My Mistakes - For Your Viewing Pleasure

[Randi]

1st tank - didn't know what I was doing and listened to the LFS Ended up with 12 fish within 2 weeks of buying the 10 gallon tank. I only did research after my fish started dying and that's when I learned about cycling and proper stocking. Ended up doing daily water changes for over a month so I could control the bioload. Also, decided I better get a bigger tank.

2nd tank - bought Nutrafin Cycle (bacteria in a bottle) in order to speed up fishless cycle. Using the product as directed and adding ammonia, I was able to cycle my tank in 12 days. Thought this was great, however, once I stopped adding the product the tank began a new cycle. At this point there were fish in the tank. So unless you want to be stuck buying very expensive products for the rest of your life, I would avoid bottled bacteria.

3rd tank - learned to be patient. Ran a fishless cycle that took about 5 weeks. I am stocking super slowly and have happy healthy fish.

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

That is very succinctly put Randi.
Im sure it will benefit all newcomers to the forum when they read it.

All dedicated fishkeepers would share positive and negative experiences to benefit future learning.
We learn more from our mistakes than our successes.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I suggest you guys read my post in the thread below and then do some clicking to learn the real facts. Stating that no bottled bacteria works is incorrect.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/356904-bottled-bacteria/page__view__getnewpost__fromsearch__1

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

I did not say that no bottled bacteria worked and i dont think Randi is saying that either but im sure Randi can qualify that.
Her words tend to advise people to avoid bottled bacteria.

I have used a similar product in the past and i have read some of Dr Havonecs work.

I would be interested to look at cycling logs that show dramatically reduced cycling times using DrTim's Aquatics One and Only Live Nitrifying Bacteria or Bio-Spira.

 

[Skins]

I think what gives these bacterias in a bottle a bad name is when for example the LFS tells the new fishkeeper add this product to your water, come back in a few days and choose some fish.

Keith.

 

[Essjay]

Or even worse, the shop I was in last year that told someone to add a bottle of bacteria and to fully stock the tank at the same time because the product wouldn't work unless they did.
When I got home I checked the manufacturer's website, and nowhere does it say this. It even advised to stock the tank slowly because the filter has to develop enough friendly bacteria.
Interestingly, that shop closed shortly afterwards.

 

[mattbleasby]

These are some great tips that unfortunately most of us have learnt the heard way. I have too been a fool to all three of these and learnt the heard way.

Fishkeeping is seriously a patient hobby. I was so impatient and you all want the perfect tank NOW but you have to be so patient otherwise you will end up with an Empty.

Good things come to those who wait comes to mind

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I would be interested to look at cycling logs that show dramatically reduced cycling times using DrTim's Aquatics One and Only Live Nitrifying Bacteria or Bio-Spira.

OK How about cycling a 190,000 gallons of aquariums?

"Dr. Tim's One and Only" was crucial in the setup and cycling of our facility. We were up against a very short timeline and with the aid of Dr. Tim's bacteria we didn't need to worry about massive water changes. During the initial stocking our ammonia only reached 1ppm for four days and then dropped to below .1ppm within less than a week. Nitrites never reached above .57ppm and were gone within 10 days. I wouldn't do another startup without it."


B. Dirk Westfall
Displays Curator
SEA LIFE Arizona
Tempe, AZ 85282

Go here and see more DrTim's Reviews

The thing is, Dr. Hovanec probably knows more about nitrifying bacteria and cycling tanks than anybody on the planet.

 

[Miles_hot]

TTA - I'm very interested in what you say (however I don't have time right now to read the links you kindly provided - I should be getting ready for work ) however I am a little confused on your "message" which appears to be that bottled bacteria do work as they can hibernate.

In the other thread you stated:
"As far as I know there have only been 2 bacteria in a bottle products that actually contain the proper bacteria and which will work, The first was Bio-Spira and the second is DrTim's One and Only Live Nitrifying bacteria. Both of these products were developed by Dr. Timothy A. Hovanec who is the Ph.D. responsible for discovering/identifying the specific strains of bacteria that do our cycling work."

However here you appear to be advising that any bottled bacteria can work (note that in the UK we can't obtain Dr Tim's products). Do you want to clarify if you mean any of the products as I guess the bacteria can all hibernate to survive the drought or is there some other factor which you understand to be present which means that only Dr Tim's stuff works?

Also is it know that the non Dr TIm products contain the right sort of bacteria? After all we're after two very specific types

Not contradicting you or questioning your position on this (I really don't have the knowledge or experience to do so) however I wanted to be clear what you meant, especially when the "forum experience" of these bottled products appears to the casual observer to be so weighted against believing that they are better than the fishless cycle prospects.

Many thanks

Miles

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

The website states that in combination with ammonia, DrTim's Aquatics One and Only Live Nitrifying Bacteria can cycle a tank in less than a week.
I would like to see examples of this and the graph above does not demonstrate that.
I do think it is an exciting product and a positive direction for science.
Like most consumers i want to know it will do what it states on the bottle.

Dr Tims products are available in the UK. Might give it a go in the future!

http/www.marineaquatics.co.uk/Medication-Health-and-Pests/Dr-Tims-ONE-and-ONLY-Live-Nitrifing-Bacteria

http/www.midlandreefs.co.uk/xcart/home.php?cat=347


Seems expensive but obviously includes cost of transport for importing. Maybe the cost can be offset against the running costs of having the heater, filter etc running during a typical fishless cycle.
A challenge for some one?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Once again- I am not and have not in any thread here suggested that one should or should not use bottled bacteria. What I did state is that only two of those products actually contain the proper bacteria, neither of which is currently available in the UK. Both products were developed by the Ph.D. who discovered what the actual bacteria were. he created Bio-Spira for Marineland when he worked there. This product is no longer made/sold. He now has his own company and sells his own product.

My point is that he is probably the most knowledgeable persons on this subject there is. So when he discusses this subject, you are hearing from a true expert who is speaking from actual science and not anecdotally.

Miles- Dr. Hovanec wrote his Ph.D. thesis on the identification of what bacteria actually do the cycling work in our tanks. If you poke around his sites you will find that he says the reason other products do not really work is that they did/do not contain the proper bacteria. If one digs more you will see he puts "use by" dates on his product since the bacteria wont live forever in a sealed bottle.

I suggest you read here on his site where he discusses fishless cycling http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/fishless/fishless.html

If you want the more scientific info then this site of his will provide that too http://www.timhovanec.com/

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

 

[Aqua Tom]

I await WD's response with anicipation.

 

[sweetmeister]

I must say,I am very tempted to give this stuff a go and see whether or not it does exactly what it says on the tin!!

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

This product is available in the UK as well:

http/www.microbelift.com/products/home-aquarium/bacterial-products/nite-out-ii/