I'm not doing anything high tech here. I want a close to self sustainable biotype. No Co2 injectors, lol. I've got more than enough plants to create the Co2, the trick is to keep them alive to keep doing so, lol.
With the Tetta, there's a safestart & safestart plus. I have no idea the difference. But they (at least one of them) seem to "mask" the actual ammonia and nitrite levels, so it isn't really as much of a crash, as it is a "revelation", lol. If it works for you, great. I have been burnt ebough times by that company that you would have to pay me significantly to even admit that I would even consider using one of their products, and even then, I'd just lie and have a neighbor throw it in the trash. If it was actually delivered to my door, I'd just give up on the fish since they'd come within 50' of it, and move. Everything they make is at best, questionable.
They have made so many terrible products (of which all have an equal if not something 10x better) that you could possibly end 95% of the stupid questions you get on here is they simply didn't read the Tetra based instructions. The pHup & pHDowm are the best examples. . Why not just use ratioed bleach and pool acid? Same thing.
I agree with you on the mix of water. I am just going to slowly purge the water in the tank With R/o. THen figure how to buffer it in my tank(s).
On an entirely separate note, what do you know of "balloon rams"? I've gathered they are line bred, but are they genetically inferior?
