Bacteria

[wasaabi]

What are the recommended bacteria I can buy in the market, I am now using Azoo PSB but my water is not crystal clear since 3 weeks has passed.

Cheers

[torque6]

3 weeks is a pretty long time for a bacteria bloom. Are you sure its this or something else ? Normally, bb bloom last 5 days tops.

You can use nutrafin or sechem stability.

[Aquaculture]

Duration depends on the capacity of the tank. I've my 422 lasting for 3weeks, without adding artificial bacteria.

[torque6]

sorry to include, my tank is less than 1ft so the shorter duration. AC, thanks for the clear up

[illumnae]

i've been using ocean free battle bacteria 8000. works well for me

[PeterGwee]

Bacteria in bottles? Kinda ridiculous if you ask me since they need oxygen to survive and there is none in those bottles. If you want bacteria, get some from LFS (dirty filter media from established tanks). Planted tanks do not go through nitrogen cycles if properly done unlike fish only tanks since the plants rapidly take up the NH4.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

[Shadow]

How about those ADA bacteria product (Bacter 100, Bacter ball)? it is in dry form if I'm not mistaken.

[PeterGwee]

Not possible...non will survive. I just find it funny that folks actually believe all this. Bacteria comes from loads of things like plant surfaces and etc but not bacteria in a bottle for sure.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

[beetlejuice403]

Was recommended by owner of LFS to use API's StressZyme for BB cultivation...

[torque6]

Bacteria in bottles? Kinda ridiculous if you ask me since they need oxygen to survive and there is none in those bottles. If you want bacteria, get some from LFS (dirty filter media from established tanks). Planted tanks do not go through nitrogen cycles if properly done unlike fish only tanks since the plants rapidly take up the NH4.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

when i first started, i was sourcing around for products which would hasten my cycling process, sechem and 1 other did however came up. sechem claims its dry bacteria spores in dormant state, while the other required refrigeration.

as to whether it holds true requires testing.

Peter so in other words, i dont have to worry about NH4/new tank syndrome when i first start up my tank as long as i have a densely planted tank with a couple of fishes ?

[PeterGwee]

Yes, as long as the NH4 produced by the tank (substrate + fish/critter waste) does not exceed the plant uptake rate, you should not see issues. You need to make sure that the plants are not limited in order for the NH4 uptake rate to be good.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

[torque6]

yeah, it make sense. thanks

[wasaabi]

Thank you guys for all your inputs, I bought a bottle of Bacterialife and replace the filter media to Eheim Substrat Pro, and finally I have crystal clear water now.

Cheers

[torque6]

Great to see you have had your problem resolved. Enjoy your hobby.

[ADA SG]

Not possible...non will survive. I just find it funny that folks actually believe all this. Bacteria comes from loads of things like plant surfaces and etc but not bacteria in a bottle for sure.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

Hi Mr Gwee,
We believe that human technology is advance enough to do alot of things in this world. And freeze-drying bacteria is just one of the many things humans can do.

For commercial interest, it might be inappropriate to describe too much of our process of maintaining the viability of dried bacteria. However, I would very much like to point to you this patent in the US on one method of freeze drying bacteria for future uses.

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6610531/claims.html

Let's try not to get into details of this wonderful hobby.
Let's just enjoy the process of scaping.

Again, happy scaping!

How about those ADA bacteria product (Bacter 100, Bacter ball)? it is in dry form if I'm not mistaken.

Hi Shadow, Bacter 100 and Bacter Ball will definitely help to kick start the tank.

Our own experiences showed that after 1 week of a full ADA substrate system setup together with our filter media, we can safely add in CRS in our tanks.

The recommended usage is to place Bacter 100 under your ADA Aquasoil together with Clear Super and Tourmaline BC. And subsequently place one ball of Bacter Ball each into the filter canister and below the inlet.

If you are looking to just set up small tanks, you can buy loose amounts of the substrate additives and even Bacter Balls at the following authorised retailers: Mizu World, That Aquarium and Biotope Aquarium.

More shops will join in to provide loose amounts in the days to come.

Happy scaping.

PS: Good to see your submission for ADA 2008. Wish you all the best in the rankings!

[illumnae]

Just as a point to note, a successfully registered patent is no evidence that the patented process works. a patent merely protects a novel idea and the patent office will not conduct any tests to ensure that the patented idea works/is marketable before granting the patent. As long as the idea is a new one and has a potential industrial use, the patent will be granted.

as a personal opinion: the details are what make this hobby so wonderful

[Biotopeshop]

Our comments, that we do not explore the details and chemistry of this hobby. We only want to make this hobby enjoyable. To all of us, there are many proven ways that we have tried and gain success in making our plants grow.

Different brands, if used correctly, will produce different desired results. What makes this forum interesting is when hobbyists share their experiences in using various brands and share their journey with us.

Ultimately, we want to scape our tanks, not just to grow plants only..we are not farmers.

Cheers

Thio

[illumnae]

oh yes, i agree with you if your hobby is purely scaping and nothing else. mine isn't and i'm interested in alot more than just scaping, so i guess that's why our opinions differ i was just pointing out in my previous post that the registered patent linked doesn't mean or prove anything at all.

back to the topic at hand. my personal experience is that Ocean Free Battle Bacteria has worked for me in kickstarting my tanks.

However, I have also read articles that said the same thing that PeterGwee said, in that nitrifying bacteria cannot survive any form of drying/preservation process. Another article that I read asserted that the bacteria that is actually being bottled and sold is what they call "sludge removing bacteria" which helps to digest solid wastes and makes your aquarium water crystal clear. Such bacteria can survive drying out or preservation, unlike nitrifying bacteria.

This digestion process may or may not aid in speeding the cycling process. After all, quicker breaking down of waste means more ammonia available to kickstart the reproduction of nitrifying bacteria. the American planted tank forums are awash with reports that ADA aquasoil releases large amounts of ammonia in the first few weeks. perhaps that also aids in speeding up cycling time as the nitrifying bacteria would not be limited by food source? if this is really a workable theory, then any form of bottled bacteria wouldn't be needed at all as the cycling is sped up by the substrate alone!

Just some food for thought at the end of the day, unless companies are willing to explain their products to users instead of just making bare assertions, we will never know for sure. But because of commercial interests, i guess that will never happen and we will have to choose either to trust the bare assertions or do our own limited research

[torque6]

oh yes, i agree with you if your hobby is purely scaping and nothing else. mine isn't and i'm interested in alot more than just scaping, so i guess that's why our opinions differ

However, I have also read articles that said the same thing that PeterGwee said, in that nitrifying bacteria cannot survive any form of drying/preservation process.

Just some food for thought at the end of the day, unless companies are willing to explain their products to users instead of just making bare assertions, we will never know for sure. But because of commercial interests, i guess that will never happen and we will have to choose either to trust the bare assertions or do our own limited research

Probably one of the best reads so far this year. Both peter & illumnae has pointed out various key points from a customer point of view. Similarly, im interested in alot more than just scaping, which is why we questioned more than the usual aquascaper. And yes namely because of commercial interest has always fail to disclose or explain their products properly in the user context, so half the time we are left with user experiences on a product's efficiency.

[limsteel]

Don't understand why people will buy something off the shelves when they can get it free from Nature! Bacteria is everywhere... Wanna kick start a new tank Nitro-cycle, get a FRESH freaking dirty filter wool and chuck it into your filter... Bacteria Power 1upz! throw a pinch of fish food, Bacteria food 1upz! No Fish food? Pour a cup of PISS into the tank Instant NH3/4 UPZ!

Been keeping fish for sometime already... I have stop all testing (NO3, PH, KH, GH, etc), chemicals (Crystal clear water, Anti Chlorine - with exception H2O2 and Excel to Blast my BBA and LG Aqua, KH2PO4, KSO4, KNO3), whatever, good to have but not all necessary. when I got a new eheim 2217, I didn't even bother to buy those Ceramic Ring, BioHome. I dump in $2 worth of Plastic dish washing sponge (Filled 50% of the 2217 + fine wool 50%), serve the same purpose at fraction of the price!

Even if you have the spare cash, don't splurge unnecessarily.