Clockwork-crow Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 I'm pretty sure my cycle has crashed. Ammonia is 0.5, nitrates are 0. I'm wondering if I would be better using safestart or water changes and dosing with prime and stability. Anyone have experience or opinions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clockwork-crow Posted December 2, 2020 Author Share Posted December 2, 2020 8 minutes ago, Clockwork-crow said: I'm pretty sure my cycle has crashed. Ammonia is 0.5, nitrates are 0. I'm wondering if I would be better using safestart or water changes and dosing with prime and stability. Anyone have experience or opinions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBOzzie59 Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 Bioload? Tank size? Plants? Filtering? Recent water change? What was the percentage? Did you re-test? Test strips or wet test? Strips or chems expired? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clockwork-crow Posted December 2, 2020 Author Share Posted December 2, 2020 12 dwarf corydoras + 6 CPD's in a 15 gallon with lots of stem plants, anubias, Java Moss and Java fern One large sponge filter Water change 7 hours ago, water tested 5 hours later, multiple times Wet test, new box opened last week, using prime as dechlorinator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 I believe Prime (or any of the others) can cause false ammonia readings. Read the FAQs on Seachem's site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rknize Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 In my experience, Seachem Stability has had no noticeable effect on shortening the time it take to get a cycle going. I have tried it many times over the years (even at very high doses). Fritz's product is another matter. I've only used it once recently, so I am not going to say for sure that it works. However, my initial experience with it was very encouraging and I will be trying it again in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coronal Mass Ejection Carl Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 35 minutes ago, rknize said: In my experience, Seachem Stability has had no noticeable effect on shortening the time it take to get a cycle going. I have tried it many times over the years (even at very high doses). Fritz's product is another matter. I've only used it once recently, so I am not going to say for sure that it works. However, my initial experience with it was very encouraging and I will be trying it again in the future. Stability contains heterotrophic bacteria instead of true nitrifying bacteria so it's no surprise that I often hear of it not working or even prolonging the cycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rknize Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 5 minutes ago, Coronal Mass Ejection Carl said: Stability contains heterotrophic bacteria instead of true nitrifying bacteria so it's no surprise that I often hear of it not working or even prolonging the cycle. That makes sense. Not sure why using that type of bacteria is marketed the way that it is. I don't see how can help a new fish tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clockwork-crow Posted December 2, 2020 Author Share Posted December 2, 2020 Right but should I be using seachem prime and water changes or tetra safestart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coronal Mass Ejection Carl Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 2 minutes ago, Clockwork-crow said: Right but should I be using seachem prime and water changes or tetra safestart Safe Start and clinoptilolite zeolite would be my choice. I don't trust Prime to detoxify ammonia. Also test pH since a low pH or kH will stall your cycle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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