The Puffer Forum

On the bacterial "starters", for background information, there are thousands of nitrification bacteria in the world - bacteria which do the conversion/oxidation of ammonium ion to nitrite ion to get energy, and equal numbers of others which do the similar conversion of nitrite ion to nitrate ion, also for energy. Nitrate is desirable to us in that it is far, far, less toxic to out aquarium critters (at least 100-fold, about two orders of magnitude) than free ammonia or nitrite ion), But the trick we need in cycling a tank is to get bacteria which establish and maintain on-going colonies in our tanks. Most nitrification bacteria will do the two jobs we need done (ammonium to nitrite ion, and nitrite ion to nitrate ion), but most will not establish permanently in our filters or even filterless tanks. What we want and need and are willing to pay for is a set of bacteria which will do the jobs AND establish self-perpetuating colonies in our tanks. To me it is senseless to buy bacteria which you need to replace weekly, every other week, or monthly. Get the point? We want the job done once and for all. If we have to replenish the bugs constantly, they really are not what we need. That is the big question. We know that Dr.Tim's selections work. We do not know about the others. They may work initially if there really are live bacteria present (commonly there are not), but if they are not self-perpetuating, they cost way too much. Do the job once and never again - at least so long a you do kill them off unintentionally. That is the main point. We want three things really 1) live nitrification bacteria, 2) bacteria to oxidize ammonium ion AND bacteria to oxidize nitrite ion, and 3) that both sets will establish self-perpetuating colonies in our tanks. If any of those three things are missing, we are throwing money away and endangering our fish.