reefz
Active Member
I'm setting up a new red sea 525xl (build thread coming soon), and wonder what's the best bottled bacteria. Seed is the only one Ive ever used and it works fine, but want to try something new. What do yall recommend?
Best bottled bacteria?
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Smite
2500 Club Member
I've had the quickest cycle with Fritz Turbo Start. I don't care for all of their products but that is a solid one. Once the tank is cycled I like add MB7 and Prodibo by bio digest to keep a good diversity of bacteria in the tank.
Squidward
Valuable Member
I like biospira. Wanted to try fritz turbo start but it requires refrigeration and I don't want to pay extra for overnight shipping so I've always used biospira with success.
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reefz
Active Member
I was considering that kind but its $130 for a 32oz bottle on brs. They have 4oz in stock for $30 which is duable. Would 4oz be enough for a 100g tank?
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I used two bottles in my 130 gallon with dry rock and on the same day I threw in two 3.5" tangs and the tank was cycled immediately.
I never had an amonia reading and those fish are still alive today.
4 days later I put on the skimmer and it cleared the haze from the Fritz.
It could not have gone better!!!
Smite
2500 Club Member
It claims up to 100g on the bottle. I used it on a 66 gallon tank, 40 gallon QT system. I use it in combination with dr. tims ammonia and I was cycled in a few days using that method. I wouldn't use the large bottle, I think that would be overkill.
The type of rock are you using can come into play as well. I was using marco mined rock in those systems. I'm currently cycling "used" rock that I didn't perform a acid bath on or bleach prior, so it's dirty. I used the brightwell starter kit but it seemed to take about 2 weeks to fully cycle ammonia in 24 hours.
My choices in order for quick cycle:
Fritz Turbo start
Dr. Tim's one and only
Biospira
Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
For my new tank, I have 1 bottle each of Fritz 9 not turbo, Biospira, and dr tim's. I will prob. get another bottle of biospira as what I have will only do 130 gal. Maybe I'll get the Fritz turbo start.
Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
The one I always used before
Kenneth Wingerter
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If it’s alright to plug a product we sell (disclaimer), may I recommend PNS Substrate Sauce? This product contains two species of photoheterotrophic bacteria that are very different from, but complimentary to, the “usual” nitrifying bacteria we cycle our tanks with. And it’s specially formulated for use in new systems. https://www.hydrospace.store/post/using-pns-substrate-sauce
TxReefer21
Well-Known Member
I’ve used both fritz turbo start 900 very good nasty smelling potent stuff lol and also used microbacter start XLM by brightwell which does not need to be refrigerated. Both are proven good products.
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reefz
Active Member
Yeah Im leaning towards fritz 9. Do you think I should mix it with a bottle of dr tims?
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reefz
Active Member
I have used rock from a previous tank and don't know If I should bleach it or not. The rocks have some dead algae so its not clean. Do you think I should worry about cleaning?
Smite
2500 Club Member
It would help, no doubt about that. I prefer muriatic acid baths but they are kind of a pain in the butt in all honesty. Makes a big foamy mess and strips the top layer off the rock. It can eat away the rock if you let it go to long or use to much acid but it really does help.
This is the first time I didn't do it on used rock, so I'll be finding in a month or so how that goes when the tanks here. I've been cycling my rock for about 5 months in a bin with no light and adding ammonia consistently. It looks clean but I haven't tested PO4 yet.
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I didn't. It sure can't hurt. But that stuff was cheap and it worked. I never added anything else. My tank is now 9 months old and fully matured.
Like everyone else, I had the uglies, dinos and GHA but again, I did not lose my fish.
I had never used bacteria before and was quite surprised that this inexpensive smelly stuff worked lol
Good luck with your cycle!!!
jmoneyyy703
Community Member
Used Dr Tims, Microbacter XLM/7/Clean, Fritz Turbo, and multiple at same time. My preference for most consistent and fastest start time is Fritz Turbo (overdosed 2-3x+). When combined, I had limited to no ugly phase (could have been several other factors) as well.
