I am coming from the freshwater world where I have been using API Qick Start to cycle new aquariums. I am converting a 30 gallon rimless AIO tank to saltwater. I realize that when adding live rock, I may get a jump start on my cycle. Will API Quick Start, or Dr. Tims, or ATI or any other bacteria help speed up the process?
Start up bacteria
- Thread starter Forkman
- Start date
- Tagged users None
There are tons of posts about using bacteria in a bottle to start a tank. Here is just one of them.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dr-tims-one-and-only-live-bacteria.375895/#post-4595386
And if you have not read this there is ton-o-info here,
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cycling-an-aquarium.306554/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dr-tims-one-and-only-live-bacteria.375895/#post-4595386
And if you have not read this there is ton-o-info here,
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cycling-an-aquarium.306554/
post a pics of your rock, that's how we determine if they need help interestingly. we can tell if they're live by pics and your known history of them...did they come out of a vat of other live rocks, crawling with pods and worms etc>
if so, that's called skip cycle. you can add bacteria, but theyre redundant, and if you added them, you wont be able to measure if they're working or not because live rock moved from pet store to home doesn't ever lose bac, it gains bacteria actually.
post a pic of your marine setup, we'll have it in line by the next post.
there are times live rock expresses ammonia when you bring it home, and that has nothing to do with bacteria.
there is only one param you measure in cycling, if you want the most up to date science. that's ammonia, so post your current ammonia readings after adding nothing but live rock to the water. it is not bad or wrong to measure nitrite and nitrate, they just don't have anything to do with your cycle bc getting test kits to state them accurately is harder than getting them to read correctly.
we only need to know nitrite levels when dosing medications to a tank so we know the upper tolerance levels for the biosystem. not applicable here. the number one unneeded test kit in all of reefing is nitrite. we literally are fine without ever owning the kit, and better off due to myriad reasons.
nitrate is for algae tuning, post cycle, we don't need to know it pre cycle because when ammonia drops its always producing nitrate, though we may or may not be able to measure that.
its helpful to use only one parameter for cycling, that advance is specifically aimed at making this easier for new reefers. I have another giant cycling thread to link on this, but its too much reading. we'll just customize your entire cycle off a single pic, that's better.
if so, that's called skip cycle. you can add bacteria, but theyre redundant, and if you added them, you wont be able to measure if they're working or not because live rock moved from pet store to home doesn't ever lose bac, it gains bacteria actually.
post a pic of your marine setup, we'll have it in line by the next post.
there are times live rock expresses ammonia when you bring it home, and that has nothing to do with bacteria.
there is only one param you measure in cycling, if you want the most up to date science. that's ammonia, so post your current ammonia readings after adding nothing but live rock to the water. it is not bad or wrong to measure nitrite and nitrate, they just don't have anything to do with your cycle bc getting test kits to state them accurately is harder than getting them to read correctly.
we only need to know nitrite levels when dosing medications to a tank so we know the upper tolerance levels for the biosystem. not applicable here. the number one unneeded test kit in all of reefing is nitrite. we literally are fine without ever owning the kit, and better off due to myriad reasons.
nitrate is for algae tuning, post cycle, we don't need to know it pre cycle because when ammonia drops its always producing nitrate, though we may or may not be able to measure that.
its helpful to use only one parameter for cycling, that advance is specifically aimed at making this easier for new reefers. I have another giant cycling thread to link on this, but its too much reading. we'll just customize your entire cycle off a single pic, that's better.
Arthurfarris
Community Member
Some products promise that your aquarium is properly cycled in less than a week. Some brands do hold their end of the bargain, but others do not work as fast as they claim they do.
However, since you have no way to test bacteria starters first before purchasing, you can browse user reviews instead.
However, since you have no way to test bacteria starters first before purchasing, you can browse user reviews instead.
Arthur agreed to that but with one caveat: consider only the reviews created by seneye owners.
Cyclers who don’t use digital ammonia have no remark on accurate timing ammonia dynamics, they have only approximate guesses that seneye wouldn’t agree with.
-not meant to offend, meant to reflect searchable data on comparison threads between seneye and any other nh3 measure-
the last three years since this thread was made have brought notable strides to reef cycling. Seneye showed us all the guesses from the public differ starkly from the true timing events in a cycle.
where public evaluations do show handy pattern is in reporting detected ability to lower ammonia even if the action date was grossly delayed due to using non digital ammonia assessment
also handy from the public data set: try and post one single example of a failed reef tank cycle using seneye or a tale of dead fish, must exclude all non digital means of ammonia assessments and use either a thread showing dead fish or a seneye post. Using those constraints we can see all reef cycles completed fine
Cyclers who don’t use digital ammonia have no remark on accurate timing ammonia dynamics, they have only approximate guesses that seneye wouldn’t agree with.
-not meant to offend, meant to reflect searchable data on comparison threads between seneye and any other nh3 measure-
the last three years since this thread was made have brought notable strides to reef cycling. Seneye showed us all the guesses from the public differ starkly from the true timing events in a cycle.
where public evaluations do show handy pattern is in reporting detected ability to lower ammonia even if the action date was grossly delayed due to using non digital ammonia assessment
also handy from the public data set: try and post one single example of a failed reef tank cycle using seneye or a tale of dead fish, must exclude all non digital means of ammonia assessments and use either a thread showing dead fish or a seneye post. Using those constraints we can see all reef cycles completed fine
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that specifically lines up with seneye testing for fritz, nice test u have there then 
it costs so much due to that quickness agreed. based on feedback from chemists doing tests on brands though I'd choose biospira now as its cheaper, easier to store, less finicky and works on cycling metabolites very very well, tested on seneye in ultra precision ways. biospira is rocking.
fritz is the fastest adhering brand (transition time from dose to adhered to surfaces) if Im not wrong. 24 hours is how long it took to reduce ammonia but coincidentally your tank could have had a 100% water change and it would still pass oxidation carry for a starting bioload...$60 cycling bac yep. stick on fast.
it costs so much due to that quickness agreed. based on feedback from chemists doing tests on brands though I'd choose biospira now as its cheaper, easier to store, less finicky and works on cycling metabolites very very well, tested on seneye in ultra precision ways. biospira is rocking.
fritz is the fastest adhering brand (transition time from dose to adhered to surfaces) if Im not wrong. 24 hours is how long it took to reduce ammonia but coincidentally your tank could have had a 100% water change and it would still pass oxidation carry for a starting bioload...$60 cycling bac yep. stick on fast.
I used brightwell microbacter 7 most of the time, but when I was in a hurry, local Petco had Microbe-Lift Special Blend which worked fine too, but it stinks like hell. I've used API Quick Start too long time ago, works fine if you already have live rock. Takes longer if you have dead rock. Start out with 1 or 2 fish then slowly add more. Those bottles kickstart, but they don't completely allow you to fully stock your tank from the beginning.
