Liquid bio?

[Brackman]

I just filled up my 180g and the water is somewhat cloudy. I have about 990/gph filtration atm and I am adding a magnam 220-330 not sure which (it's a loaner from a friend till my fx5 arrives). I have the biosponges in my hobs and saw this liquid bio at the lfs. Anyone ever use this stuff? Would it be worth the $$$? Figure it would boost the bio to reduce the ammonia. Lastly how long do you think it will take to cycle that much water? Thanks in advance!!!

 

[HUKIT]

I have used Tetra Safestart and Biospira that has cycled tanks in 7 days. There are others that claim they work but the two above I can confirm they work.

 

[DragonFish71]

I've used the Seachem Stability and NutriFin Cycle. But I don't do it with live fish. I get dead feeders (always free) or a few raw shrimp in a piece of clean pantyhose of a filter media bag (they get nasty as they break down)


Now, a bit of warning about using those products for regular maintenance, they don't work well for that. Most of the bacteria has died by time you've bought the product since there is no food source (other than dead bacteria) and no oxygen. Adding them to cycle a tank is great, live ones will form to eat the dead ones. But when adding them to an already cycled tank you can risk another cycle. I had that happen to 2 tanks, killed of all the fish in one, almost all the fish in another. Just a heads up.

 

[joeynuna]

Personally, i would stay away from bio-in-a-bottle. I use ammonia to cycle my tanks. For a 180 gal you should inject about 34ml of ammonia to cause a spike around 5ppm. Test every other day, when you see ammonia levels drop to about 1 ppm, add it again.

Be patient!, I've found that a properly cycled tank is a lot more enjoyable and less work.

 

[mgamer20o0]

never heard of that one. personally i wouldnt trust it but thats just me. i would just ask the lfs for some gravel to help jump start the cycle.

 

[Brackman]

I wouldn't use it for regular use. Just to try and quicken the initial process. It's hard lookng at 180g of water with no fishies in it lol.

 

[joeynuna]

I wouldn't use it for regular use. Just to try and quicken the initial process. It's hard lookng at 180g of water with no fishies in it lol.

The fish-less cycle works very well. Use ammonia...no fish. I just cycled a 100 gallon tank in just over a month using the fish-less cycle method.

When i started my first few tanks maybe 2 years ago i rushed through the cycling process and found myself spending more time dealing with problems than enjoying the fish.

Good things come to those who wait.