Cycling Question
- Thread starter reeferdon
- Start date
- Tagged users None
SJ-reefer
Active Member
Going to be a long time if you just throw a raw shrimp in. Best to use live nitrifying bacteria and one piece of live rock with coraline algae on it. Usually takes me 4 weeks using this method.
Elementalj
Valuable Member
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2016
- Messages
- 2,126
- Reaction score
- 2,076
Bottle bacteria and live rock.
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
You can also get some live sand or rock from a friends tank to boost the cycle along by providing a source of bacteria. Even detritus.
bknapp
Has been left unattended
Just be careful when other peoples tanks to help seed and cycle yours. The possibility, no matter how small, is there to possibly bring in an unwanted parasite or hitchhiker.
TherealplexiG
Well-Known Member
Pedal to the medal, watch lance armstrong videos, spot for the technique and swift movements...Practice, practice & practice. LOL
On a serious note:
Bacterial spores are present everywhere, so if you wanna naturally and patiently cycle your tank. You need some food source for bacteria ie. Ammonia. Use pure ammonia not more than 10 ppm (Maxed 20 ppm) (approx 1 drop of ammonia per 2 gallons) to start the cycle. Using seeded stuff is good but not always sure what it brings along. This is considered best and fast way to cycle the aquarium though. This will seed your new tank with all the necessary bacteria's to kick start your cycle. Depending on the quantity of seeded media you're going to put. You can either put a single fish (not humane) or dose ammonia in the tank. Results may vary from the type of tank and biological media being used. But usually it should take around a day to five or more.
Ghost feeding or shrimp way to start the cycle, its not too great idea. Most of the fish food has good amounts of phosphates. When the cycle would reach its final stage, it would encourage all types of algae growth.
Once you have readings for nitrites cut the initial dose of pure ammonia to half. continue to dose until you get nitrates reading. One you get nitrates readings do a 30-40% water change and you're good to go. You have cycled your tank. And then consistently dose ammonia in increments, to increase bio-load. Once you reach your goal you can add your stockings. You might need any source of Bio-media for bacterial population to thrive.
Bottled bacteria (Don't know much about tim's but i have read somewhere those strains are not dormant and similar to the ones naturally cultivated in the aquaria), Majority of other bottled manufacturers use bacterial strains from waste water recycling usage. Those dormant strains, will show a lag from introduction, before they actually become viable, and with the long generation time, 18 - 24 hours to reproduce, opposed to 15 min to an hour for the ones that are naturally cultivated, your cycle is not going to be sped up. Except in few cases these products are not worth the investment, and the tried and true methods, will do the job, the time frame will be the same (in most cases) either way.
My 0.0000002 cents
On a serious note:
Bacterial spores are present everywhere, so if you wanna naturally and patiently cycle your tank. You need some food source for bacteria ie. Ammonia. Use pure ammonia not more than 10 ppm (Maxed 20 ppm) (approx 1 drop of ammonia per 2 gallons) to start the cycle. Using seeded stuff is good but not always sure what it brings along. This is considered best and fast way to cycle the aquarium though. This will seed your new tank with all the necessary bacteria's to kick start your cycle. Depending on the quantity of seeded media you're going to put. You can either put a single fish (not humane) or dose ammonia in the tank. Results may vary from the type of tank and biological media being used. But usually it should take around a day to five or more.
Ghost feeding or shrimp way to start the cycle, its not too great idea. Most of the fish food has good amounts of phosphates. When the cycle would reach its final stage, it would encourage all types of algae growth.
Once you have readings for nitrites cut the initial dose of pure ammonia to half. continue to dose until you get nitrates reading. One you get nitrates readings do a 30-40% water change and you're good to go. You have cycled your tank. And then consistently dose ammonia in increments, to increase bio-load. Once you reach your goal you can add your stockings. You might need any source of Bio-media for bacterial population to thrive.
Bottled bacteria (Don't know much about tim's but i have read somewhere those strains are not dormant and similar to the ones naturally cultivated in the aquaria), Majority of other bottled manufacturers use bacterial strains from waste water recycling usage. Those dormant strains, will show a lag from introduction, before they actually become viable, and with the long generation time, 18 - 24 hours to reproduce, opposed to 15 min to an hour for the ones that are naturally cultivated, your cycle is not going to be sped up. Except in few cases these products are not worth the investment, and the tried and true methods, will do the job, the time frame will be the same (in most cases) either way.
My 0.0000002 cents
