Evolution Aqua Pure Aquarium + Accelerator

[bexhed]

Hi

Maidenhead Aquatics are selling these balls + accelerator bacteria to help cycle tanks - allegedly in 7 days although a little sceptical about that part (you have to add the accelerator and the aquarium balls over 7 days). It looks fairly convincing, just wondered if anyone had tried it and what they thought? We've just started with it and are getting some interesting readings so far.....

Tank had been set up with gravel, some live plants and an AquaManta EFX 300 external filter - it's a Juwel Rekord 120litres

Day 1 30/10
Temp 77C
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Day 3 01/11
Temp 79C
Ammonia 0.6
Nitrite 0.3
Nitrate 9

So something is definitly happening, although I wasn't expecting to get any Ammonia, Nitrite or Nitrate readings unless I got the gist of this stuff totally wrong (hence no testing on day 2!). I thought it was adding bacteria to populate your filter (the Accelerator) and the Aquarium balls fed the bacteria and kept them alive until there was enough bacteria populating the filter media to deal with the Ammonia and Nitrite once the fish were added.

Would love to hear if anyone else had tried this stuff and what they thought or if anyone knows any more about it. I will keep you posted on our readings over the next couple of days.

 

[anon02]

Sounds interesting

 

[bexhed]

UPDATE READINGS:

First Readings were:
Day 1 30/10
Temp 77C
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Day 3 01/11
Temp 79C
Ammonia 0.6
Nitrite 0.3
Nitrate 9

Now:

Day 4 02/11
Temp 82C
Ammonia 0.6
Nitrite 0.5
Nitrate 9

Day 5 03/11
Temp 79C
Ammonia 0.8
Nitrite 0.8
Nitrate 9

So something is happening. I haven't added anything else but the Accelerator and the Pure balls. They say ready to put fish in from day 7 - although I can't see the Ammonia/Nitrite dropping to 0 in the next 2 days? A water change would do it but I wonder how matured the filter is.....

 

[RustedKnight]

UPDATE READINGS:

First Readings were:
Day 1 30/10
Temp 77C
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Day 3 01/11
Temp 79C
Ammonia 0.6
Nitrite 0.3
Nitrate 9

Now:

Day 4 02/11
Temp 82C
Ammonia 0.6
Nitrite 0.5
Nitrate 9

Day 5 03/11
Temp 79C
Ammonia 0.8
Nitrite 0.8
Nitrate 9

So something is happening. I haven't added anything else but the Accelerator and the Pure balls. They say ready to put fish in from day 7 - although I can't see the Ammonia/Nitrite dropping to 0 in the next 2 days? A water change would do it but I wonder how matured the filter is.....

I wouldn't do a water change unless they suggest to on the instructions.. It's unlikely it'll drop to 0 that quickly, but stranger things have happened.
I would wait until day 7, do a test, then see what happens from there, but I have to say, i'm skeptical.
(I'm still a relitively new fishkeeper, so wait for others to have their say before taking any action)

 

[the biffster]

i noticed these the last
time i was at maidenhead aquatics
and like most people dispelled
it like most filter starters
but it looks like this one
actually works keep us informed as to
how you get i for one who
is interested in what the out
come is .does it give any sort of time scale
that the tank will be matured in

 

[bexhed]

No it doesn't give timescales for when the filter is matured, it just says the tank will be ready to add fish in 7 days. It doesn't say how many fish though - eg it doesn't say fully stock immediately or just put a few in and monitor water levels. The lack of info around this is what is keeping me quite sceptical.

I intend to keep getting readings and then on day 7 assess what to do. It doesn't say to do any water changes, just to add fish. Day 8 we plan to introduce a few fish and monitor the water again and see what happens. I assume the bacteria I am adding are feeding off small amounts of ammonia and nitrite so that when fish are added you don't get massive spikes. I'm still expecting to have to do water changes, but not massive ones, I expect 30% to get it to stay as low as possible. I will keep you all updated though!

 

[Timmy_Bee]

most people on here don't believe in these sort of things, so will be interesting to see the results!

Personally, i wouldn't add fish on the 8th day (sounds like God...) but i would do what we call a qualifying week - add some bottled ammonia and see if it can deal with it and the nitrites within 12 hours.

Have you read the articles on here about fishless cycling? basically, i would start a fishless cycle on day 8 and see if (hope) its ready to go

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, it would be interesting on Day 8 to dose the tank with 3ppm of simple ammonia from Boots and then see what it has done with that at 12 hours and 24 hours.

Our definition of a cycled filter is one that can be dosed with 5ppm ammonia concentration and reduce both that ammonia and the nitrite(NO2) it produces to true zero ppm within 12 hours each day for a full week. This allows the fish to be introduced to a natural environment that will not cause permanent gill or nerve damage.

The shops will continue to come up with variations of all sorts for having you put fish in the tank in a week. You have to be suspicious because this is the best of all worlds for them - they have sold you a product to "prepare" the water, they have kept you from getting impatient and abandoning the aquarium idea altogether, they are ready to sell you the first round of fish and then ready to sell medicines if the fish get sick from the unprepared environment or more fish if the first fish die. Its quite easy to sell things that will put some ammonia and nitrite in the water. That is usually not really cycling.

It makes sense to always to be open to the possibilities of new products however and it will be interesting to hear your report.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[bexhed]

Updated Readings

Day 6 04/11
Temp 78C
Ammonia 0.7
Nitrate 0.7
Nitrate 15

So a significant rise in the Nitrates which suggests that there is some Nitrification going on? I'm trying to get hold of some Ammonia but my local Boots hasn't got any - any suggestions as to where else I could find some? I would prefer to test this stuff with Ammonia! However I don't think it would cope with a large amount of Ammonia added, I think it is probably designed so you can start off very lightly stocking your tank without seeing a huge Ammonia/Nitrite spike. Still would prefer to add some Ammonia and see what happens. Things certainly seem to be heading in the right direction at the moment though.

 

[waterdrop]

I doubt the nitrates are due to any processing by bacteria, the bacteria do not grow and divide on that timescale, so there won't be enough of them to make a visible difference. The nitrate is already -in- the things you are putting in the tank (it would be interesting to put the product in a plastic cup of water and take some measurements over time, with no filter or media being present.) (Do they claim that there are nitrifying bacteria -in- the objects you are putting in?)

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Piltdownpaul]

I used them in June for a week and i didnt have any trouble adding my cichlids.

 

[Skins]

Hello,
I've just googled this product and to my surprise found a link to this forum back from May this year.
I don't want to put a dampers on things but i think you should read this. http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/330895-fish-dying/ (Linda66 entries)

Kind regards, Skins

 

[hillmar77]

Ah nothing beats getting a huge chunk of filter media from a established tank! You will be surprised how fast it will multiply in a new filter. I've had luck by just messaging people who are selling fish that have a monster tank, they usually have no problem donating big chunks of one of there filter media as long as i give him a new one from the store.

 

[Aqua Tom]

I'm trying to get hold of some Ammonia but my local Boots hasn't got any - any suggestions as to where else I could find some?

Boots dont stock it in store (nasty stuff in the wrong hands). You have to order it from their website then get it delivered free to your local store for pick up.

Here is a clicky

Boots Household Ammonia

 

[the biffster]

i think the attempt failed to it been
over stocked if you do it with this
aqua pure and accelerator after seven
days it probably means lightly stock it

what are the reading on the tank today




after all you don't do a fish less.
and go and stock your tank to its
limit the day after its cycled