Ways to speed up nitrogen cycle

convict360

convict360

Potamotrygon
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Dec 9, 2013
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In any uncycled tank, the ammonia and nitrites will shoot right up, quick start or equivalent, adds nitrifying bacteria so that in essence the bacterial colony is immediately established.

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sabmakj21

sabmakj21

Jack Dempsey
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Jan 2, 2014
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From what I remember of other posts about API's Quickstart, it does not contain the actual bacteria that would grow in your aquarium once properly cycled, but it does contain similar type(s) of bacteria that will aid in the acceleration of the nitrogen cycle, which in turn will eventually propagate the necessary bacteria in your aquarium. This bottled bacteria works like the actual BB, I guess in a sense temporarily replaces the real stuff until it grows. I have been using it to jumpstart new tanks and it works decently well. You will still need to monitor water parameters, and do partial water changes as needed, after you add your fish. I just would not put any delicate fish in until after, best to start with hardy fish that can tolerate adverse conditions.


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jstehman

Candiru
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Feb 23, 2012
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Technically all you need is a handful of gravel or filter media from an established tank.

The bacteria will reproduce quickly if you add a hardy "volunteer" like rosies or giant danio or whatever is cheap to produce small amounts of waste to feed the bacteria.

Monitor your water.

When you have nitrites this is good.
Nitrates will go to 0.
Ammonia will drop to 0.
Nitrates go up. Done

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Drstrangelove

Drstrangelove

Potamotrygon
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Oct 21, 2012
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bloodlucky said:
Hello everyone if you read my past posts I had to completely abandon my old 40 and I'm in the process of buying a new one as a replacement. When I do sometime next week I want to buy a lot of media as well (preferably not from someone else's tank.) I read somewhere that there is "live sand" and decor you can get that contain loads of ammonia and nitrite eating bacterias but I don't know if these can apply to freshwater tanks. So does anyone know if there is bacteria containing sand and decor for freshwater fish available at generic pet stores, and if not if there are any alternative media sources I can use to speed up the cycle? Also just making sure but to do a fish less cycle all I should be doing is adding tiny parts of fish food daily and measure the water quality, right? And finally if I'm doing a fish less cycle but adding a ton of media sources do I still need to be adding fish food? Thanks


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Click to expand...

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Stability.html

http://www.apifishcare.com/product.php?id=618#.U9toQvldV0s


Here are a couple products designed to start a tank's nitrogen cycle "faster" than normal. I haven't used either, since I've always preferred the fishless cycle methods, but you can get some feedback on these products.


As for your other questions: 1) in fishless cycling (there is already a sticky for this), you can use ammonia or food. The amount of BB you grow will depend on what sustained level of ammonia / food goes into the tank. Tiny amounts = tiny population. 2) if you are adding media sources----which means, media with existing BB in it----then you will need to continue to add some food or ammonia. BB are animals that will (like most animals) die without food. They don't hibernate in absence of food, so keep feeding.

As others have suggested, you should test the water (prior to adding fish) if you want to accelerate the process beyond natural means, else you may have problems.
 
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jaws7777

Probation Member
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I have use Tetra safestart withe great success. Works in less than a week

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bloodlucky

Gambusia
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Jul 23, 2014
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convict360 said:
In any uncycled tank, the ammonia and nitrites will shoot right up, quick start or equivalent, adds nitrifying bacteria so that in essence the bacterial colony is immediately established.

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Would this mean that raising ammonia and nitrite levels are deemed unnecessary with the Quick Start added?


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bloodlucky

Gambusia
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Jul 23, 2014
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sabmakj21 said:
From what I remember of other posts about API's Quickstart, it does not contain the actual bacteria that would grow in your aquarium once properly cycled, but it does contain similar type(s) of bacteria that will aid in the acceleration of the nitrogen cycle, which in turn will eventually propagate the necessary bacteria in your aquarium. This bottled bacteria works like the actual BB, I guess in a sense temporarily replaces the real stuff until it grows. I have been using it to jumpstart new tanks and it works decently well. You will still need to monitor water parameters, and do partial water changes as needed, after you add your fish. I just would not put any delicate fish in until after, best to start with hardy fish that can tolerate adverse conditions.


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When you use it, do you do anything else to the nitrogen cycle? Like do you still add ammonia sources or do you just let it sit for a while


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bloodlucky

Gambusia
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Jul 23, 2014
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New York
Also one final question, this might be a little ridiculous but, what say I use multiple products that were listed above at once. Would they combine to create one huge explosion of BB and make the cycle instant? XD Or is it better to stick to one product.

Also when I add dosages is it a one time thing or do I continue adding overtime?


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jaws7777

Probation Member
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I dont think anything will give you an instant cycle in the sense that tou can stock it like crazy and over feed. I would use one product. I went with tetra safestart and my parameters were 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and 5 ppm of nitrate in less than a week but I still fed lightly. I never even registered nitrite. I also tried stability but did not have success though many other members have so I cant say the product isnt good just didnt work for mech

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divemaster99

divemaster99

Dovii
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Jan 10, 2014
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I just take a sponge filter from a mature tank of mine and put it in a new one hat way I can add fish right away, not all mind you and I still monitor water for the first month or so but I never run into any ammonia or nitrite for any of the times I've done it so far. Once you have one tank going and you can afford to keep buying sponge filters you're pretty much done with any major cycling. At least that's how it is for me and everyone in my local fish club.
 
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