Speeding Up The Cycle

[rms]

Hi,
 
I was wondering if it's possible to add something to your tank, whilst cycling, to speed things up. We add ammonia to promote bacteria, but then have to wait for that bacteria to turn ammonia into nitrite, and then waiting for the nitrite eating bacteria to form. Can't we add ammonia + nitrite? Is there a substance we can include that promotes the growth of bacteria that consumes nitrite, as well as the bacteria that consumes ammonia?
 
Pretty sure I'm not the first person to think of this, but can't find anything as yet on the web....

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I assume you mean something other than actually just adding the bacteria itself.
 
 
You can add something to bring the pH up to about 8.4, as the bacteria seem to prefer that.  This can be done adding carbonate to the tank.... either sodium bicarbonate or calcium carbonate.  This also raises the kH keeping the pH more stable during the cycle.  The bacteria actually need an inorganic carbon source to allow them to build their biofilm, I believe.
 
 
You can also bring the temp up to about 84F/30C.  Again, this is preferable to the bacteria.
 
 
You can also increase aeration, as the bacteria also prefer to have more oxygen than less.  So adding an airstone or making the water splash upon entering the tank from the filter will also help.
 
 
 
As for adding nitrite in addition to ammonia, I would suggest that that would actually SLOW the process, believe it or not.  The reason being that the cycle will stall if the nitrite levels get above 16ppm (measuring the ion, not the nitrogen atoms).  The ammonia bacteria will produce nitrite, and you'd be adding the nitrite.  This means the amount of time to promote the growth of the nitrite bacteria would decrease before reaching the maximum allowable levels.

 

[l_l_l]

One trick that I know of, that makes things fasterI tried it)
If you have an HOB filter, you could try making it as dark as possible, with little light going in it.
The bacteria that cycles your aquarium actually prefer being in darkness!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I can confirm this...