Fishless Cycle...

[pdiehm]

if I have an Algae scrubber, should I run it during the cycle? Or wait until after the cycle?

In theory, I thinkin running it during the cycle will help it get started and reduce/lessen those ugly's and allow the scrubber to get established and outcompete the display algae...

But...I also would do a lot of things in theory that either won't work or haven't worked.

 

[TheEngineer]

I'd leave the scrubber off. You want an ample supply of food for the bacterial population to grow substantially.

 

[Mebbid]

I agree. If you're stocking the tank slowly, it will give the algae scrubber plenty of time to establish itself before it's truly needed.

 

[Josh@ClearWaterScrubbers]

if I have an Algae scrubber, should I run it during the cycle? Or wait until after the cycle?

In theory, I thinkin running it during the cycle will help it get started and reduce/lessen those ugly's and allow the scrubber to get established and outcompete the display algae...

But...I also would do a lot of things in theory that either won't work or haven't worked.

Do not run the scrubber during the cycle. The algae will consume any ammonia and not allow the tank to cycle properly. It won’t affect anything to start it up once the tank has cycled properly.

 

[DudeBruh]

Wouldn’t run it until there was a need to

 

[pdiehm]

Wouldn’t run it until there was a need to

ugliest mascot in sports.

 

[DudeBruh]

ugliest mascot in sports.

GLAD YOu like it

 

[SantaMonica]

You can start a scrubber during a cycle. It just won't grow much. But at least the attachment surface will start to populate.

 

[brandon429]

Team

SM is correct

When you add water, your tank cycles in forty days with eight skimmers, or none, not that low level ammonia testing will agree consistently.


None of the cycle charts on google images ranges based on brand of bottle bac you add, or whether your nitrites hit high at one point, or if you skimmed, or if you purposefully farmed massive surface area in the form of a living green chia pet which catches and harbors and produces feed daily.

All google cycling charts are a month ish for a reason

We can't starve bac that are hydrated.

The microbiology of cycling thread says these three can reverse or undo a cycle:

Temp
Desiccation
Meds

Many challenges to a fourth have been posed, such as phosphate limitation. Or withholding of ammonia...
Still only three remain, make the case if we should adopt a fourth. Post the thread showing it in deficit as well.



Adding a scrubber boosts a cycle

its not working against a cycle, it's supporting it, making it faster to cover every niche in the tank with bacteria by farming microcommunities and early primary producers which chemically feed bacteria and vice versa.