Cycling with Microbacter7

[Azedenkae]

Thanks for the prompt reply. I'm not necessarily in a rush, but wondering why my LFS would recommend Microbacter vs the other options? Any idea as to why that may be?

Microbacter can be kept on a shelf. Other options such as FritzZyme needs to be refrigerated and may last for like only three months, so could be something as simple as making it easier to just stock the shelves and have the products be there for a while.

 

[schuby]

Thanks for the prompt reply. I'm not necessarily in a rush, but wondering why my LFS would recommend Microbacter vs the other options? Any idea as to why that may be?

I don't know anything about your LFS, but you should read this thread from the beginning. There is a lot a useful information that would apply to your tank.

 

[DocPalmer]

Microbacter can be kept on a shelf. Other options such as FritzZyme needs to be refrigerated and may last for like only three months, so could be something as simple as making it easier to just stock the shelves and have the products be there for a while.

Makes sense - Thanks. As long as it should work in a few weeks I'm happy. Getting myself acclimated to creating my own salt water, conducting the regular maintenance etc. in the meantime.

 

[DocPalmer]

I don't know anything about your LFS, but you should read this thread from the beginning. There is a lot a useful information that would apply to your tank.

Thanks, Schuby. My tank is set up the same way (dry rock, live sand, using Microbacter7). Exact reason why I replied!

 

[schuby]

Did you pick up in this thread why Microbacter7 can make your cycle take longer than with no added bacteria? It isn't meant for starting a tank.

 

[DocPalmer]

Did you pick up in this thread why Microbacter7 can make your cycle take longer than with no added bacteria? It isn't meant for starting a tank.

Yes. That's why I'm confused. I'm new to the Hobby and starting my first tank. My LFS recommended using Microbacter7 to cycle my tank but based on what I've read from everyone on here, Microbacter7 is NOT good for starting a tank. Do you think I should pick up some FritzZyme Turbo Start 900? That seems to be the most popular option on Reef2Reef.

 

[schuby]

Yes. That's why I'm confused. I'm new to the Hobby and starting my first tank. My LFS recommended using Microbacter7 to cycle my tank but based on what I've read from everyone on here, Microbacter7 is NOT good for starting a tank. Do you think I should pick up some FritzZyme Turbo Start 900? That seems to be the most popular option on Reef2Reef.

Yes, something containing nitrifying bacteria and targeted for a new, uncycled tank.

 

[brandon429]

Ill tell you why I think they did. this mb7 comprises about 10% of cycling threads we see, prominent enough its not just your lfs offering it as a cycler.

they use it for sludge digestion mainly, aerobic heterotrophic bacteria in the mb7

and coincidentally, Dr Reef found that most bottled strains even the common cycling ones are mixed heterotroph strains that are similar

lastly, after dna sampling by aquabiomics we can see over time naturally selected species take over nitrification alongside plants and algae (Tarichas observation) regardless of the initial dose.


nobodys dna tested swabs in a few years old tank had any of the originally dosed bottle bac, community alternation had occurred.



we aren’t able to find a single recent example of a failed cycle/ someone’s two clowns didn’t live/ so in the end the lfs get good feedback on any strain they recommend. It’s us web nerds trying to find which strain is fastest that mb7 was deemed the slow turtle of the group.

 

[DocPalmer]

Ill tell you why I think they did. this mb7 comprises about 10% of cycling threads we see, prominent enough its not just your lfs offering it as a cycler.

they use it for sludge digestion mainly, aerobic heterotrophic bacteria in the mb7

and coincidentally, Dr Reef found that most bottled strains even the common cycling ones are mixed heterotroph strains that are similar

lastly, after dna sampling by aquabiomics we can see over time naturally selected species take over nitrification alongside plants and algae (Tarichas observation) regardless of the initial dose.


nobodys dna tested swabs in a few years old tank had any of the originally dosed bottle bac, community alternation had occurred.



we aren’t able to find a single recent example of a failed cycle/ someone’s two clowns didn’t live/ so in the end the lfs get good feedback on any strain they recommend. It’s us web nerds trying to find which strain is fastest that mb7 was deemed the slow turtle of the group.

Interesting and extremely informative - thank you. Especially concerning the community alternation. Since I've already bought the bottle I may stay the course for 2 weeks and see how things progress. Otherwise, what would I do with it (the Microbacter7 bottle)?

 

[DocPalmer]

Yes, something containing nitrifying bacteria and targeted for a new, uncycled tank.

What did you use for your tank?

 

[schuby]

What did you use for your tank?

I used Dr Tim's One and Only. I've used it many times since then for my QT tank. Many people have also had good success with Fritz TurboStart 900.

 

[DocPalmer]

I used Dr Tim's One and Only. I've used it many times since then for my QT tank. Many people have also had good success with Fritz TurboStart 900.

Thanks. Did you add a fish immediately? I've seen people start with hermit crabs/crabs or fish. Sometimes both.

 

[schuby]

I did add fish immediately. I'd had them in QT for more than a month. My tank is a 150gal (5x2x2). My first fish were 2 small tangs (yellow & purple) and 6 green chromis. My lights were off the first few months because I was still building my hood (friend is a master woodworker in his spare time). Once I turned my lights on, that's when things really started happening with my rock (turned green) and the rest of the uglies started.

 

[DocPalmer]

I did add fish immediately. I'd had them in QT for more than a month. My tank is a 150gal (5x2x2). My first fish were 2 small tangs (yellow & purple) and 6 green chromis. My lights were off the first few months because I was still building my hood (friend is a master woodworker in his spare time). Once I turned my lights on, that's when things really started happening with my rock (turned green) and the rest of the uglies started.

Thanks for sharing. Last question for you - Live rock or dry rock? My 15 gallon is currently stocked with dry rock (also recommended to me).

 

[schuby]

I started this tank with dry rock. I'd read a lot about it and people were saying that it took longer but the end result was the same as Live Rock, but without any pests. I have not found that to be true.

My first tank, a 90gal, was started with 150 lbs of Live Rock in 2004. I had spectacular success with it, even though I knew next to nothing about reef tanks. I could grow most any coral from a frag into a colony.

My current tank is completely different than my first tank. Everything takes longer to mature and it's been much more fragile. I think the major difference-maker is Live Rock vs dry rock. I think the bio-diversity of Live Rock is critical to long-term success. I've had to manually add bio-diversity to my current tank (wonder-mud, bristle worms, spaghetti worms, & mini-bristle-stars from IPSF.com and feeding clams to my fish are several examples).

A healthy, balanced reef tank is one that has a lot of competition for resources (food) at the micro-level. Unbalanced tanks have issues with dinos, excessive algae, and lack of coral growth. Don't let your phosphate or nitrate levels get and stay at zero: only the most efficient things survive and thrive at those levels, usually that's dinos and/or undesirable algae.

 

[ReefGeezer]

Just did my first test, ammonia looks slightly elevated, no2 and no3 look like 0.

API Ammonia Test Kits look like that at 0 ppm. They just can't be trusted at low levels. MB7 is not intended for cycling a tank. If you must use a cycling product, Fritzyme #9 is pretty good. Dr Tim's works too. Either is easy and relatively quick if you follow instructions.

 

[DocPalmer]

API Ammonia Test Kits look like that at 0 ppm. They just can't be trusted at low levels. MB7 is not intended for cycling a tank. If you must use a cycling product, Fritzyme #9 is pretty good. Dr Tim's works too. Either is easy and relatively quick if you follow instructions.
Would it be acceptable to add a few hermit crabs after cycling rather than a fish?

 

[Azedenkae]

Would it be acceptable to add a few hermit crabs after cycling rather than a fish?

Yes. Just remember to feed them, if they have nothing to feed on.

 

[DocPalmer]

Yes. Just remember to feed them, if they have nothing to feed on.

Thank you!

 

[OlPainless]

Any update on how this turned out for you? I'm on day 2 of using Microbacter7 and ghost feeding per my LFS as well. Thanks in advance.

Hey sorry for the late reply. Looks like some more good info was shared dealing with your concerns. I did mb7 for a few weeks and then the wife started bugging me to put fish in even though it wasn't cycled yet. Gave up on mb7, didn't really want to go that route any longer and wait a few months for it to finally cycle the tank.

Back to the beginning, I started with about 30lbs of dry rock and 40lbs of live sand and mb7. Once I changed my mind, I added about a 1lb live rock along with biospira to quick cycle the tank. I added a peppermint shrimp, a few hermits and a clownfish. that was around maybe April 20th.

Now on June 16th, tank is doing well. I left the lights off mostly for the first few months but have now kept them on during the day. No major issues with the tank, just have the brown diatom algae growing which the Astrea snails love to eat up. I now have 6 fish, 5 hermits, 4 snails, cleaner shrimp (peppermint shrimp and a yellow goby disappeared over night awhile back, think the dang emerald crab ate them, he just died though for some reason) and a serpent sea star. Also have been seeding pods and feeding phyto's to them. I usually feed pellets in the morning and mysis shrimp in the evening.

I also still dose mb7 once a week to keep the benefits of mb7 bacteria in the tank but as far as cycling, I didn't have the patience to wait long enough for it to supposedly work. My LFS guy said using mb7 was a quality thing over the quantity thing which I bought into for a minute until I posted on here.