Cycling

[satanas556]

Hi all

I have just got my new tank and intend to fill it and get it started tomorrow.
The cycling information I was given for my last tank was very basic. In fact it was simply to leave it for a week and then check the parameters. This info was from the LFS and my fish were fine. However, I see on here many other issues that I was not aware of. So could somebody point me to a definitive article that will make sure I miss nothing out on this? I have searched around and have not had any luck.
The tank is 600 litres btw.

My current tank SG is at 0.008 according to my refractometer. Lucky I got one of those, reading the hydrometer gave me 1.010. Rubbish things.

Mel

[Hilly]

There's an article on fishless cycling in the library.

[satanas556]

That's brilliant, thanks

What changes if I add live bacteria to the tank first? Will it make any difference?

[Hilly]

Might speed it up a bit, as there will already be a colony of bacteria to feed on the ammonia.

[satanas556]

I'll do that then. I am itching to get them in there and settled, but since two are off colour I don't want to mess this up.

[Nick]

Where are you getting live bacteria? If it's from a bottle, it's dead bacteria, not live, and has been that way since about 2 days after it left the factory. Only Biospira, which comes in a pouch and is sold out of the fridge, is actually live bacteria. You can seed bacteria from the filter of an extablished tank, but the SG must be within .002 for it to work.

[satanas556]

It's in a small jar thing, little balls it looks like and from the fridge. Bactinettes they are called.
I've searched about online and some people on other forums have used them and liked them, so it seems they are worth a try.

[Nick]

I doubt it will work, but I did do a search and apparently a lot of people are claiming it's equivalent to biospira. I'd get a fish you aren't going to be upset if get sick because they don't work and try it with that fish in the tank instead of the fish it's your goal to keep, then either return the other fish or retire him in a Pond(if it's a GF or koi) or community tank(if it's not a cold water fish)

[Hilly]

I think there have been mixed results from Bactinettes, what was it described as life in a pearl or something like that. Be interesting to see how it goes along side a fishless cycle if you are going to use them.