The Puffer Forum

I repeat:

Pufferpunk wrote:Do your best to find Bio-Spira somewhere (check the "use by" date). Do not use any other product, no matter what the shop tells you! Do an 80% WC & add it directly to your filter. If it is viable bacteria, your ammonia should be 0 within 24-48 hours. After that, so 50% WC weekly.

Sokay.

Let us know how it goes. WC's are your puffers friend . In the mean time do those WC's .

Congrats! SafeStart is the new product made by the Bio-Spira folks. I'm glad it's helping. Did you add it to your filter? Give it a day or 2 to adhere to your surfaces & then go back to that WC schedule to get that nitrate down.

Watch the nitrites. Nitrites are as bad as ammonia. From what it sounds like the tank may be starting to cycle. Do 50% WC to help in the mean time with the high nitrates and your nitrites as long as it's been several days since adding the safe start (what is recommended on the bottle?). Do not vaccum the gravel throughly.

It's been a tough road but my puffer has somehow pulled through and water parameters are nearly perfect! The nitrites are finally 0, though there are still some nitrates but they are in the "safe" zone. Thanks for all the advice! My little puffer seems much happier.

Good to hear!