Saltwater vs Freshwater Nitrifying Bacteria

[Ruskin]

I'm setting up a new freshwater tank, and I don't currently have another one running I can use to seed it. I've used Dr. Tim's in the past and looked into it but the price seems to be outrageous right now. I looked into Microbacter7 and it seems like a fine solution but then it got me thinking if I can use it for fresh or saltwater why can't I seed my new freshwater tank with media from my saltwater tank? Are the nitrifying bacteria that different? Will most survive the switch and is this a viable option?

 

[Arlen nemeth]

I'm setting up a new freshwater tank, and I don't currently have another one running I can use to seed it. I've used Dr. Tim's in the past and looked into it but the price seems to be outrageous right now. I looked into Microbacter7 and it seems like a fine solution but then it got me thinking if I can use it for fresh or saltwater why can't I seed my new freshwater tank with media from my saltwater tank? Are the nitrifying bacteria that different? Will most survive the switch and is this a viable option?

Im pretty sure its fine cuz bacteria dont really care about there environment

 

[ichthyogeek]

Im pretty sure its fine cuz bacteria dont really care about there environment

I'm very positive that it's not. Freshwater nitrifying bacteria (FNB)are different than saltwater nitrifying bacteria(SNB). In general, SNB are more tolerant of salinity changes than FNB, but they're still very, very different.

Dr. Tim Hovanec's MACNA talk on nitrifying bacteria:
Yeah, he has his own company, which makes him biased, but he also has a degree in microbiology or something like that (I haven't rewatched the video yet).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Im pretty sure its fine cuz bacteria dont really care about there environment

Salinity does impact which bacterial species thrive:

Microbial Biogeography along an Estuarine Salinity Gradient: Combined Influences of Bacterial Growth and Residence Time

Microbial Biogeography along an Estuarine Salinity Gradient: Combined Influences of Bacterial Growth and Residence Time - PMC

Shifts in bacterioplankton community composition along the salinity gradient of the Parker River estuary and Plum Island Sound, in northeastern Massachusetts, were related to residence time and bacterial community doubling time in spring, summer, ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

" Estuarine waters contain strong biological and chemical gradients established by the mixing of freshwater and seawater and modified by autochthonous biological activity. Many of these gradients, including salinity, nutrient concentration, organic matter composition, and bacteriovore community composition, are thought to influence the composition of natural bacterioplankton communities "

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm setting up a new freshwater tank, and I don't currently have another one running I can use to seed it. I've used Dr. Tim's in the past and looked into it but the price seems to be outrageous right now. I looked into Microbacter7 and it seems like a fine solution but then it got me thinking if I can use it for fresh or saltwater why can't I seed my new freshwater tank with media from my saltwater tank? Are the nitrifying bacteria that different? Will most survive the switch and is this a viable option?

I do not know if it will help, but I suspect it is much better than not seeding at all, but not as good as seeding with strains that are already thriving in fresh water.

 

[Ruskin]

I do not know if it will help, but I suspect it is much better than not seeding at all, but not as good as seeding with strains that are already thriving in fresh water.

Thank you, I figured that would be the consensus. My own thoughts without any scientific knowledge was that even dieoff of the bacteria would help move the cycle along.

Out of curiosity how can a product like Microbacter7 be listed for use in both fresh and saltwater in the same container for seeding? Ive noticed that other brands have specific options for either.

 

[blasterman]

what Randy said.

I did a lot of research on this some years ago and the conclusion was freshwater and ocean based bacteria are very similar, but their ratio is much different.

Tests I saw concluded seeding with freshwater substrate to salt decreased cycling time considerably, but the reverse was not true. Randy has likely seen the same white paper.

Aerobic transfer was far less conclusive.

 

[WVNed]

Go outside and get some black dirt

 

[Ruskin]

what Randy said.

I did a lot of research on this some years ago and the conclusion was freshwater and ocean based bacteria are very similar, but their ratio is much different.

Tests I saw concluded seeding with freshwater substrate to salt decreased cycling time considerably, but the reverse was not true. Randy has likely seen the same white paper.

Aerobic transfer was far less conclusive.

Awesome, thanks for the info.

 

[Arlen nemeth]

Salinity does impact which bacterial species thrive:

Microbial Biogeography along an Estuarine Salinity Gradient: Combined Influences of Bacterial Growth and Residence Time

Microbial Biogeography along an Estuarine Salinity Gradient: Combined Influences of Bacterial Growth and Residence Time - PMC

Shifts in bacterioplankton community composition along the salinity gradient of the Parker River estuary and Plum Island Sound, in northeastern Massachusetts, were related to residence time and bacterial community doubling time in spring, summer, ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

" Estuarine waters contain strong biological and chemical gradients established by the mixing of freshwater and seawater and modified by autochthonous biological activity. Many of these gradients, including salinity, nutrient concentration, organic matter composition, and bacteriovore community composition, are thought to influence the composition of natural bacterioplankton communities "

Ok sorry

 

[ElsaV]

I was looking in amazon for a freshwater bacteria to put into my tank with some tilapias and Amazon suggest the Microfiber 7 which I purchased and solve the quantity suggested, my fish started dying. I did not have a clue why?until I noticed that the product suggested by amazon was only for salt water. I have new tilapias and I have another tank but the one I put the bacteria, I clean it and put water into and the water gets cloudy even that there is no fish. Any recommendations? Thank you, Elsa