PrettyFishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
Looking for a live bacteria product To cycle my Qt and LR
Alternative to Bio Spira
- Thread starter PrettyFishies
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
pat8you
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'm not really convinced those things do much at all. I would just either get a little sand or swap some live rock from a friends tank or a LFS that you trust. If you really have your heart set on the live bacteria i can't help much though. I tried one once and I'm not willing to recommend it because i don't think it did a whole lot. Hard to tell though.
OP
OP
PrettyFishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
I was thinking if buying a cured piece if LR from the LFS for the LR bin. It's the QT that I have to be careful with because there's Cupramine in it to treat Ich. Tanks empty for now, but i dont want the Ich to get a foothold on anything
pat8you
Aquarium Advice Addict
For QT tanks a lot of people will get a sponge filter for them. You can keep a new sponge in your main display so that it is always cycled and then if you treat your QT with any meds you can just toss the sponge and get a new one for next time since they are so cheap. I know that doesn't help you much for right now but for next time.
As for your situation right now I would a product called ammolock + It will can be added to the water to take out all the ammonia and nitrite. You will be doing so many water changes on the QT anyway that it should keep the levels low as it is. Also keep in mind that many medications will throw off the readings on the water tests for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate so don't panic if you test your water and it show ammonia off the scale or something.
As for your situation right now I would a product called ammolock + It will can be added to the water to take out all the ammonia and nitrite. You will be doing so many water changes on the QT anyway that it should keep the levels low as it is. Also keep in mind that many medications will throw off the readings on the water tests for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate so don't panic if you test your water and it show ammonia off the scale or something.
OP
OP
PrettyFishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
The tank has no livestock. It's not a rush situation. I just want to cycle, clear out the Ich and add a damsel to keep it going.
No ammonia but 3+ ppm Nitrite. I have one medium shrimp in the tank.
No ammonia but 3+ ppm Nitrite. I have one medium shrimp in the tank.
Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
I think a piece of cultured live rock mixed in with the rest of the rock works as well as anything. Don't think the bacteria cultures work well at all. I also don't think there is such a thing as a tank with no ich circulating in the water. The key is for the fish to be health enough that their slime coat protects them. Like a dysfunctional immune system in a human, there is always something in the environment that will attack a fish that isn't fit. I did use a UV sterilizer in an effort to rid the tank of all the unhealthy organisms in the beginning and now that everything has been balanced and running for 20 years, I no longer use it. Not even sure it did me any good early on. Would like to hear the opinions from the rest of the crowd.
Wael El-Dasher
Aquarium Advice Activist
i use a product called Denitrol, I'm not sure if its available in the US, its made by a German company called JBL. I believe Sera also makes a similar product. As far as whether they work or not, I'm confident they do work. Readings for NO3 taken before and after show a difference in a short span of 1 week. At least that's been my experience.
cheers
W
cheers
W
