Member

Posts: 12
From:Moscow, ID, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 11-24-2003 08:11 PM         

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hey,
I went to my local fish store 2 days ago looking for a new tank and setup. (I had to leave mine behind when I moved across the country.) I was planning on cycling my tank for 3 weeks before I started adding fish- but the pet store owner was telling me about a species of nitrifying bacteria called Nirtobacter spirilla (spelling maybe wrong)that should finish the cycling in 3 days. Sounds to good to be true...is it? I haven't started the tank yet...I wanted to be sure of what i was doing before I started. Has anybody else heard of this or am i being fed a line?

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Member

Posts: 92
From:Savannah, GA
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 11-24-2003 08:30 PM         

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I've been told it's just about as good as spitting in your aquarium. In otherwords, don't waste your money <:\

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Member

Posts: 429
From:
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 11-24-2003 08:43 PM         

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Hi arianabird, Although you are not being fed a line I can't really tell you anything about that particular product. Fishless cycling started back in the late 70's early 80's. At that time I was running a shop and heard of several people who had tried fishless cycling. All of them that I heard of had serious problems with their tanks. Most of those problems were cycle hang which could only be corrected by breaking down the tank and starting over. I'm sure that in the last 20 years there has been more research and improvements. I'm old fashioned and don't really believe in shortcuts. I like to set up my tanks as naturally as possible. You might want to type in fishless cycling in your search engine for more information. Also you might want to look at posts from "concerned" on this board who tried fishless cycling.

PS. There is one shortcut that I have taken that has worked very well. Whenever I set up a new tank here, in with the new gravel I take a cup of gravel (debris and all) from one of my established tanks and spread it over the new gravel. Then I do water changes on my tanks. The water I remove from my established tanks I put into the new tank and then top off with fresh water. This has solved my problems of cycling and new tank syndrome. Maybe you have this type of access with your local pet shop or friends who are in the hobby.

[This message has been edited by kc5gvn (edited 11-24-2003).]

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Member

Posts: 12
From:Moscow, ID, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 11-24-2003 08:57 PM         

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Thanks for the replies! I think I'll still with the regular Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas. I didn't that a shortcut would work but thought I should at least hear the opinions of others better versed than I. Thanks again.

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Posts: 429
From:
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 11-25-2003 03:23 PM         

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Going from your last post and the products you mention it sounds like you are famaliar with fishless cycling. The spirillea is apparently just a different type of bacteria. The only thing I question is if you add the bacteria without adding ammonia or waste what is the bacteria going to feed on?

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Member

Posts: 167
From: Indy
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 11-25-2003 03:44 PM         

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KC5GVN BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT ONE THAT ALWAYS HAS ME SKEPTICAL. "WHAT IS THE BACTERIA GOING TO FEED ON". NOT JUST WHEN YOU PUT IT IN YOUR TANK WITH NO FISH BUT IT COMES OUT OF A LITTLE BOTTLE THAT SITS ON A BIG SHELF THAT WAS TRANSPORTED BY A BIG TRUCK FROM A LARGE WAREHOUSE AND SO ON. HOW LONG CAN BACTERIA THRIVE IN THAT LITTLE BOTTLE WITH NO FOOD? HOW LONG HAS IT SAT ON THAT SHELF?

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James (The Grateful One)

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Member

Posts: 92
From:Savannah, GA
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 11-25-2003 07:31 PM         

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Please lay off the CAPS. It's annoying to read and in internet land, considered as yelling.

But you did bring up a good point. The thing is that what I assume anyway...The bacteria that die release ammonia and thus feed the other bacteria. Though, duno how relevant that'd be <:\

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Posts: 429
From:
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 11-25-2003 09:11 PM         

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Ahkahna, that is a very interesting point, with some very wild possibilities. Consider this: If in that bottle as shipped, some of the bacteria dies and the rest of the bacteria feeds off of the dead bacteria; they in turn are going to multiply with more bacteria dieing off feeding more bacteria and multiplying ad infinitum. How can you have a truly measured dose of bacteria entering the tank when you dose the tank? Wouldn't it be quite possible for your tank to suffer bacterial overload the first day it's set up if you are using bacteria that has been setting on the store shelf for a long period of time? Interesting possibilities. Hmmmmm....

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