Bacteria Strains

[votek]

I was at one of the LFS's in my area today and noticed that they had a medium sized blue box with "Bacteria" written on it. I futher examined it and it is a vile (so to speak) of bacteria strains that you add to help kick-start or enhance your tank cycle. I asked the staff about it and they said it can be added at any time, and shouldnt hurt the current tank status.

Now considdering my tanks haven't been running very long. Would it hurt to add a dose of the bacteria to the tank?

[Boogiechillin]

Nope, that's a sucker purchase for impatient folks who don't understand how a cycle works. The same bacteria exist in tiny concentrations in every source of water on earth, including your tap water. So, when you fill a new aquarium with water, you seed it with a very tiny number of these bacteria. Over time and with sufficient ammonia to act as "food", the bacteria reproduce to the point that they are able to "consume" the ammonia produced by our fish and prevent spikes that kill livestock.

Bottled bacteria supposedly kickstarts this process by adding an initially larger concentration of bacteria. However, I can't think of anyone whose cycle was appreciably faster for having tried a product like this. Plus, as expensive as that stuff is, I would rather wait an extra week and let nature take its course.

For your system that has been cycled and established, this would be a complete waste of money...no need to even worry about it! :cool:

[JohnMemorialHS]

Originally posted by Boogiechillin
The same bacteria exist in tiny concentrations in every source of water on earth, including your tap water. So, when you fill a new aquarium with water, you seed it with a very tiny number of these bacteria. Over time and with sufficient ammonia to act as "food", the bacteria reproduce to the point that they are able to "consume" the ammonia produced by our fish and prevent spikes that kill livestock.
So the bacteria doesn't move into our tank, but rather just reproduce to the amount of food there is available for them? What about SW bacteria? I know FW bacteria is different than SW bacteria? So does that mean only SW bacteria move into tanks, but the FW bacteria just reproduces? Also, the chlorine in the tapwater I thought was there to kill any bacteria?

[VoodooChild]

I know that a good deal of bacteria does come in through spores. You can really cycle a tank doing absolutely nothing to it.

[JohnMemorialHS]

bump

I'd like to know answers to my dumb questions

[votek]

I will say this. The bottle was only about 5$. My 10g clouded up after I wipped off the algae and didn't seem to be clearing up. I added a tbsp of the bacteria and in the morning the tank was crystal clear and still is today.

Then I added 2 tbsp's to my 20g and the same thing....crystal clear. What my friend said is that with a bio-wheel filter, the bacteria clings into the biowheel and helps to filter it.

Perhaps, or not...but it worked.

[VoodooChild]

More than likely what happened is that the bacteria clung to the floating particles and made them too heavy to float. There still could be a problem with the water.