Do you ever buy live bacteria in a bottle? How well does it work?

[johnnycoolxx]

I was thinking of buying some live bacteria in a bottle at the LFS, but I don't know how well it works. Do you just pour it on the filter and in the water and it'll start breaking down the ammonia and nitrites right away?

What have your experiences been using live bacteria in a bottle?

 

[papawoody]

i've tried a couple different kinds and using a mature sponge filter , it still took about a week or two to cycle

 

[OscarRobinson]

I personally have never used it but from what I hear bio spira works well but it must be refrigerated or the bb will die off.

 

[Krawnik]

I personally think bottled bacteria is a scam. I didn't notice any appreciable benefits to trying it. I tried both BioSpira and SafeStart and with both it still took 2-4 weeks to cycle.

You're better off asking your LFS for a cup full of gravel from an established tank. Offer to pay for it if you have to.

 

[justonemoretank]

Most of it doesn't work at all. Dr. Tim's One And Only is the only one I've ever had experience with that actually worked. I added fish the next day, and never saw any Ammonia or Nitrite.

 

[Red_Belly_Pacu]

Presently cycling a new tank with Seachem Stability. Read in these boards and around the internet, it does work. After 4 days of using it, I am getting a strong nitrite reading which means the cycle is going fast. I have 4 doses left in the next 4 days. I would buy this product again to cycle my tanks.

Used Bio Spira before and it works also but it got discontinued. Tetra Safe Start took its place but I never tried it before. Safe Start is very expensive compared to the Seachem Stability.

 

[Bottomfeeder]

Bottled Bacteria, AKA warm pee-scented brown liquid. You are better off borrowing some filter media or gravel from a running tank

 

[johnnycoolxx]

I personally think bottled bacteria is a scam. I didn't notice any appreciable benefits to trying it. I tried both BioSpira and SafeStart and with both it still took 2-4 weeks to cycle.

You're better off asking your LFS for a cup full of gravel from an established tank. Offer to pay for it if you have to.

That's what I was afraid of. I had a little trouble believing that good bacteria could survive in a bottle until someone buys it. But I think your idea of getting a cup of gravel from the LFS is probably a better one.

 

[Red_Belly_Pacu]

I personally think bottled bacteria is a scam. I didn't notice any appreciable benefits to trying it. I tried both BioSpira and SafeStart and with both it still took 2-4 weeks to cycle.

You're better off asking your LFS for a cup full of gravel from an established tank. Offer to pay for it if you have to.

Two weeks to cycle a tank, you mean about 10 days right with Bio Spira. That is from my experience.

 

[Bottomfeeder]

I'd never take the stuff from the lfs. Risk of transfering disease is too great IMO. If you have any friends with fish, ask them. Or just cycle the first tank.