api quick start

[mvh pets]

does the api quick start work in saltwater? it claims to do so.

[Clown79]

Unlikely. There really isn't a product that offers instant cycling.

 

Unfortunately nothing good happens fast in this hobby.

 

 

[mvh pets]

2 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Unlikely. There really isn't a product that offers instant cycling.

 

Unfortunately nothing good happens fast in this hobby.

 

 

other products work, such as dr tims one and only, bio spira, ect.

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, mvh pets said:

other products work, such as dr tims one and only, bio spira, ect.

Not even those products live up to their claims.

 

There are only a few ways to skip a cycle but none come in a bottle or else we would all just add a bottle of dr tims or biospira.

 

No one waits 4 - 6 weeks for a cycle if they could be done it in a day.

[seabass]

I agree that claims of instant cycling don't hold up.  I wish that manufacturers were more transparent about their proper use.  Products that make this claim typically contain nitrifying bacteria colonies which (over time) can be built up to establish a working biofilter.  Obviously some products might be more effective than others, but we should consider all of them as a way to seed bacteria, which will likely help to shorten the time required to establish a working biofilter (by how much depends on the amount and type of bacteria).

 

These products can be used with live rock; but generally we use them to build up a biofilter on dry rock.  If using dry rock, add your bacteria in a bottle then:

• use DrTim's Ammonium Chloride (or comparable product) to dose ammonia up to 2ppm
• wait until the ammonia level drops to 0.25ppm
• repeat the above until your tank can process 2ppm of ammonia down to 0.25ppm within 24 hours

Then your tank will have a working biofilter (not simply after adding your bottled bacteria).