Fishless Cycling.... Extra Speed ?

[mishmash]

Hi, was just reading the article on fishless cycling and I have a question...

Would doing the pure ammonia method, in conjunction with adding a bacteria solution, make the process faster ? I read in the article that people say the cycling bacteria products are rubbish and none work, but with despite being a cynic myself, I still have difficulty believing some of the claims that were made about them. Can they REALLY be that bad ? Surely if they were as bad as some would say, they could not possibly be made available for sale. And every LFS on the planet would be opening themselves up to complaint or legal action for selling a 100ml bottle of "water" for £5 ?

I bought some gel stuff at Maidenhead Aquatics in Hickstead as they said its the "new black" of bacteria products, just wipe it on your media and off you go... sounded worth a try. Then I asked at a branch of Fishey Business and was recommended the Tetra stuff. An independant LFS then suggested the waterlife product (which I bought too, lol).

IT just strikes me that the whole notion of these products all being rubbish is a bit wishy washy and there are too many contradictory claims to make any one claim believable.

 

[grimbeny]

There are tons of products on the market that do not meet their claims, not just in the aquarium industry. Look at things like vitamin and mineral pills, most of these pills available on the market have not met up to claims in scientific studies. There is no body to test these products in a scientific setting and even if the claims are not met there would obviously be no one who would prosicute them.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I was very much like you a ways back. I figured there had to be a hint of truth to these products. They had to do something. I got the Tetra product Safe Start. I did a fishless cycle with it. It didn't make one bit of difference in the end. My cycle still lasted over 6 weeks. You can believe me, or you can try it for yourself. These products may contain bacteria, but it doesn't contain the bacteria in the right form, or alive, or able to move to the filter or any number of other variables for why it doesn't work. Ultimately, I have now fallen deep into the skeptic column now. I am hopeful that some day a product will come along that actually does what is claimed. But, until I see the proof for myself, I will remain a skeptic.


Since you already bought this stuff. Use it if you can't return it. It certainly won't slow down your cycle, it just won't do anything to noticeably increase its speed. If these cycle products worked the way they claimed, they would work just as fast as using mature media. They don't. Mature media used to clone a tank acts instantly (as long as the stocking level is low enough to match the amount of bacteria in the media. Even if you overstock that initially, the mature media will catch it up and it will be fully cycled in about a week. NO cycling product on the market can even come close to matching that.

 

[iadubber]

the fastest way to fishless cycle is go to your LFS and get as much mature bio media, filters, sponges, floss, gravel that you can and put them in your filter and tank. I haven't yet seen a claim that TSS or anything like it helps the cycle at all. I tried TSS in my tank and had no results in two weeks. I went to my LFS and got some ceramics and gravel, boom, the next day I had movement.

 

[Mowbz]

I think the general consensus is that no beneficial bacteria will survive the fluctuation in temperate and time taken from bottling plant to store. It could be months before a bottle of "Friendly Bacteria" (or however else they want to brand it) makes it into your tank.

We all know what happens if you dont give mature media fresh oxgenated water for more than a few hours, it will start to die off. With that in mind, how "Beneficial" do you think that bacteria is by the time it makes it to your tank.