Confusion as to when 'cycling' is complete.

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Awfully cute cartoon!

 

[FishHobby99]

View attachment 142160

Sweet! Adorable! Reminds me of Timmy.

 

[Naughts]

Oh, not new tank cycling here. Mine is grown. So do i need to use the bio cult anymore? Or just on new water prepared for water changes and maintenance? Can I cancel my subscriptions ?? Rofl

Although a tank can be 'cycled' (have established colonies of bacteria primarily in the filter) in a few weeks, it will take a few months for it to be 'mature' (have secure colonies of "Aufwuchs"- the film of algae, bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates that exist on all hard substrates in aquatic environments, and are often fed on by specialist fish species).
As an example, a cycled tank at 6 months might get a bacterial bloom if you rinsed the filter media in chlorinated tap water, but a cycled tank at 12 months would not.

So it would definitely be a waste of money to use bioculture at water changes in a year old tank but there MIGHT be some benefit in younger tanks. If it were me, I would cancel the subscription, especially in light of Byron's post about most being the wrong bacterias.

 

[JazzyV]

Although a tank can be 'cycled' (have established colonies of bacteria primarily in the filter) in a few weeks, it will take a few months for it to be 'mature' (have secure colonies of "Aufwuchs"- the film of algae, bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates that exist on all hard substrates in aquatic environments, and are often fed on by specialist fish species).
As an example, a cycled tank at 6 months might get a bacterial bloom if you rinsed the filter media in chlorinated tap water, but a cycled tank at 12 months would not.

So it would definitely be a waste of money to use bioculture at water changes in a year old tank but there MIGHT be some benefit in younger tanks. If it were me, I would cancel the subscription, especially in light of Byron's post about most being the wrong bacterias.

Thank you. Yes. I canceled. I wasn’t sure so I feel like I’ve been wasting money while unsure if it’s safe to stop. Thank you so much.

 

[JazzyV]

What follows is perhaps redundant but worth another read…
When We speak a cycle we're talking about the nitrogen cycle. This is where ammonia is converted into nitrites and nitrites is converted into nitrate. Ammonia is converted into nitrites by a bacteria called Nitrosomas. Nitrite is converted into nitrate I bacteria called Nitrospira.
Put very simply, a tank is cycled when there's sufficient beneficial bacteria in order to convert all of the ammonia and nitrite created by fish and plant waste.
So if we add sufficient bacteria, be it from a used sponge or from a bottled product, the tank could be sufficiently cycled in order to safely house livestock.
However, this is not to say that the tank is stable. In time the filter and substrate becomes enhanced with beneficial bacteria and in three to six months the tank would be considered to be established.

Perhaps the biggest confusion in the hobby is that bacteria lives in the water column. In fact the beneficial bacteria that we need in the aquarium affixes itself to solid surfaces. This may begin in the filter, but ultimately bacteria lives on and in the substrate as well as any hardscape in the tank. The bacteria creates a bio-slime not unlike a brown sludge.

Is very important in the new tank not to clean the filter to soon. This allows the bacteria to further develop and establish its home.

So instant cycle is possible if sufficient beneficial bacteria is introduced to the tank. However stability may take weeks or months. I invite the reader to review Cycling a New Aquarium.

I have definitely stolen some rocks wood and hard scape from a cycled tank…it’s so fast to cycle that way lol such a great cheat rofl

 

[FishHobby99]

I am beginning to seriously question products such as API’s which claims fish can be ”added instantly.” How am i to know there is a viable bacterial colony in that bottle? Bust out my petri dishes?

As a slave once told his master who wanted to learn geometry quickly: There is no Royal Road to geometry

Best we are patient with cycling

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Or, as an admin on another forum was once fond of saying, "Only bad things happen quickly in this hobby."

I guess the way to see if it works would be to add the bottle, then continue the process of adding ammonia and testing. If your ammonia and nitrite immediately drop to zero and you start seeing nitrates, then you know it's working.

 

[FishHobby99]

You mean the jump start culture?
I thought using Dr Tim’s was a different slower method

 

[AbbeysDad]

The bacteria in a bottle products that are now being marketed are good products. I think the problem lies in the storage and handling of these products.
Bacteria is very resilient, however, if not handled properly and if exposed to extreme heat, they can perish. I think that Dr. Tim's one and only along with Tetras SafeStart are probably two of the most reliable products.
However, they are still subjects to how they are handled and stored.

I have cycled many tanks by simply wringing out a used sponge from a healthy tank. I have done this countless times with no problems whatsoever. So this represents an instant cycle that has repeatedly worked for me.
The same process could be used for a bottled bacteria product as long as it's in good condition.

Besides as Byron often points out, if you have a lot of plants, especially fast growing floating plants, you can add a few fish right away with no worries. The plants will use the ammonia as their source of nitrogen and the beneficial bacteria will slowly develop in time.
It's really not rocket science.

 

[FishHobby99]

You knew you had live culture in the sponge filter as one might expect.
Some say bottled cultures often contain dead sample.
Yes, not rocket science under optimum conditions and if as advertised by the manufacturers

 

[Anonymous Fox]

I’ve always wondered, if you’re water is already at the praimaters it needs to be, do u have to cycle?

 

[JazzyV]

The bacteria in a bottle products that are now being marketed are good products. I think the problem lies in the storage and handling of these products.
Bacteria is very resilient, however, if not handled properly and if exposed to extreme heat, they can perish. I think that Dr. Tim's one and only along with Tetras SafeStart are probably two of the most reliable products.
However, they are still subjects to how they are handled and stored.

I have cycled many tanks by simply wringing out a used sponge from a healthy tank. I have done this countless times with no problems whatsoever. So this represents an instant cycle that has repeatedly worked for me.
The same process could be used for a bottled bacteria product as long as it's in good condition.

Besides as Byron often points out, if you have a lot of plants, especially fast growing floating plants, you can add a few fish right away with no worries. The plants will use the ammonia as their source of nitrogen and the beneficial bacteria will slowly develop in time.

I’ve always wondered, if you’re water is already at the praimaters it needs to be, do u have to cycle?

I’m not sure if I understand the question…seems to be 2 different concerning direction ..sorry

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I’ve always wondered, if you’re water is already at the praimaters it needs to be, do u have to cycle?

Not necessarily...are the parameters stable, even when fish are added and have been living in the water for a while? If the answer is yes, then this suggests the tank has cycled enough to manage the waste produced by the fish.

 

[JazzyV]

Making notes ..ask the bucket guy he knows lol

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Making notes ..ask the bucket guy he knows lol

It's always good to have someone to blame, when the mammaries look skyward.

This thread may help, as it states my take on cycling quite nicely.