Lol, safestart worked like a charm for me but its possible that yours did not work. How much did you add to the tank?
You would've had to do some tests to be sure it cycled. I've heard good and bad things about safestart, and I've also found that it never works for fish less cycles when ammonia is dosed too high.
Of course there are other factors that negatively affect the cycle which I stated in a previous post.
It seems that since you have the pure ammonia now and the tank is not cycled, you'll have to attempt to fish less cycle the tank. I haven't had good experiences with this, lol, but I can give you the info that I know might help your tank cycle faster.
You'll want to dose to 4ppm ammonia. This will not be too high to establish a cycle but also will establish a cycle that is definitely strong enough to support just one betta. It is also supposed to cycle faster at this higher amount.
The bacteria pretty much falls from the sky so if your tank is covered well, it will be difficult to do. Increasing the temp to 82-84 degrees will help the BB grow faster, as will more gas exchange, so if your filter is adjustable or baffled, it will help to unbaffle it or create a stronger flow while cycling. Remember to never add any unconditioned tap water to avoid killing your BB and never turn off the filter. The lighting might be best if its dim or off but this is probably not a big deal.
Don't let the BB starve by making sure you keep the ammonia up. This process can take a month or two, but fish less cycling will always be safer for your fish than fish-in cycling. It might help if you have an already established cycled tank to transfer over some gravel or filter media.
Otherwise, like I said, you can try a bacteria in a bottle like safestart. There are others with better reviews, though, such as Dr. Tim's live nitrifying bacteria, or Biospira, but these are more expensive and harder to find in my experience. It's all kind of up to you. If you have the patience to go the pure ammonia route (which I don't after trying for months) then go for it! Otherwise, do what you think is best for your fish.
Also I have been told that the bacteria in the air is less abundant when the air is dryer (like during the winter). Also consider the surface area in your tank including gravel, decor, and most importantly, the filter media. Extra sponge would be good for establishing a cycle.
One last question I completely forgot is what is the size of your tank? This might affect it...
Sorry this post is all over the place, I'm just typing as I remember stuff