The Puffer Forum

Just in case the death of my puffer was related to an incompletely cycled tank, I’d like to add some beneficial bacteria. The remaining puffer is acting like he always has, but to be safe (since the reading on nitrates was 0, and I guess that means the tank has not cycled) I would like to add some sort of bacteria.

When increasing SG, the purpose of going slowly is so that we don’t stress our fish, and so we don’t kill any beneficial bacteria that have already started up, so obviously different types of bacteria thrive in different salinity levels. I’ve seen Dr. Tims, Biospira, and “Instant cycler” all mentioned in this forum as being useful for adding bacteria, and each one is either suggested for marine tanks or freshwater tanks. What do you use for brackish tanks? A little of both?

As best as I can tell from my hydrometer, the SG in the tank right now is 1.002. I know 1.002 is still low, so should I assume freshwater bacteria is still going to be okay?

Also, I don’t know if I should wait on any further SG increases until I’m completely sure the tank is cycled. If I do, the regular weekly water changes will actually decrease SG. Or, as long as my bi-daily ammonia and nitrite levels ALSO remain 0, should I continue on with raising SG?

You can hold off on raising your SG until you are sure you are cycled without harm to the GSP. What I would ask you to do though is re-test your nitrates. This time though, shake the bottles of stuff you add to your water real vigorously (I think it's like one minute if you're using API) and also shake the test tube well. The biggest reasons nitrate tests come back as 0 are an uncycled tank and an test that wasn't shaken well enough. I've not shaken the bottles enough myself and have totally freaked out.

Repeat the test and if it still comes out as 0 we can figure out why and what to use. The only two products that contain any real bacteria are Tetra Safestart and Biospira, Instant Cycler does not work, all it does is conditions the water and adds nitrate....

For API tests, you have to shake the first bottle just for a moment, then add the chemical and invert the test tube a few times, then shake the second bottle for 30 seconds, add the chemicals, and shake the test tube for one minute.

In answer to your Q--you would use Dr Tim's or Tetra's Safestart, both for FW tanks.

Alright, thanks for the advice guys and gals! I retested with lots of mixing at each step, and nitrates showed up on the card kinda between 5 and 10 (also tested ammonia and nitrite, which were still at 0). So I wonder why the newer puffer died, and I hope it wasn't contagious. Gollum is still as happy as can be, but I'm keeping a close eye on him.