Beginner Fresh Tank Cycle Question...bacteria

[boshk]

HI all
 
Read a lot on cycling a brand new tank from fresh. I don't have access to established filters with bacteria.
 
From this forum.....I read this:
 
"What the Bacteria Need to Thrive
 
You need to start with some number of bacteria in your tank which will multiply when given an ammonia source. These bacteria tend to live all over fresh water systems- in water treatment facilities, in private pipes etc. Just by filling up your tank with tap water (dechlorinating as needed), you will most likely get some of the needed bacteria. How much is hard to say. However, the more one starts with, the faster the cycling process will go....."
 
Is this how people rely on getting the bacteria started? ....from the tap water?
 
Or do people use temporary bacteria in a bottle?
Nutrafin Cycle, Tetra Safe Start, etc etc?
 
Thanks

 

[Far_King]

You're best off using the bottled stuff.  Alternatively the cycle can be started from flake food or if you know someone who has a tank you may be able to have a snipping of their filter media.  If you already have another established filter on another tank yourself, you can also use the filter media method.
 
I personally would not rely on tap water having the right level of bacteria to start a cycle, but water quality varies in different parts of the world.

 

[the_lock_man]

The first time I tried to cycle a tank, I used a bacteria-in-a-bottle product, and I didn't feel it made a bit of difference. The second time, I just used bottled ammonia and relied on my tapwater (and FK and I live quite close to each other, so we have very similar tapwater)
 
There is a lot of debate around whether the BIAB products are capable of working - many people ask how the bacteria can survive for the length of time they are typically on the shelf at the LFS.
 
I am reliably informed by another member of this site that Dr Tim's One & Only does work. I have never used it, but he rates it very highly - either that, or he's got shares in the company.
 
Whether you can obtain that in Hong Kong is, of course, another matter.

 

[Blough]

Do you have a testing kit so you can monitor your nitrite, nitrate, and amonea levels?

 

[RainboWBacoN420]

It's not just a matter of getting the nitrifying bacteria into your tank, it's more of a matter of making it thrive and produce a colony. Temperature, organic matter and lighting will speed the process. 
You should definitely use the bottled bacteria, that does help a lot, might I recommend Dr. Tim's or Tetra if they sell those brands over in Hong Kong.
Once you have everything installed and the filter is running fine with the filter media, wait until the next day so the water is a bit aged, add the instructed dose of bacteria, add just a little bit of flake food, I recommend crushing it up so it can break down in the water column easier. Add more flake food about every week or so until you get a detection of ammonia (it's always recommended using API's Freshwater Master Kit for precise accuracy), make sure the tank's temperature is well above 72 degrees F, 76-82 is ideal. Lighting is optional, but I think it helps speed it up. This whole process should take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months, possibly. Depending on the micro activity going on in your tank. Just keep testing the water and watch the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels, as well as the pH!. When the cycling is done, there should be 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate (a very low concentration of nitrate is okay), and the pH should be stable. But even though everything may seem good to go, you should still wait a little while to make sure there's no fluctuations.
 
When adding livestock, make sure you don't overstock the tank and add 1-3 fish species every week or so. You don't want to add all the fish right away and over work the bio-load. 
 
An additional note, try to leave the filter media alone, that's where the bacteria harbor and colonize. Some people like to clean their filter media every week to every month. I, personally, leave it until it's to the point of falling apart and requires a replacement or it's so mucky that the water is about to overflow.
If you're going to replace filter media, if you have enough room, place the new filter media next to the old one, and leave it alone for a few days to give the bacteria time to colonize on that new media. After a few days, remove the old one and as you please with it, throw it away or give it to a friend to cycle start their tank. 

 

[boshk]

Thanks for the info.
 
I tried online searching for the Dr Tim bottle but they don't seem to have it in Hong Kong, anyway, I'll go ask around at the shops.
 
There is Seachem Prime and Nutrafin AquaPlus available too...........for cleaning the tap water
 
Pure Ammonia......still looking
 
and lastly, I guess I could rely on bacteria in tap water to try and start a colony (could take 2wks to 2 months...ouch) or use bottle products (if they exist in Hong Kong)  like Dr Tim or Tetra Safe Start (there is actually a topic on starting fishless cycle with it)
 
 

The first time I tried to cycle a tank, I used a bacteria-in-a-bottle product, and I didn't feel it made a bit of difference. The second time, I just used bottled ammonia and relied on my tapwater (and FK and I live quite close to each other, so we have very similar tapwater)
 
There is a lot of debate around whether the BIAB products are capable of working - many people ask how the bacteria can survive for the length of time they are typically on the shelf at the LFS.
 
I am reliably informed by another member of this site that Dr Tim's One & Only does work. I have never used it, but he rates it very highly - either that, or he's got shares in the company.
 
Whether you can obtain that in Hong Kong is, of course, another matter.

How long did it take for you to cycling it? I assume you didnt have access to established media/filter

Do you have a testing kit so you can monitor your nitrite, nitrate, and amonea levels?

Haven't bought any yet, was going to research and get everything in one go.
They don't have the API master Kit, but they have API Ammonia, GH & KH, pH, Nitrite and Nitrate tests, all sold individually.

 

[RainboWBacoN420]

I hear you have to be careful when using pure ammonia. But then again, I never tried it.

 

[Gruntle]

Pure ammonia is just an ammonia solution without anything else (disinfectants, colours, flavours etc). I've found it usually comes in a solution of around 9-10% (not that we can get it in Australia any more). If you find some ammonia solution, give the bottle a shake and make sure no bubbles appear on the top (leave the lid on unless you want a lung full of ammonia smell). Try the hardware stores locally to see if they sell any household bleach that's just ammonia and nothing else added.
 
I used an ammonia solution I found on eBay specifically made for cycling fish tanks (unfortunately also no longer available). With a brand new, never used tank, it took around 6 weeks to completely cycle (as opposed to the six month fish-in cycle with constant fatalities because I didn't discover this site until I got my second tank).

 

[boshk]

Pure ammonia is just an ammonia solution without anything else (disinfectants, colours, flavours etc). I've found it usually comes in a solution of around 9-10% (not that we can get it in Australia any more). If you find some ammonia solution, give the bottle a shake and make sure no bubbles appear on the top (leave the lid on unless you want a lung full of ammonia smell). Try the hardware stores locally to see if they sell any household bleach that's just ammonia and nothing else added.
 
I used an ammonia solution I found on eBay specifically made for cycling fish tanks (unfortunately also no longer available). With a brand new, never used tank, it took around 6 weeks to completely cycle (as opposed to the six month fish-in cycle with constant fatalities because I didn't discover this site until I got my second tank).

 
Your 6 weeks, did you add any 'starter bacteria' or you rely on what was in your tap water?

 

[the_lock_man]

FIrst time I cycled, it was my first tank, I did a fish-in, as I didn't know any better, and it took about 8 weeks.
 
When I went the second time, fishlessly, it took about a week.

 

[Gruntle]

I did not add any starter bacteria.

 

[Back_Country91]

For future reference, I was advised to start with a cheap pair of fish just to get it going. Also if you have intentions of starting another tank in the future buy a bubbler with the sponge and use it in your current tank when you get another tank just relocate your bubbler and sponge over to that tank and it will supply all the natural bacteria required to get a good start

 

[fluttermoth]

For future reference, I was advised to start with a cheap pair of fish just to get it going.

This is what's known as a 'fish-in cycle' and it's not something we ever advise on this forum.

Fishless cycles are what we promote here.