Cycling tank with Fish

[cshouston]

Thanks, Lasse. That’s very illuminating and I understand better why you recommend that. I appreciate the knowledge that you share with us all.

 

[Dominic M]

Just clean it a little - gravel vac would probably be good



I use not to recommend drastic things - my melody is more - take it easy and relax. But in this case with starting an aquarium and heterotrophic bacteria is another case. When you start an new aquarium from scratch - it is like an unwritten book - you have full control in what will be on the pages. The most important task to solve during the first weeks is to establish the nitrification cycle. It can be done in different way but one thing needs to be remembered.

The nitrification bacteria is slow growers, need a free surface to attach to and are autotrophs (like algaes and plants) but use the energy differences between NH3/NH4 - NO2 - NO3 in order to get energy - not photons from the light. They use HCO3/CO3/CO2 as carbon source and inorganic nutrients as NH3/NH4 and PO4 as building blocks. They also need a lot of oxygen. A newly started saltwater aquarium with aone fish will slowly bring NH3/NH4 and PO4 to the water, the water is rich in inorganic carbon (HCO3/CO3/CO2) - rich in oxygen and a lot of open surface for them to attach - they will slowly occupy free space.

However - the heterotrophic bacteria is fast growers with the right environment. They need surface, organic carbon and mostly organic nutrients and a lot of oxygen. You can see that there is important differences. A newly started saltwater aquarium is rich in inorganic carbon but nearly no organic carbon - it is also rather much inorganic nutrients if you use a fish (NH3/NH4 through the gills) and free PO4 from the poop but rather poor in organic nutrients - the bacteria needs to break down the poop first. With other words - you have an ideal situation the first weeks to establish good nitrification and hinder the fast growing heterotrophs from invade all surfaces and just outcompete the nitrification bacteria because of their fast growth. I´m strongly against every method that incorporate both nitrification bacteria and heterotrophic bacteria (and organic carbon) the first weeks.

In this case - heterotrophic bacteria is everywhere and the organic carbon in the microbacter 7 is just fueling their growth - and leave no space for the slow growing nitrification bacteria. You will never ever establish a good nitrification in this aquarium in disen time. All organic carbon and most of the heterotrophic bacteria must go away before the nitrification would have any chance at all.

This is reason why I have an extreme standpoint in this case - just 100 % WC (you can do that - no animals or organisms that can be harmed by 100 % WC in the aquarium) and clean from as much as heterotrophic bacteria as possible.


Please see my article 15 steps to start........

Sincerely Lasse

Thanks

 

[ScubaFish802]

You have done one of the most classic mistake in a start up situation. You have add both autotrophic nitrification bacteria ( Dr. TIM'S One and Only ) and heterotrophic bacteria - probably with a organic carbon source too ( MicroBacter7)- the later will compete out the nitrification bacteria very fast. The other mistake was to add a huge amount of microbacter 7 - you get an uncontrolled growth of heterotropic bacteria that probable deplete all oxygen in the aquarium. One and only can´t be overdosed but microbacter 7 can - that you have shown in a very drastic way.

I would advise you to restart the whole thing - 100 % WC and cleaning everything especially the sand. After that restart your system with a fish and ONLY Dr Tims One and Only as additive - please read this for more information about a proper start of an aquarium with fish.




I do not see it as inhuman - no human will be hurt

I think you mean infishan

Jokes aside - I do not see a start with a fish as ammonia releaser to be cruel in any way if it is done the proper way - IMO it is the best way of starting a saltwater aquarium. Please see the article I referred to above

Sincerely Lasse

My only comment / question is: While initially the heterotrophic bacteria would hold more of the free space, the excess would die off as things are converted, equalling out the 3 bacteria that run the whole nitrifying process in the end either way?

 

[Leo62287]

Thank you all for your advice. I have done a 100% WC and will let the tank run for a few days before beginning the cycle. I will keep everyone posted.

 

[Lasse]

My only comment / question is: While initially the heterotrophic bacteria would hold more of the free space, the excess would die off as things are converted, equalling out the 3 bacteria that run the whole nitrifying process in the end either way?

In the bacteria world - what happens with the huge and organic "dead bacteria" biomass that have grow during the good conditions? Will it go up like smoke in the air or it is food for new bacteria? Of cause - if you wait some months and put in a lot of oxygen - the bacteria biomass may be complete mineralised but why wait as long time as that and get a water with lot of nutrients. These nutrients will rise another question if light is on - how to handle this algae problem that just show up.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Erik the Red]

In the bacteria world - what happens with the huge and organic "dead bacteria" biomass that have grow during the good conditions? Will it go up like smoke in the air or it is food for new bacteria? Of cause - if you wait some months and put in a lot of oxygen - the bacteria biomass may be complete mineralised but why wait as long time as that and get a water with lot of nutrients. These nutrients will rise another question if light is on - how to handle this algae problem that just show up.

Sincerely Lasse

Does it means that also the live rocks have to be replaced, in such a situation?
I am having exactly the same problem and the bacterial bloom has been there for over 2 months now.

I used the Aquaforest BioS as starter and the first even with the regular dose, I had a bloom in the first weeks which hasn’t disappeared yet.

thanks for your time

 

[Lasse]

Does it means that also the live rocks have to be replaced, in such a situation?

No - I do no think that if you clean it up a little - just brush it for lose organics. When you have things sorted up some minor adding of live rocks could be good - IMO

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Erik the Red]

No - I do no think that if you clean it up a little - just brush it for lose organics. When you have things sorted up some minor adding of live rocks could be good - IMO

Sincerely Lasse

Great! I will do
Thanks a lot for your help and for sharing your expertise, Lasse.