No More New Tank Misery ?

[karlp]

Hi

I went up to Leicester at the weekend to visit friends and visited an LFS there who have just started stocking Bactinett. Anyone come across this before ?

It's basically live nitrifying bacteria. They have a stand in the shop, with 'pearls' inside. The pearls are in a constant stream of water high in ammonia and nitrite, which the shop have to top up.

If you've got a new tank, you take a bag of these pearls home with you, remove the water from it and put it into your filter. Instant mature filter or at least a shorter less damaging cycle.

See here: Bactinette

I'm wondering if we should petition our LFSs to get this (or equivalent product if anyone knows of another true live bacteria one). It could mean a lot less fish deaths for new fish keepers, particularly if big outlets like Petsmart who are notorious for having poorly trained staff were instructed to recomend it to new tank buyers.

What do you think ?

N.b, I have nothing to do with Bactinett, just concerned about all the dead fishies!

 

[James007]

I have read some reviews of this product and the people who tested it claim that it does work.

Any idea were it can be bought? (especially in the Preston area)

 

[karlp]

I saw it at Clearwater Aquatics in Leicester, but I don't think they do mail order and the bacteria has to be added to the tank within 24 hours so that it's still alive.

 

[Squid]

See this link for a discussion on it...

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...5&hl=bactinetts

looks like its relatively successful, but the graph on their literature still shows a alight ammonia rise between days 2-12, but only a small one. so it depends on whether you see this as acceptable.. im not sure i do.

However, maybe a fantastic way to jumpstart/seed your fishless cycle.. add this stuff, then add ammonia as normal.

I think it may also be good to use in emergencies where you need to set up another tank for some reason, or you have mistakenly killed off all your bacteria..

Cheers
Squid

 

[karlp]

looks like its relatively successful, but the graph on their literature still shows a alight ammonia rise between days 2-12, but only a small one. so it depends on whether you see this as acceptable.. im not sure i do.

IMHO, although the fishless cycle is the ideal, it's quite specialised and you need a fair bit of knowledge, patience and discipline to see it through. The majority of the buying public still go into an Aquatic outlet and expect to buy a tank and put fish in it straight away. At least with Bactinett, the tank only goes through a mini-cycle which is much less likely to cause fish fatalities and disease outbreaks.

 

[Squid]

totally agree fishy mad.. you make a good point.

As long as:

1. The LFS does explain the need for it and sells it.. (if its making money then they might do so)

2. The stuff is kept correctly.. there have been stories of the machines not being kept too well. After all, it still needs to have the ammonia source to keep the live bacteria alive..

 

[karlp]

?? No-one interested in talking to their LFS ?? I know Bio-Spira is a product that also works, although hasn't made it across from the US.

It would be good to try to influence aquatic shops to sell products that reduce the large numbers of fish being killed by unwitting and well meaning new owners, really through no fault of the new owners.

Perhaps a catchy group name or something might help like....

Fishkeepers
Against
Toxic
Tank
In
Early
Stocking ?

or FATTIES