What do you feed those bacteria in microbe lift and how long after I add ML can I add fish? A week, 2 weeks, 3, 4?
Keen newbies!
- Thread starter FishkeeperDiscoWostit
- Start date
LolJust realised this lol! Anyway, the info is there for all
Also... Is microbe lift only for saltwater aquariums?
Bruce Leyland-Jones
Fish Aficionado
This product is apparently for fresh and saltwater. Visit their website.
The bacteria in the bottle is suspended in its own nutritional soup and the bacteria will eat whatever's available in your tank, without having to add extra ammonia.
You ONLY add fish when your cycle is properly complete and you'll be properly testing your water parameters on a regular basis to see when this happens.
I think most of us are sceptical of bottled bacteria product because of their history. In the early days, they contained the wrong bacteria. Then they were very sensitive to temperature, being killed by being kept too warm or too cold; they had a short shelf life and many people unwittingly bought products containing dead bacteria. There was also mis-information from shops about how to use the products (like the chap I heard telling a customer to add the bottle and all the proposed fish at the same time or it wouldn't work).
So most of us prefer to use bottled bacteria to speed up a fishless cycle; that way if it doesn't work we are not left doing a fish-in cycle.
So most of us prefer to use bottled bacteria to speed up a fishless cycle; that way if it doesn't work we are not left doing a fish-in cycle.
With bottled bacteria, when will I know when the cycle is complete? It cant be the same as ammonium cyclingThis product is apparently for fresh and saltwater. Visit their website.
The bacteria in the bottle is suspended in its own nutritional soup and the bacteria will eat whatever's available in your tank, without having to add extra ammonia.
You ONLY add fish when your cycle is properly complete and you'll be properly testing your water parameters on a regular basis to see when this happens.
Bruce Leyland-Jones
Fish Aficionado
Whether or not you use bottled bacteria, just plants or even try it with fish present, (NOT recommended), the indicators for the progress of any cycling are your water parameters. Testing, testing and more testing...there's no way around it. That said, I did find when I was waiting for my latest tank to 'cycle' that the testing at least gave me something aquarium-related to do and it got me into a good habit, that I've been able to maintain since.
Ok so the same... 0 ppm nitrates, nitrates, and ammonium
Bruce Leyland-Jones
Fish Aficionado
Ideally, yes...though I do hear tell that you can get away with a tiny amount of nitrate. Simplest is just to aim for straight zeroes.
Most tanks will have *some* nitrAtes, which is perfectly normal, and manageable with water changes and/or heavy planting....ammonia and nitrItes need to always be zero in a cycled tank.
Bruce Leyland-Jones
Fish Aficionado
Another good argument for heavy planting, perhaps?
I always advocate for live plants in all aquariums (where feasible, some fish destroy/eat plants), the benefits are too great to ignore.Another good argument for heavy planting, perhaps?
I'm going to have anubias, java fern, and red root floaters...
Do they require root tabs or a certain substrate? I'm only doing ones that can grow on rocks or driftwood
Have a look at some of the crypts as well, easy-to-grow, low-light plants
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