What Bottled Bacteria Supplements Will Actually Cycle A Tank?

[starlitsunrise]

Hey guys, 

I have been trying to (fishless) cycle my 5 gallon tank for a while now, it is just not working. The nitrites keeping getting "struck" in one place and nothing is changing. I have been following the guide here on the website so I know I am going about it in the right way. 

Anyways, I wanted to know if any of the commercial bottled bacterias on the market actually work? I tried using the topfin bacteria supplement and it didn't seem to do anything. I have read that Dr. Tims one and only and Tetra Safestart work but I wanted more opinions. 

Thanks!

 

[Ch4rlie]

Dr Tim's One and Only Nitrifying Bacteria IS the best out there for quickly starting a fishless cycle imho. May be also worth getting a bottle of Dr Tims Ammonium Chloride to work with this bacteria. Although am not certain if ANY ammonia works with this or not to be honest.
 
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I have heard this is, by far, the most successful bottled bacteria there is provided the instructions is followed correctly and the bottle is not beyond its expiry date and stored correctly by LFS and transporters.

 

[starlitsunrise]

Dr Tim's One and Only IS the best out there for quickly starting a fishless cycle imho.
 
I have heard this is, by far, the most successful bottled bacteria there is provided the instructions is followed correctly and the bottle is not beyond its expiry date and stored correctly by LFS and transporters.

 
Thanks Ch4rlie! I'll look into this one. 
 
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Also just wanted to correct the statement "The nitrites keeping getting "struck" " I meant to say "the nitrites keep getting "stuck"" haha. 

 

[Mamashack]

I can also recommend Tetra's Safe Start - it's a good as Dr Tim's (same formula I believe) but not sure if it's available in Canada.
Nitrites do seem to hang around seemingly for ages then will suddenly drop as the bacteria responsible for converting it get to sufficient numbers to manage the load. Can be more than a week or so in my experience.
Both the above bottled bacteria will boost the cycle or you could sit it out. Might be just around the corner.

 

[Byron]

Tetra SafeStart is the previous formula Dr. Tim Hovanec developed, before the later "Dr. Tim's One and Only."  The SafeStart will quicken the cycling time.  I have used Seachem's Stability with good results too, very similar in that it also speeds up the establishment of the bacteria.  There may be other products that work, not sure.  But the point to keep in mind with these (aside from the Dr. Tim's...) is that they encourage the establishment of the nitrifying bacteria faster than would otherwise be the case, not that they "cycle" the aquarium instantly.
 
Dr. Tim's is undoubtedly the best if you can get it.  I've never looked (I also live in Canada), you might have to import it from the US.  When I say this is the best, it is not personal experience, but scientific tests have apparently proven that it does what it claims, which is "instantly cycle the tank" if used as directed.  The other products quicken the process as I mentioned.
 
Dr. Hovanec is highly regarded in this field.  He led the team of scientists that discovered the actual species of nitrifying bacteria and proved that those in freshwater are different bacteria from soil nitrifying bacteria.  I have links to some of his scientific papers if anyone is interested.
 
Byron.

 

[Ch4rlie]

I have been reliably informed that ANY ammonia will be fine with Dr Tim's One and Only Nitrifying Bacteria.
 
And yes, Tetra Safe Start is another one thats fairly reliable but given the choice, I'd go for Dr Tim's.

 

[Mamashack]

The bacteria in Safe Start do need a little coaxing with ammonia and it's definitely not a plug and play product, but I have used it and successfully cycled a tank for shrimp in less than a week. Having said that shrimp do have much less bioload than fish so maybe I as lucky with the timing.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I wouldn't go so far as to say that Dr Tim's works 'instantly'.  It needs time to work as well, but its more reliable than the other products and actually contains the bacteria you are looking to have colonizing your tank.
 
 
Ultimately, the bacteria need to find a surface to adhere to, and then they can start to do their thing.  But, remember, that they are living things (believe it or not), just different than other life that we are used to on a macroscopic scale.  They are susceptible to being killed by extreme temperature (too high or too low), and even the very thing they need to survive - ammonia and nitrite - can kill them if the concentrations are too high.
 
So, there is no 'fail safe' option.  Dr Tim's is good, and claims to cycle the tank in a few days, and his company actually provides directions for how to go about doing a proper fishless cycle with his product.  The author of our fishless cycling article on this board has used this very product and has had great success with it, but its not 'instant'.  As a forum we do not endorse any product of this nature, but as individual fishkeepers we do recommend some specific products based on our experience with it.

 

[starlitsunrise]

Thanks for all of your replies!!! This is all very helpful  

I think I'll either get Dr Tims or Tetra Safestart depending on how much they would both cost. 

 

[FawnN]

I recently cycled my 25 gallon tank in a week by using Dr. Tim's and Tetra Safestart.  Both together is awesome!!  Tetra Safestart is only 9.99 for the 8.45oz bottle on Amazon.  That is how much you would pay for the 3 oz bottle at your LFS.  

 

[Supplementhero]

I think the Seachem aquarium bacteria supplement is the best aquarium bacteria supplement. It's proven that Seachem easily biofilters the aquarium from inside and prevents fish death. The formula is made of a blend of anaerobic, facultative, and aerobic bacteria which makes a healthy environment for aqua creatures. The amazing thing about this supplement is; it doesn't generate hydrogen sulfide. This supplement is compatible with any aqua creature like snails, shrimps, fishes, live plants, and much more. Make sure you're using it in the right portion and in a small cycle to see the result. The ideal portion for the 40l tank is 5ml and for 80l you can use 1 capsule. I personally prefer this supplement for my aquarium and I get a satisfactory result. I hope this is also helpful for your aquarium too.

 

[Martyn87]

Assuming that you can use any of these products for immediate cycled tank is not true. The bacteria in these products, whilst they convert ammonia/nitrite are not as effective as natural bacteria. I would always add the man made products and supplement with ammonia for a fast cycle, this can be sped up to 1-2 weeks. Seachem stability, Dr Tim’s and tetra safestart all help the process but are not guarantees that a fish added to an aquarium day 1 will survive. The old rule is that your ammonia/nitrite when added needs to clear in 24hrs and build your fish stocks slowly.

 

[Aussie_Bristle]

I agree with Byron with the Seachem stability