Keeping good bacteria before cycling

[KenLoach]

Hi Guys

New to the forum, new biorb for birthday which I am cycling (with danios).

I was just wondering - usual advice is to set up the tank, leave to settle for 24-48 hours then add fish. In the absence of fish, how long does the small 'starter' amount of good bacteria live in the tank? Is it possible to wait too long after it's added during the setup?

Did my first set of readings today, PH 7.1 Ammonia 0 Nitrates 0 Nitrites 0 - guess it's too early yet (day three). At least indicates that tap water is nitrate free (presumably)

Already got lots of great info from the forums.

 

[WILDER]

Best to add gravel and mature sponges to filter before you put the fish in, what fish will you be keeping apart from the danios as they are not very large tanks,.

 

[KenLoach]

I'm not sure yet, a few weeks to wait and have a browse around. Would like a couple of 'larger' colourful types, or at least as large as would be sensible in a biorb which I expect isn't all that large.

Saw fab little dwarf albino frog in the shop, very tempting & cute. Haven't researched it enough to know if its a good match yet.

3 days in and I am contemplating a bigger setup

 

[WILDER]

Your'e addicted like the rest of us, start of with a small tank, few weeks later thinking of a bigger one.

 

[nc_nutcase]

where does it end one may ask..... a week shy of completing a 3 montgh 550 Gal project... and now I'm realizing it isn't quite big enough for what I want to do....

in other words... it doesn't end

 

[sinistral]

In the absence of fish, how long does the small 'starter' amount of good bacteria live in the tank? Is it possible to wait too long after it's added during the setup?

This is a great question. I've looked on the web (rather extensively), and nobody seems to have a definite answer to that question.

My belief is that it is definitely possible to add bacterial starter or seed (gravel or a filter from an established aquarium) too soon...bacterial that don't produce spores don't live long in general. Also, if you've had a cycled tank and moved all the fish out, and then move them back in again, it doesn't seem like long before you are getting nitrogen readings...

It's safest to add the starter as you are putting the fish in, or even after that.

 

[rdd1952]

I actually did a 5 gallon water change/gravel vacuum on my 29 gallon tank today, changed the filter, (it was the same one that had been in since I set the tank up at Christmas) rinsed the actual filter system out with tank water and then added the water back. I checked the water again in about 10 minutes and had a nitrite reading of .25. And before anyone asks, I tested water before the WC and there were no ammonia or nitrite and nitrate was between 5 and 10. The tank is fully cycled so i haven't had nitrite or ammonia readings in ages and the nitrate level generally runs about 5 or 10 so nothing was out of line. I also checked the tap water after I got the .25 reading and it was at zero as I expected. I plan to check it again tomorrow morning and do a small WC if needed. Why would I get a nitrite reading that quick?