Seeding SW

[Bill M.]

I remembered that I had a baggie of ceramic cubes in my HOB on my 29FW tank... so I just swirrled it around in the FW tank to get some of the debris off it, and tossed it into the SW tank. Could this be benificial towards my cycle, or would all the bacteria die from the FW to SW transition?

Comments, sugggestions welcome please!

[coachfraley]

It is my understanding that there are two completely different types of bacteria that break down waste in F and S water.

Otherwise, biospira would work for both.:thumb:

IMO, the best way to speed up a SW cycle is to use fully cured LR, or add some fully cured LR to your curing rock. Most good LFS's have fully cured rock, it just tends to cost a lot.

[cocoa_pleco]

from what i know its the same bacteria, the FW bacteria can survive to a salinity of 1.028

[coachfraley]

I received my info. from this interview with Dr. Timothy A. Hovanec, the guy who invented biospira. http://aquamaniacs.net/forum/cms_view_article.php?aid=36

"The saltwater version called BioSpira® Marine is finished and was released November 1, 2003! It is a mixture of completely different species of ammonia and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria. I have read reports on the Web that people have had success with freshwater BioSpira® in saltwater tanks but our research does not support that. We have certain QC criteria and while using freshwater BioSpira® in saltwater aquaria may help, our QC criteria performance levels are not met so I cannot recommend it. The nitrifying bacteria in freshwater aquaria are different than the nitrifying bacteria in saltwater aquaria. Since we have both, it is best to use the one that is made for your type of system."

Here's another article about FW to SW conversion: http://www.first-choice-aquatics.co.uk/marine//switching-from-a-freshwater-to-a-home-saltwater-aquarium.php

"A mistake many aquarium lovers make when they are converting their freshwater tanks to saltwater tanks is assuming that all they have to do is add a little salt to the water and voila, a saltwater tank. All they have done is create an environment that will kill any coral reefs, tropical fish, and freshwater fish that they place in the tank. The bacteria in saltwater is completely different from the bacteria in freshwater. People who want to speed the waters cycling process should scoop some aquarium substrate from a warm saltwater aquarium and transfer it to a temperate saltwater aquarium. Before you add fish to your freshly converted tank, make sure you purchase a refractometer and hydrometer to test the salinity of your water. The salinity should have a specific gravity that is between 1.020 and 1.026."

As with all internet info, it is always hard to ensure validity, so who knows.

Either way, I doubt that seeding your tank with FW bacteria would hurt anything.

[cocoa_pleco]

lol, looks like i was fed false info.

i used a seeded FW filter on my 55g and all was fine