The bacteria in Dr. Tim's and Safe Start are not free swimming. The are grown on fine media. Think of it as "liquid chalk particles." When you add it to a tank it looks like you are adding a cloudy substance. It quickly dissipates and eventually either ends up sinking or getting sucked into whatever filter(s) one has. The most effective way to dose it is into a tank not lighted for the day and with the water temp about 80F even if it will be cooler or warmer for the fish it will hold. There should be ammonia in the water unless you are willing to stock in stages or to use a large amount of bacteria. It would not hurt to have some lie plants as well if possible if the plan is for quick stocking.
I am a cheapskate, so I prefer to use the bacteria to seed filters and then take a week or two of ammonium chloride additions to get a decent colony established. The ammonium chloride is a lot cheaper than the bacteria.
It isn't the fetilizer in the wool that causes the clouding, it is the fact that the fertilizer is food for other hetertrophic bacteria which does live in the water and which will multiply rapidly (doubling in about 20 minutes) given the food required for it to do so.
I am a cheapskate, so I prefer to use the bacteria to seed filters and then take a week or two of ammonium chloride additions to get a decent colony established. The ammonium chloride is a lot cheaper than the bacteria.
It isn't the fetilizer in the wool that causes the clouding, it is the fact that the fertilizer is food for other hetertrophic bacteria which does live in the water and which will multiply rapidly (doubling in about 20 minutes) given the food required for it to do so.
