Starting Cycle, Bacteria in a Bottle?

Beowulf720 · 02/13/2018, 01:16 PM

Hi, this is my first post, but I am super impressed with the information on this forum, so thank you all in advance! Here's where I'm at...

Biocube 32, about 40lbs of dead rock, just put in about 4lbs of live rock (literally 10 minutes ago). I am using RODI water with the appropriate salinity.

I am looking to add a cleaner crew in about three-four weeks, not planning to add a fish for at least six (would like to QT them first anyway, so maybe more like 12 weeks).

There is a bottle of StartSmart Complete sitting in front of me, just staring at me. Here are my questions: Will this bacteria in a bottle speed up the cycle process in a beneficial way? Will I still be able to track the cycle through its different phases or will the instant bacteria negate my testing results for a normal cycle? Should I even use it if I am okay with a longer, normal cycle?

Oh, and should I go ahead and ghost feed as well?

Whew...thank you!

oldhead · 02/13/2018, 02:07 PM

No need to add it if you put in live rock. Be patient, we all know it is hard to wait. Fight the urge to buy that first fish until the cycle is complete. In the meantime you can inspect the rock each night for new stuff popping up. Believe me, life will find a way and you will see new inhabitants soon. I have stuff in my upgraded tank that I didn't have in the previous one. I'm sure it is from the pukani dry rock. So enjoy the little life forms until it is time for the bigger stuff to go in.

Also you can ghost feed if needed but don't over do it. It may or may not speed up the cycle.

JUNBUG361 · 02/13/2018, 03:55 PM

thrown in piece of shrimp & let decay help jump start system. after a month do water change & add clean up crew

lapin · 02/13/2018, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beowulf720

There is a bottle of StartSmart Complete sitting in front of me, just staring at me. Here are my questions:
Will this bacteria in a bottle speed up the cycle process in a beneficial way? Maybe but maybe not.It wont hurt.
Will I still be able to track the cycle through its different phases or will the instant bacteria negate my testing results for a normal cycle? It will still go thru the cycle
Should I even use it if I am okay with a longer, normal cycle? Yes ,no use letting it go to waste

Oh, and should I go ahead and ghost feed as well? If you dont show any ammonia from the die off on the dead rock you will need an ammonia source to speed the cycle along. Stated above dead table shrimp will work

Welcome to reef central
Whew...thank you!

Beowulf720 · 02/14/2018, 10:49 PM

Thanks for the advice! I'm definitely not in a hurry. I appreciate the feedback!

ramseynb · 02/14/2018, 10:56 PM

I've used bio-spira to jumpstart my cycle and it works well but it's not really worth it IMO. I still had to wait for everything to chill out before I got serious about stocking it with what I wanted. Since you have such little LR though, I would definitely add an ammonia source. You can throw a piece of dead shrimp in or I like to use Dr. Tim's ammonia. It's not very expensive and *seems* more precise. I know others use Ace Hardware brand ammonia (it supposedly doesn't have extra additives) but I've never trusted it. So basically, you'll add ammonia, then test, once you get 0 ammonia and nitrite, add more ammonia and test. Keep doing that until you can add your dose of ammonia and your bacteria can process it within 24 hours. Then do a large water change (you'll likely have nitrates you'll want to reduce). If you're not going to be adding a fish for a long time, you might add some ammonia every so often to keep your bacteria population alive.

02/13/2018, 01:16 PM	#1
Beowulf720 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Posts: 6	Starting Cycle, Bacteria in a Bottle? Hi, this is my first post, but I am super impressed with the information on this forum, so thank you all in advance! Here's where I'm at... Biocube 32, about 40lbs of dead rock, just put in about 4lbs of live rock (literally 10 minutes ago). I am using RODI water with the appropriate salinity. I am looking to add a cleaner crew in about three-four weeks, not planning to add a fish for at least six (would like to QT them first anyway, so maybe more like 12 weeks). There is a bottle of StartSmart Complete sitting in front of me, just staring at me. Here are my questions: Will this bacteria in a bottle speed up the cycle process in a beneficial way? Will I still be able to track the cycle through its different phases or will the instant bacteria negate my testing results for a normal cycle? Should I even use it if I am okay with a longer, normal cycle? Oh, and should I go ahead and ghost feed as well? Whew...thank you!

02/13/2018, 02:07 PM	#2
oldhead Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: New Jersey Posts: 527	No need to add it if you put in live rock. Be patient, we all know it is hard to wait. Fight the urge to buy that first fish until the cycle is complete. In the meantime you can inspect the rock each night for new stuff popping up. Believe me, life will find a way and you will see new inhabitants soon. I have stuff in my upgraded tank that I didn't have in the previous one. I'm sure it is from the pukani dry rock. So enjoy the little life forms until it is time for the bigger stuff to go in. Also you can ghost feed if needed but don't over do it. It may or may not speed up the cycle.

02/13/2018, 03:55 PM	#3
JUNBUG361 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Antioch,CALIFORNIA Posts: 1,091	thrown in piece of shrimp & let decay help jump start system. after a month do water change & add clean up crew

02/14/2018, 10:49 PM	#5
Beowulf720 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Posts: 6	Thanks for the advice! I'm definitely not in a hurry. I appreciate the feedback!

02/14/2018, 10:56 PM	#6
ramseynb Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: New Braunfels, TX Posts: 630	I've used bio-spira to jumpstart my cycle and it works well but it's not really worth it IMO. I still had to wait for everything to chill out before I got serious about stocking it with what I wanted. Since you have such little LR though, I would definitely add an ammonia source. You can throw a piece of dead shrimp in or I like to use Dr. Tim's ammonia. It's not very expensive and seems more precise. I know others use Ace Hardware brand ammonia (it supposedly doesn't have extra additives) but I've never trusted it. So basically, you'll add ammonia, then test, once you get 0 ammonia and nitrite, add more ammonia and test. Keep doing that until you can add your dose of ammonia and your bacteria can process it within 24 hours. Then do a large water change (you'll likely have nitrates you'll want to reduce). If you're not going to be adding a fish for a long time, you might add some ammonia every so often to keep your bacteria population alive.