Fast cycling- A random idea.

[Theos]

Hey everyone, this is my first post on The Barr Report.
I've read up quite a bit, but cant seem to find some information!

Basically I'm setting up a new tank, well that is to say I set it up on Sunday. And I had an idea for a fast fishless and algae less cycle.
What I decided to do was the following:
Dose the tank with NH3 and NaNO2 at the same time.
My idea was that instead of waiting for the Nitrosomanos bacteria to reach the desired level to feed a decent population of the Nitrobactor bacteria with Nitrites, I'd provide both with their required foods at once, thereby reducing the cycle period.

Also, I turned off the light and added two power-heads that have air intakes, so the water has a high level of oxygen. The lights are off to prevent algae blooms!

Yesterday I squeezed out a sponge filter from the Aqua-Culture department into my tank so I'm hoping the bacteria will attach themselves to available surfaces and be ready to go!

I'm just wondering if this is a good idea, or how I can improve it?
Would adding some Carbon source to the water help the bacteria?

And another thing, what chemicals are used for quantitative tests of Nitrite and Nitrates? I'd rather buy the chemicals than some test kits.

Kyle.

[Tom Barr]

If you have access to old sponge filter material that is mature from an existing tank, then swap that out into the new filter media, use the new media for the old tank(it will get colonized really fast in the old mature tank anyway).

The NO2 part might help etc.

Plant roots from decent planted tanks already have loads of bacteria.
There should never be any cycling anyway

Plants take up NH4 directly, so there's no NO2 if you plant well from the start.

the goal is to grow plants well, you can see them, they look nice, scapes etc, sell them etc, bacteria?

Not quite.

Focus on plants, and simply doing good water changes in the start.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Theos]

Ah thanks Mr.Barr, so in essence with enough plants cycling is redundant?

[Philosophos]

With a densely planted tank it is, though the first couple weeks might be a bit rocky. This is why most of us pull intense water changes for the first couple of weeks at least, if not more.

I find seeding filters from more sparsely planted tanks. I use it for any tanks, even the densely planted ones, just to make life a bit easier.

I'd keep an eye on the Na levels in your calculations; 1ppm NO2 will mean .4997ppm Na. If you're planning on doing it fishless and spiking the NO2 up high in the 50-100 range, you may find it does some harm to plants as well.

-Philosophos

[Theos]

Cool, thanks.

[Tom Barr]

Ah thanks Mr.Barr, so in essence with enough plants cycling is redundant?

You got it!
Same with adding the mulmly filth from an old sponge/filter media, adds precisely what is missing from a new aquarium.

Regards,
Tom Barr