Which nitrifying bacteria do you prefer to cycle your tank and why?
- Thread starter Paul31733
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I think it breaks down best this way
each bottle has a label # of days until it says it carries life. they've studied this, its 2021, they're right. what varies are our testers, and as such our evaluation of bottle bac varies.
label dates... pick one that meets the time you want. add it, some ammonium chloride, a pinch of grinded up fish food so it distributes well per DR's trick, wait fifteen days, change water, you're cycled to the degree you had sand and rock attachment points.
the brand doesn't matter, the # of days on the label you want to wait decides. we didn't list what your kits said, what your ammonia got to, just approximate it. final water change is to equalize all the variables and the filtration slicks remain behind, locked in.
what water bac do in water doesn't require a ton of help from us, but we pay more $ if we think it does.
fastest per studies and post pattern: fritz biospira dr tims
fastest = able to carry life that acts normal, as if its not being burned.
each bottle has a label # of days until it says it carries life. they've studied this, its 2021, they're right. what varies are our testers, and as such our evaluation of bottle bac varies.
label dates... pick one that meets the time you want. add it, some ammonium chloride, a pinch of grinded up fish food so it distributes well per DR's trick, wait fifteen days, change water, you're cycled to the degree you had sand and rock attachment points.
the brand doesn't matter, the # of days on the label you want to wait decides. we didn't list what your kits said, what your ammonia got to, just approximate it. final water change is to equalize all the variables and the filtration slicks remain behind, locked in.
what water bac do in water doesn't require a ton of help from us, but we pay more $ if we think it does.
fastest per studies and post pattern: fritz biospira dr tims
fastest = able to carry life that acts normal, as if its not being burned.
Last edited:
amps
Active Member
I'm constantly spinning up QT tanks and redoing my display tanks so I've gone through a lot of bottles and I've run a ton of ammonia tests
BioSpira or Dr Tims 100%. I've had pretty good luck with Nutrafin Cycle from Petsmart in a pinch as well (cheap and easy to get). Fritz, Brightwell and Seed have all been busts for me. Seed is ok but slow and not great if you need to get something going fast.
BioSpira or Dr Tims 100%. I've had pretty good luck with Nutrafin Cycle from Petsmart in a pinch as well (cheap and easy to get). Fritz, Brightwell and Seed have all been busts for me. Seed is ok but slow and not great if you need to get something going fast.
tehmadreefer
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Brightwell microbacter starter
SPR1968
No, it wasn’t expensive dear....
Reef Squad
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I can recommend ATM Colony, I posted this the other day on my build thread as somebody asked me a similar question
Day 1, 5 bottles of ATM Colony added along with around 30 fish in straight away (its big!).
Life......
Exactly 12 months later, does it work as advertised, I think it might....
Day 1, 5 bottles of ATM Colony added along with around 30 fish in straight away (its big!).
Life......
Exactly 12 months later, does it work as advertised, I think it might....
OP
OP
Paul31733
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I have never heard of this product thank you I will look into this. I am in Canada and sometimes we cannot get all the awesome reef products other countries get.I can recommend ATM Colony, I posted this the other day on my build thread as somebody asked me a similar question
Day 1, 5 bottles of ATM Colony added along with around 30 fish in straight away (its big!).
Life......
Exactly 12 months later, does it work as advertised, I think it might....
PghReef
Well-Known Member
Liverock bacteria. Can be bought from kpaquatics and a few other sources.
The stuff is so strong it can't be bottled and must be kept in the nooks and crannies deep within rocks. Alwo if past its shelf life the smell is so pungent it can clear a house.
The stuff is so strong it can't be bottled and must be kept in the nooks and crannies deep within rocks. Alwo if past its shelf life the smell is so pungent it can clear a house.
ying yang
2500 Club Member
Day 16 of qt cycling with dr tims oao.waiting few hours to see if 2 ppm amnonia added can be made 0 ppm within 24 hours as reading alot lately on nitrites in salt water not so toxic and after x amount time can just do 100% water change and tank cycled.
Amnonia was 0.
Nitrites either 2 or 5 +ppm as bright purple colour on api test kit and hard to see difference really.
nitrates 10-20 ppm
Also on dt using stabilty and about 3 weeks into it but only last 1.5 weeks using stability as was adding fish flakes.
Amnonia 1ppm
Nitrites 0.25
Nitrates 10
So hoping this amnonia ends up showing 0 ppm on test shortly and do 100% water change and add first ever salt water fish to qt on monday which will be 19th day since added one and only and added amonia few times.
Also need decide/research some more on pros /cons of quarantining some of the cuc im wanting or to just put straight into main display tank when tank ready .
Feeling excited/nervous/scared all at same time as first ever reef tank ha ha but hopefully all the research ive done in last 2 months and few months worth 5 years ago will help me and just joined this site ready to ask questions/advice as needed and hopefully give advice back as my experience grows as research is fantastic but nothing beats hands on experience of someone who has succeded or even failed on something ^_^
Amnonia was 0.
Nitrites either 2 or 5 +ppm as bright purple colour on api test kit and hard to see difference really.
nitrates 10-20 ppm
Also on dt using stabilty and about 3 weeks into it but only last 1.5 weeks using stability as was adding fish flakes.
Amnonia 1ppm
Nitrites 0.25
Nitrates 10
So hoping this amnonia ends up showing 0 ppm on test shortly and do 100% water change and add first ever salt water fish to qt on monday which will be 19th day since added one and only and added amonia few times.
Also need decide/research some more on pros /cons of quarantining some of the cuc im wanting or to just put straight into main display tank when tank ready .
Feeling excited/nervous/scared all at same time as first ever reef tank ha ha but hopefully all the research ive done in last 2 months and few months worth 5 years ago will help me and just joined this site ready to ask questions/advice as needed and hopefully give advice back as my experience grows as research is fantastic but nothing beats hands on experience of someone who has succeded or even failed on something ^_^
Brady4000
I just wanted a Mantis Shrimp.
Dr Tim’s.
Why: First one I tried and it worked like a charm.
Cycled my 32g and 60g (dry rock and sand) in less than a week for my 32g and about two weeks for my 60g. I got ammonia readings on my 60g. Never seen ammonia on my 32g after adding it. Since it was my first tank, I thought something was wrong.
No idea how the others work, but I’ll be using Dr. Tim again if I cycle another tank. “If it’s not broke don’t fix it” type of thing.
Why: First one I tried and it worked like a charm.
Cycled my 32g and 60g (dry rock and sand) in less than a week for my 32g and about two weeks for my 60g. I got ammonia readings on my 60g. Never seen ammonia on my 32g after adding it. Since it was my first tank, I thought something was wrong.
No idea how the others work, but I’ll be using Dr. Tim again if I cycle another tank. “If it’s not broke don’t fix it” type of thing.
The stuff outta mature live rock is best. More the merrier. However a little live rock diversity, given a chance to propagate a dry rock system, will give similar results.
Azedenkae
Valuable Member
Have a look at this: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bacteria-in-a-bottle-myth-or-fact.403226/
Not saying "changeeee!" or anything like that, but just thought you might be interested in seeing the results on an experiment done by a member of this forum on which product seem to work best.
Brady4000
I just wanted a Mantis Shrimp.
Ok that was actually an impressive read, thank you for sharing! What a difference in performance. Definitely not going to pass up fritz turbo start if I have another tank build lol.
Thanks again.
Edit: But still will grab Dr. Tim’s off the shelf if need be lol. Aka “Change is hard”. Hah.
Devaji
5000 Club Member
I just cycled my new tank ( and cycled one about 15 months before too) my thoughts
if you wanted the best (IMHO) use turbo start i cycled my nano with that and was so very impressed with it. keep in mind it will smell pretty bad.
the new tank a lot bigger RS650P I had more time and less $$ so I opted for a shelf stable bac. brightwell start xlm I liked that it does not have to be shipped over night or refrigerated and a lot less money. for me it did take longer than the 7 days around 14 days
so if you got more time and less money use that. if you want the best and need it now use fritz
if you wanted the best (IMHO) use turbo start i cycled my nano with that and was so very impressed with it. keep in mind it will smell pretty bad.
the new tank a lot bigger RS650P I had more time and less $$ so I opted for a shelf stable bac. brightwell start xlm I liked that it does not have to be shipped over night or refrigerated and a lot less money. for me it did take longer than the 7 days around 14 days
so if you got more time and less money use that. if you want the best and need it now use fritz
Azedenkae
Valuable Member
Haha yes, was a very impressive read. Wished I knew about it before I cycled my second-last tank with Microbacter7.
But hey, at the end of the day, if it works for you, then yeah totes understand keeping with it. At the end of the day there are other factors that can come into play with how a person cycles their tank, and who knows if Dr. Tim's might end up working better for you that Fritz would. So yah.
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