. There's a persistent myth that Seachem Prime Water Conditioner starves out the good bacteria in SafeStart; that is totally wrong. Prime converts NH3 ammonia to NH4+ ammonium. Both ammonia and ammonium are food for the beneficial bacteria in Tetra SafeStart. I just completed the installation of a 25 gallon zebra fish tank using Tetra Safestart. I used a new aquarium, new filter and media and new gravel. Here are the steps I took. I installed the tank, filled it with 75 degree Fahrenheit water, turned on the heater and filter, and let it run for 2 hours. I dechlorinated with 1 teaspoon Seachem Prime (double dose for that amount of water)3. I went to a fish store and bought fish the same day.4. I acclimatized the fish in the aquarium by swimming in the water and then released the fish into the aquarium.5. I took my three bottles of Tetra SafeStart (3.38 oz each) and shook them for two minutes. It is very important to shake Tetra SafeStart vigorously. It's also important that the date on the sticker at the bottom of the bottle is at least ten months away, preferably a year or more. The fresher SafeStart, the better it works.6. I poured Tetra SafeStart into the aquarium.7. I fed the fish sparingly every day.8. I used the test kit to check my ammonia levels every day. It never went above 0.259. Two weeks later my water levels were: Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrite: 5-10. If the ammonia levels get too high while cycling, Seachem Prime can be added for detoxification. If I want to reduce ammonia while cycling, I turn off the filters and do a water change with water only, i.e. scooping water out of the tank with a jug, rather than vacuuming the gravel or cleaning the filter. Bacteria don't float in the water after a day or two. They colonize the filter material and gravel, making it possible to replace the water that has been soaked in the aquarium. Be sure to dechlorinate backup water. Tetra SafeStart is very suitable for the quick installation of a biofilter in an aquarium when Tetra SafeStart has not been exposed to extreme temperatures or is about to expire. Seachem Prime can be used at the same time as Tetra Safestart and bacteria will thrive.