What do you think about this product? 'cycle'

[FastFly67]

 

[saffikeagan]

I used some BiaB to help cycle my tank. 12 hours after using it I had dropping ammonia and rising Nitrites. It wasn't that stuff, but it was refrigerated, and it did work. If you aren't going to miss the money if it doesn't work, it won't hurt to try. Make sure that it is kept refrigerated and it has not expired.

 

[FastFly67]

i read thru the 'how to cycle for dummies' but i can't seem to find pure ammonia anywhere. everything has the cholating *i think that's the word* agents

 

[saffikeagan]

ah, go dig in your freezer, unbury a shrimp or two, peel, and toss in the tank. Perfect source of ammonia w/out wasting time and gas.

 

[FastFly67]

ah, go dig in your freezer, unbury a shrimp or two, peel, and toss in the tank. Perfect source of ammonia w/out wasting time and gas.

this would be an uncooked shrimp correct? i read something about that somewhere. i don't actually have the tank yet. trying to get everything in order first so i know what i'm doing.

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

yes raw shrimp, adding crushed flake food seems to help also

 

[Jchillin]

Don't waste your money. Cycle contains "dormant" bacteria which only wakes up when a sufficient amount of NH3 is present in your tank, which is basically what any new tank will already have.

 

[Sahabo]

I found pure ammonia at my local grocery store for about 2 dollars in the household cleaning section. its called clear ammonia.

 

[CaptainAhab]

Not sure where you're from but most find it in Ace Hardware stores also

 

[bs6749]

Don't waste your money. Cycle contains "dormant" bacteria which only wakes up when a sufficient amount of NH3 is present in your tank, which is basically what any new tank will already have.

But the number of bacteria in the bottle are millions of times greater than the bacteria present in the tank to start.

 

[gheitman]

I've used Cycle and wasn't too impressed with it. I switched over to Seachem's Stability. Using raw shrimp or pure ammonia to start/accelerate the nitrogen cycle is probably the best and safest way.

 

[CaptainAhab]

But the number of bacteria in the tank are millions of times greater than the bacteria present in the tank to start.

And the number of bacteria needed is equal to the ammonia source. All the rest will die of starvation (assuming of course you believe that that strain of bacteria, which need oxygen and water to survive, can be held in stasis and regenerated). This differs from Bio-Spira to the extent that they hold their product in water and refrigerated which is supposed to lower the metabolism and keep the bacteria dormant. You'll also notice the difference in price as well.

Pure ammonia , fish food or a simple shrimp accomplishes the same thing at roughly the same rate. cheap too.

 

[evercl92]

Or just start the process with a couple zebra danios and not wait weeks for the tank to be 'ready'.

 

[saffikeagan]

This is the stuff my LFS had that worked:

Fritz Pet :: Professional Aquarium & Aquaculture Supplies

 

[bs6749]

And the number of bacteria needed is equal to the ammonia source. All the rest will die of starvation (assuming of course you believe that that strain of bacteria, which need oxygen and water to survive, can be held in stasis and regenerated). This differs from Bio-Spira to the extent that they hold their product in water and refrigerated which is supposed to lower the metabolism and keep the bacteria dormant. You'll also notice the difference in price as well.

Pure ammonia , fish food or a simple shrimp accomplishes the same thing at roughly the same rate. cheap too.

The bottle has the bacteria that consume ammonia and produce nitrite as waste and the bacteria that use that nitrite to produce nitrate. The bacteria are dormant and are in the form of spores. Spores are formed by bacteria under stressful conditions such as a lack of food (ammonia/nitrite). Once the supply becomes available the dormant bacteria "come to life". The spores won't "die" from a lack of oxygen and are extremely heat resistant and are more resistant to drying out than the bacteria that produced them. Using Cylce is a great way to speed up the process as both types of bacteria are present in large numbers. The tank will be cycled in a much shorter period of time. I've used it before and it does work.

 

[CaptainAhab]

You're the first that I've ever heard of. IMO still KRAP. It all exists in the environment already. Glad it worked for you though.

I do find it odd that every professional in the trade doesn't use it by the quart though.

BTW: I'm pretty sure that the bacteria strains are different between salt and freshwater. If that's correct, kinda curious how they both exist in that same bottle

 

[bs6749]

You're the first that I've ever heard of. IMO still KRAP. It all exists in the environment already. Glad it worked for you though.

I do find it odd that every professional in the trade doesn't use it by the quart though.

BTW: I'm pretty sure that the bacteria strains are different between salt and freshwater. If that's correct, kinda curious how they both exist in that same bottle

That's exactly what it is...your opinion. The fact is, that it has worked for me. Not my opinion, just something that actually took place.

Every professional in the trade? Not sure what you are referring to there. What do you mean by "professional" and who do you know?

Why a quart? You said yourself that you only need a smaller number (and I agree) but you need BOTH types of nitrifying bacteria...not just the ones that consume ammonia.

You are wrong in your assumption that the strains are different between FW and SW. They can live in both waters comfortably. The sea isn't that salty, having an average salinity of >3%. There are bacteria that are capable of living in the dead sea with a salinity of ~30%. These bacteria are called halophiles. Though I wouldn't consider the nitrifying bacteria as halophiles, they can surely tolerate both freshwater and saltwater.

 

[CaptainAhab]

'That's exactly what it is...your opinion.'

As is yours my friend. I'd be interested to read the control study you did between to equal environments in the same conditions one using the product and one not.

Personally, I know of no fish store in my large metropolitan area that starts their tanks with Hagen Cycle.

Enjoy your day

 

[CaptainAhab]

'Most of the products tested using the saltwater formula claimed to be capable of working in both saltwater and freshwater, however marine species of Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas differ from those that live in freshwater.'

Bacteria Evaluation

 

[bs6749]

'That's exactly what it is...your opinion.'

As is yours my friend. I'd be interested to read the control study you did between to equal environments in the same conditions one using the product and one not.

Personally, I know of no fish store in my large metropolitan area that starts their tanks with Hagen Cycle.

Enjoy your day

It's not my opinion when it WORKED. It would be my opinion if I said it worked well, worked poorly, etc. It's a FACT that it worked in my tank.

Why don't they use that product? Probably because fish stores and commercial fish producers have massive filtration systems that don't require a tank to be cycled prior to adding fish. There's no need to have biological filtration when there is chemical filtration and a constant water change taking place. You still didn't tell me about all of these "professionals" that you know that don't use this product.