wes.crockett Posted September 13, 2022 Share Posted September 13, 2022 Hey all, I have a 10g tank with a betta, 4 tetras, 2 ottos, 2 shrimp, and 1 assassin snail... For weekly water changes, I dose with API's Quick Start and API's Tap Water Conditioner. What route would you recommend to up the tank health? I keep one Indian Almond Leaf in the tank at all times (change it every three weeks or so). Wondering if there are objectively superior chemicals for weekly treatment. To answer the question of 'what do I think i'm lacking'... I don't think I am handing any protective coat... I know some products have aloe in them to help with the beneficial 'slime' layer. As far as food, I generally just use flake food, i'm using Fluval Bug Bites... not sure if there are better, all around, foods to use. I do feed the Betta an occasional blood worm and Fluval, non-flake, bug bites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scapexghost Posted September 13, 2022 Share Posted September 13, 2022 If it sint broke dont fix it. You dont really need the quick start 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flumpweesel Posted September 13, 2022 Share Posted September 13, 2022 My Betta enjoyed bug bites almost exclusively for it's first year with no issues it's has now been moved into the big community tank so it's getting more variety I would have probably stayed with big bites had it stayed in its own blood worms are an occasional treat for all my tanks. You can leave the Indian Almond leaf in until it breaks down and only replace when gone I believe. The shrimps will really enjoy the biofilm that develops as it goes and they'll tidy that away for you. The only thing I routinely add to my water is dechlorinator (prime normally because it's one of the better value options). Healthy fish in good water don't really need help with their slime coat. I have used products like quick start but I don't believe they are necessary once you have a cycled tank. And to agree with @Scapexghost if everyone is happy and healthy don't worry your doing great. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrencher_Scott Posted September 13, 2022 Share Posted September 13, 2022 All you need is de chlore. All that other stuff is not useful and a waist of money. I don't like putting chemicals in my water, especially for no reason at all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wes.crockett Posted September 13, 2022 Author Share Posted September 13, 2022 Heard loud and clear 😄 I'll stop using Quick Start at every change and just continue with the tap-water conditioner. When I do it, should I only dose for the amount of water being changed or for the full volume of the tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrencher_Scott Posted September 13, 2022 Share Posted September 13, 2022 On 9/13/2022 at 3:10 PM, wes.crockett said: Heard loud and clear 😄 I'll stop using Quick Start at every change and just continue with the tap-water conditioner. When I do it, should I only dose for the amount of water being changed or for the full volume of the tank? Well normally just dose for the change water. But.... Be very careful and overdose because water companies/city water will sometimes chlorinate the crap out of water. I have seen mine go as high as 3ppm, it smells like a swimming pool. I always declore in a trash can and test it before I put it in. Read the label and see what it says for overdosing to be safe. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted September 14, 2022 Share Posted September 14, 2022 (edited) On 9/13/2022 at 6:10 PM, wes.crockett said: When I do it, should I only dose for the amount of water being changed or for the full volume of the tank? When you change water if you are dechlorinating in a separate bucket then adding you dose to the amount in the bucket. If you are pouring water into the tank and adding dechlorinater to the tank you dose to tank volume. Often city water companies will shock treat with high amounts of chlorine. If you smell unusually high chlorine levels double dose dechlorinater or test the tap and dose to chlorine levels. My understanding is normal dechlorinater treat 1ppm of chlorine though that may vary by brand. edit add: variety is the best fish food you can supply. No one food has the best of everything but several combined pretty much cover all the bases. When it comes to chemicals less is really best. I use only seachem prime in my water. Think of fish water like air we breath. Nothing is better than fresh clean air for humans to breath so nothing is better than fresh clean water for fish to breath. 🤗 This is probably much more information than you are looking for but wanting to up your game and learn about aquarium chemicals I thought you may find this interesting. It’s not about most chemicals but helps with understanding chlorine/chloramine Edited September 14, 2022 by Guppysnail 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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