Cycling just my filter

[lucylulu]

So I've placed an order for a few bags of Aqua soil and a range of easy growing plants (I'll do a post of my full/planned setup soon). Until that arrives I was thinking it might be good to have my filter running to start developing some bacteria?

I have a bottle of Tetra SafeStart. I don't have any fish food or decaying shrimp to use for ammonia but my mum suggested defrosting some scampi (and removing the batter). I just wanted to see if all of this sounds like a good idea, or am I suffering from beginners over keenness to get things going?

 

[flitabout]

I wouldn't do that. I am really not a fan of the fish food/raw shrimp method. It smells, clouds the tank and IMO is just plain gross. It's way cheaper and cleaner to go the hardward store and get ammonia. For $5 I got a gallon bottle that I still have 5 years later an then go to the drug store and get an oral syringe to get your dosing right. Do not use anything that has been cooked which anything battered out of the freeze will be it has oils and things that will not be good for your tank. The ammo method is the cleanest method by far, and your plants will love it when they arrive!!!

 

[lucylulu]

Thank you flitabout, that all makes a lot of sense. I guess I'll wait till tomorrow and get some ammonia.

 

[flitabout]

Try this calculator for your ammonia dosing. It's the one I use.
Calculator

 

[lucylulu]

Try this calculator for your ammonia dosing. It's the one I use.
Calculator

That's really handy, thank you x

 

[Caliban07]

In the UK, Kleen Off ammonia would be the one to look for.

 

[lucylulu]

So I've been to B&Q and seems they no longer stock ammonia :s So on the way back I pass an aquatics store so popped in to see if they had anything for a fishless cycle. He offered some bacteria, I asked "but what will they eat". Turns out they've not heard of fishless cycling.

In the UK, Kleen Off ammonia would be the one to look for.

Yays thank you I've found some on eBay so hopefully won't take too long. Would have preferred to find some locally but at least it still exists here in the UK!

 

[flitabout]

I would definitely be careful with that bacteria in a bottle. Some are really great and some end up being nothing more than over priced water. So while it will take a while to establish with ammonia it is well worth it in the long run to have a stable tank.
I used one a few years ago when I was getting back in to the hobby when my kids brought home goldfish from the county fair. It took me 6 months to get that tank truly stable! I had ammo lvls that would rise on their own. I rehomed the gf, there was nothing in the tank and no fish in it. Ridiculous nitrate. The only thing that ran normal was the nitrites. Again some maybe good I have heard success stories with them. But there are variables that your LFS won't even know about. Things like when was it manufactured? Temps during shipping? To high is bad and so is to low.

 

[Caliban07]

Scientists are still discovering different strains of micro organisms that they believe are responsible for certain aspects of the nitrogen cycle. The latest are not even a bacteria. I would save your money. Time is free...

 

[lucylulu]

So is the bacteria in a bottle a no go due to being a potential waste of money? like if it was free would it be worth trying or are there hidden risks in using it in attempt to get a stable culture going?

 

[agrasyuk]

So is the bacteria in a bottle a no go due to being a potential waste of money? like if it was free would it be worth trying or are there hidden risks in using it in attempt to get a stable culture going?

if it was free and I was setting another new tank that I wouldn't need in a hurry I would try it just to see how new chemicals work. if I was setting up a first and only tank while itching to get fish I would go with proven methods to get proven results within estimated time instead of experimenting.

use ammonia. or if you have more patience just feed the tank a little every day (you will need fish food anyways). everything will just magically work after 3 weeks.

good luck

 

[flitabout]

I don't think I would even do it if it was free.

 

[lucylulu]

Well I've got my bottle of Kleen Off but I've decided to just hold out till my soil comes and cycle in the tank. Also I've decided to upgrade my filter media to some Biohome Ultimate. Of which comes with some free filter starter balls but with what's said here I'm not sure I'll use them.