Fishless Cycling with tetra safe start?

[Rafini]

Howdy,

I am setting up my 80gal aquarium in the next few days (for real this time).it has a 30ish gallon sump system so a combined total of around 100-110ish gallons.
This is embarrassing as I have kept fish for probably 20 years now. I bought my first home last year and I am finally setting up my aquarium.
This is the first time I have had to cycle a tank since I was a child, the fish in method was still in favor then unfortunately.

I would like to do a fishless cycle, and I was hoping that adding Tetra safe start would be an alternate option for a cycled filter media (which was usually my method)
This is the only tank I have running so I do not have any cycled filters to take from for the first time in years.
I have no fishkeeping friends, which puts me at the mercy of LFS's.
(If anyone here in Calgary would like to help me out with a bag of sludge I would greatly appreciate it!, maybe trade a starbucks coffee of your choice or something)

I will try to get some scoops of filter media or gravel from my LFS to speed up my cycle, but in the event that I can't I was thinking of using Tetra Safe Start.
Has anyone else used this, is it an effective way to introduce BB during a cycle? Any other products work for you?

Thanks in advance!
Rafini

 

[ichthyogeek]

From the saltwater end, I've had great experience with StartSmart (there's a bottle for freshwater tanks as well). And then dose ammonia accordingly until the cycle ends.

In general Bacteria in a Bottle products have gotten a lot better and there's some good science behind them.

You can also heat the tank up to like 84 F or so to speed up the cycling process.

 

[Stratoquarius]

From the saltwater end, I've had great experience with StartSmart (there's a bottle for freshwater tanks as well). And then dose ammonia accordingly until the cycle ends.

In general Bacteria in a Bottle products have gotten a lot better and there's some good science behind them.

You can also heat the tank up to like 84 F or so to speed up the cycling process.

thanks for your input, I didn’t realize heat increase improved the cycling time.
ill look out for that product also

I probably should have mentioned this, it’s very hard to find ammonia here, it can be used to make bombs allegedly so many retailers do not carry pure ammonia.
Not sure if it’s a provincial thing or country wide.
Is there an alternative besides dropping food in?

At the risk of sounding in-humane, this was a lot easier with patience and 5 black skirt tetras lol
I plan on going to the LFS on Thursday to get set up essentials. I’ll also check out products Relating to bacteria

 

[Rocksor]

Check if you have ammonia in your tap water (especially if disinfected with chloramines). I was able to fishless cycle my tap water because it had 0.5ppm ammonia as a result of chloramine treated water.

 

[Stratoquarius]

Check if you have ammonia in your tap water (especially if disinfected with chloramines). I was able to fishless cycle my tap water because it had 0.5ppm ammonia as a result of chloramine treated water.

the official report from the treatment plant lists <0.05 ppm.

 

[Rocksor]

the official report from the treatment plant lists <0.05 ppm.

chloramine or ammonia? A liquid ammonia test will definitely tell you how much is in your tap water after leaving the water facility

 

[deeda]

I've used StartSmart Complete for a freshwater aquarium and it worked well for me, see if you have it available near you.

 

[dr exum]

seachem stability is nice too?

old media from lfs is good as well!

gl!

 

[Raka]

Bottled bacteria is almost always a gamble and luck of the draw.

If it has overheated or froze during shipping it is likely useless. Knowing this I bought two bottles for my 55 on my last cycle after about 8 weeks of fishless.

The cycle was complete shortly after adding them both, I would use but not rely on it again in the future.

 

[Stratoquarius]

Hey all, a coworker offered to give me some media tomorrow from a well established tank.
I purchased an API test kit today,
Here are my questions.

If I fill my tank up with dechlorinated water today and add wood and rocks etc, after adding the mature media tomorrow what test should I be running? I don’t think there will really be any ammonia in there over night.

should I add some NLS pellets just to make sure there Will be some ammonia by the time I introduce the BB tomorrow? I’m not in any rush to get fish ASAP, but I may have to put something in there once nitrate has been recorded.

sorry for al thequestions, like I said it’s been along time.

thanks in advance!
Rafini