Nutrafin Cycle

[TheCrazyFishLady]

So, my boyfriend finally got me my birthday and Christmas gifts yesterday! He works in North Dakota for months, so he just recently got back. Anyway, he bought me a Fluval Chi for my sunshine plakat and in the box was this Nurtafin Cycle stuff. Since I cannot seed the filter in the Chi, I'm just going through a fish-in cycle (closely watched, of course. This guy is in good hands) with this junk.

I have heard everything about it, good and bad. Honestly, I don't buy it and I wouldn't literally buy it myself. Just some free sample. It smelled like nothing and just looked like water. So, maybe they just put water into my bottle? haha

Oh and it wasn't refrigerated or anything like that. Just sitting in the box for however long.

So, if this stuff does work (HIGHLY doubtful), I'll go promote it myself.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

I wouldn't trust it, but if you got some shrimp, like 5, and start with that for a few weeks, that could be a safe and easy way. I wanted a chi, but I read some bad reviews, good luck!

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Oh, I don't trust it at all, but rather try it so I know for myself. I normally do the ghost shrimp route with a seeded filter.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Yes you do. Do you know why you do? Because you are smart! Hahaha I'm on a road trip from southwest Florida to upstate NY 23 hour drive ahhhhhh sorry if I and being silly.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

haha. No, it's totally fine. I understand how boring long trips can get.

Anyways... Nothing amazing has happened yet. No magical amazing as of yet.

Except... I have absolutely no clue how to turn the light off on this tank. Someone please help!

 

[stingrays4]

Hi i have used nutrafins cycle many times and it seems to work for me I have used it to give my filters a boost when i felt they have needed it - like after a major clean,or adding a new filter and it seems to help? As for cycling a tank i always use waterlifes 'Biomature' and also use the cycle to help speed up the cycle as it did in my Fluval edge tank As for your light question?Sorry cannot help on that one? But there must be a switch somewhere? Good luck

 

[jetajockey]

There's a little plastic bar on the back side of the filter housing that you have to pull up over a little bump thing and slide it to the side.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

There's a little plastic bar on the back side of the filter housing that you have to pull up over a little bump thing and slide it to the side.

I was wondering what that thing was! Thank you. I never read manuals or anything, just dive right in and get confused. haha

And about the Nutrafin working, that's awesome. I have read of it working for people and that's what prompted me to try it since I have a free sample. I just dumped the whole bottle in. Is that what you do?

Oh, and I'm not planning on using any cycle-in-the-bottle things after this. I just wanted to try it to see if it works. I've got plenty of cycled tanks of my own and I can always grab more filter gunk and pads from my boyfriend's if need be. Just trying to educate myself a little bit, since it comes up so frequently and all I can say is that I don't believe it will work.

 

[jetajockey]

I've posted a lot on bacteria supplements and my general position is that most of them don't have the same kind of bacteria that are naturally found in the tank. If they did they'd have a very limited shelf life and would ideally be refrigerated (although some shelf brands do have limited use-by dates, TSS for example). That doesn't mean that other bacteria boosters do nothing, it just means that they are not likely sustain a tank long term so just be wary when using them.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Of course, I'm keeping a very close eye on things. And that's why I specified I had no idea how old it was and that it had been at room temperature. I have read a lot of things you have said, actually. I'm just trying to gain some of my own first hand knowledge. That's one of the problems with reading too much, you don't to actually experience things and with my boyfriend being borderline-fish-elitist, I don't get the trial and error that I did before. But, like I said, Dorian (the plakat) is in great hands and I had plenty of extra filters and fully cycled tanks sitting around to fix any issue as quickly as possible. I even have a couple different tanks I could transfer him to in the case something drastic happens.

 

[stingrays4]

Hi yes it is different to the bacteria in your tank.I am not sure how it works but it certainly has helped me a time or two and can thing of several cases where it has sorted out a filter problem

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Interesting. Well, I shall see how it goes.

 

[jetajockey]

The problem with some of the things I've seen is that someone has read a bunch of times that something doesn't work, or vice versa, and then they claim it also even though they really don't know anything about it. It's the same way if they happen to use it once and things go well (or badly), they assume it does/doesn't do as-advertised without any real understanding of the process.


I definitely agree, nothing wrong with trying it out. Some people speculate that it could hinder/harm/outcompete the natural biofilter but the logic behind that just isn't sound, since the entire premise is that the booster bacteria is not self sustaining in aquaria.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Completely agree. I try to do as much research as possible. My biggest issue with this hobby is that almost on anything, you can find every single answer possible. So, you really do just have to try everything out for yourself just to see for yourself. And then, as you said, it could be a random result that is not normal.

Like, the Chi for instance. I keep reading on forums that it gets such bad reviews and like on Amazon.com and Petsmart.com, the reviews aren't that bad. There are obvious drawbacks to it, but you know that upon first glance of it. So... I'm pretty confused on where all of these bad reviews are at. So far, my only issue has been ytrying to figure out where the light switch was. haha

 

[jetajockey]

I've got a Chi and it's sitting empty at the moment. The filter quit after about 6 months or so. When I first bought it I returned it because the filter had a rattle in it, sounded like something was loose. Got a new one, and it did the same thing.

Overall though I like the design.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Hm... yea, the filter is interesting for sure. I love the concept, but I guessed it wasn't going to be the greatest thing it the world. I posted another thread that didn't get any hits, so maybe you can help? What would you recommend for replacement pads? I normally cut mine out of the blue/white pads, but they are too thick for this. Should I do half of those or just stick to the manufacturer's cartridges?

 

[jetajockey]

Honestly, I never replaced, just rinsed them and put it back in. But yeah you can use anything cut to fit.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

I know not to replace frequently. But, the manufacturer cartridges tend to not last as long as the self-cut filter floss ones do.

I hope this tank works out though. It was a replacement for a cracked plastic hex tank. Hex tanks are honestly the worst tanks in my experience. ALl six of them I have had have cracked on me.

 

[stingrays4]

Hi i go to the pond filter section at me local shop and buy some different grades of sponges and then simply cut to size Also only look to replace the sponge when its reluctant to return to its proper shape after rinsing or feels 'weak' less springy describes that better

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Yea, I know all that stuff. Thanks though.