If you own an aquarium, then it is important that you do everything possible to ensure that the fish inside of that aquarium stays nice and healthy. This includes ensuring that the water is clean. In fact, keeping the water clean is a priority. Bacteria helps with this. Let’s explain how Top Fin Bacteria Starter works.
What Does Bacteria Starter Do To Aquariums?
Your fish are going to be producing a whole lot of waste. Far more than you think. While the filter in your tank will be able to remove some of this, it won’t be able to remove all of it. This means that you will have the following floating around your tank:
- Proteins
- Ammonium
- Nitrite
- Ammonia
Now, not only are these compounds going to make your fish tank filthy but there is also a good chance that they could make your fish sick. On top of all of this, they are going to let out an absolutely awful stench.
The job of a bacteria starter is to introduce bacteria into the tank. This bacteria will break down all of the compounds that the other things in your tank would struggle to remove from the water (i.e. your filter) and keep the tank nice and clean for you.
Honestly, a bacteria starter is vital for any tank. It introduces bacteria to the water which won’t be introduced naturally but would be in the water if the fish were swimming about in the wild. Remember, the whole idea of practicing fishkeeping is to ensure that your fish remain as healthy as possible in the water. This means trying to replicate their natural swimming environment, which is exactly what these products do.
How To Use Top Fin Bacteria Starter
Top Fin Bacteria Starter is designed for use when you add new fish to the tank, or you are going through a complete water cycle. However, as we will discuss in the next section, there are a few other situations where you may want to use a bacteria starter. However, for now, we are going to give you a rough idea of how to use it should you introduce new fish to the tank.
Top Fin Bacteria Starter should be 1 teaspoon of bacteria starter per 5 gallons of water. This should be added once per day for the first 5 days after adding new fish to the tank. However, you can add up to 5 teaspoons per 5 gallons of water, although this is reserved for those situations where you may be introducing a lot of fish to the tank at once. After all, the more fish in the tank, the more waste is going to be produced. This means that you need far more of the Top Fin Bacteria Starter product to break down the additional waste.
When To Use Bacteria Starter?
There are a few situations where you may want to consider using a bacteria starter in your tank. As we said, it is vital that you use a bacteria starter when you are adding new fish to the tank. You do need something to help to counter that extra waste.
You will also need to use a bacteria starter when you are going through a tank cycle. It helps to speed up the process. It isn’t necessary, and there are some fishkeepers that don’t do it (bacteria will naturally grow), but it can help to bring down ammonia and nitrite levels quickly. You can add it at roughly the same frequency that you would be adding new fish.
You will want to use a bacteria starter when you are dealing with an ammonia spike in your tank. Although, we do encourage you to try to get to the bottom of what is causing that ammonia spike too. It is likely going to be a dead fish or dying plant matter. A lot of the time, this will come alongside water changes and adding other chemicals into the mix. How you reduce an ammonia spike is out of the scope of this guide.
Finally, you will want to use a bacteria starter if you are changing the filter on your tank. This is because removing the filter from the tank will take away some of that beneficial bacteria, and you are going to need to build that stock back up again.
Can Readistart Nitrifying Bacteria Starter Be Used For Freshwater and Saltwater?
According to the Readistart Nitrifying Bacteria Starter product specification, you are able to use it with both freshwater and saltwater aquariums. You just need to ensure that you follow the instructions for the aquarium type that you are using.
Can Bacteria Starter Kill Fish?
If you use your bacteria starter properly, then no.
Always ensure that you read the instructions for the bacteria starter. Only ever add the amount that it says to add, never more. A lot of bacteria starter products, including the Top Fin Bacteria Starter, will give a quantity that is far lower than what your tank can cope with. Only ever add more if you believe that there are high levels of those awful chemicals in your tank, or if you are adding a lot of fish to the tank at once.
Granted, there is still very little risk that too much bacteria starter will kill your fish. However, it is far better to be safe than sorry, right?
Conclusion
Top Fin Bacteria Starter is a product that every fishkeeper will need to use. Using a bacteria starter will help to ensure that your fish stay nice and safe in the tank. It means that they are not going to get sick due to excess ammonia or nitrate floating around in the water. Make sure that you use the Top Fin Bacteria Starter whenever you add new fish into the tank. It will help to smooth their transition and ensure that you end up with fish that are happy and healthy. You may need to top up every so often when you change the filter or if there is an ammonia spike.
