"New" Quick Start

Denise90

Was recently in my local fish shop chatting with the owner when an API rep came in. After he did the stock levels etc he started talking about his own tanks and general fish related things. We were setting up a salt water tank that day and he recommended using "new" quick start to cycle the tank. I'm anti chemical (bar the essentials) and certainly didn't believe it would work but he claims that you can start a healthy cycle on any new filter and put fish in immediately? (then came the science bit but I kind of zoned out)

Anybody used the new formula? I know it generally has a bad reputation but he stands by this new one. I find myself in a predicament where I need a filter cycled in about 5 days or else I'll have to borrow one until I can buy a new one and cycle it properly.

kylith

I'd be wary of it, it kind of sounds like snake oil.

Whereabouts in W/ford are you? I'm due down there on Wednesday so I could offer some squeezings from my filter.

Denise90

Thank you for the offer, we have four cycled tanks here so I can take it from ours but its for a new axolotl tank and they dont deal well with spikes so I dunno whether to chance it or not, hence the curiosity about quick start.

Sleepy

I'd certainly go with squeezings over quick start...

I'd fill the new tank with treated water and some water you've taken out of other tanks on a water change, leave it run for a day then squeeze out a couple of your sponges from other tanks in it. My two most successful tanks were cycled inside 3/4 days that way.

Denise90

Oh I thought it still took longer than that with squeezings. Will probably do that then thank you.

I'm still curious as to whether or not the other stuff works. A friend told me today that one of his filters crashed and he had to set up a new one so he added the new formula and apparently the tank and all the fish are fine... I keep waiting for a text to say ammonia is through the roof!

m4r10

I wouldn't be so quick in branding that solution shake oil. There are many other products that do the same thing, and basically are just bacteria in a bottle.

On the other hand, you don't need any magic potion to cycle the tank if you already have 4 ongoing tanks. As Sleepy's advice, I would fill the new tank with water from the other tanks and then squeeze some sponges straight into the tank, the bacteria will make their own way into the filter and I'd say you can safely put the axolotl in the tank in a matter of days.

fred funk }{

I'd be cautious of all these "quick fix" solutions myself. I'm not too sure what exactly is being discussed here, a quick start product that colonises the tank with bacteria or an ongoing product that needs to put into the tank regularly in order to break down the chemicals that are harmful.

I remember a few years ago the boys in the fish shop in Dunlaoghaire were trying to sell some product that removed ammonia and the other harmful chemicals. Now, the product worked great but it had to be regularly put into the tank to keep it ticking over and of course extra expense for the fish keeper.

There's no need for any of that stuff if you are patient and naturally build up the bacteria and look after the tank the tank will naturally process the bad stuff its self. I try to keep any artificial products away from the tank as much as I can.

buzz

Quick start filter products are there for a reason.

To "boost" bacteria levels which get sucked into the filter and start or help hurry the biological cycle. Adding fish is going to cause spikes in the levels unless done correctly anyway you look at it. If it is fresh water you started with, it still takes time for the whole system to break down the amonias and nitrites etc

best solutions as sleepy said is to use sponge sqeezings and also filter start and give it a few days...

When setting up a new tank, I always do the same routine which works.

1) Fill tank
2) add filter start
3) add squeezings
4) wait a few days, test levels and
5) add tetras / danios etc

Always add a few small fish in a school, let them do their thing..... Within a few days the tank has cycled. But always if you can, use existing tank water or take as much water from your mates water change as you can

then give the small fish back to the store as a present !

Denise90

I'll probably do it on a spare tank someday just to see if it works, it would be nice to have a definite back-up if the worst was to happen. Regarding the tank itself, I have it set up with squeezings now so hopefully it will get there by thursday!

norrie rugger

saying that, it is fairly easy to keep nitrobacter "fresh", so these solutions could work.

Would not see any issue with using a squeezing in conjunction with the solution. I would prefer to see some proof/tests of the solution working before chancing it on its own