Bacteria in a bottle

[Litespeed]

If the good bacteria needs ammonia and nitrite to become nitrate, where does it get it's source of "food", to stay alive in a bottle?

[shockshockshad]

That's exactly the point. That's why those "bacteria suppliments" don't work, yet people still buy them.

[karbomb]

cycle says that the state of the bacteria are dormant until released into the proper conditions i.e. your fishtank....
i am beginning to lose faith in it though...

[smaug]

It is amazing isnt it,that some can have so much luck with a product {I use liquid gravel vac and bacter lift] and others it just doesnt work for.The bacteria stays alive because it is dormant,the same way bacteria stays alive in the natural environments,through encapsulation.Im no bio chemist ,but I have seen the great results I have gotten using the LGV and the bacterlift pond products,I am convinced with the 2 products I have used.

[cocoa_pleco]

i have a bacteria supplement that cycles my tanks in 1-3 days, its hard to find and only certain stores sell it, its pricey but worth it. opened its good for a year and unopened 3 years

[Nautilus29]

they make biospera that you keep in the frig. the bacteria stay cold and slow down alot so they dont need as much ammonia to stay alive. Once you open the package and put it in your tank they warm up and the start working on the ammonia in your tank instantly.

Ive used it and it works my tank cycled in 2 days. Some people dont have a cycle at all.

[MeganL3985]

I swear by Seachem's Stability. I was having HORRIBLE problems getting my 20 gal to cycle....but within a week of using the stability I had significant improvements. CAF also said that Bacterboost is also a good product.
He seemed to me like a very knowledgable person, so I would trust his opinion on that product. As for Cycle...i have no idea, but I haven't seen anyone give a good review on it.

[cocoa_pleco]

from what ive seen and used from cycle its useless

[NickFish]

from what ive seen and used from cycle its uselessYa, Cycle's pretty much useless, at least in cycling a tank.

I've always wondered how those bacteria stay alive...
I'm guessing they put a little food in when they seal it, and the bacteria don't really become active until being released. But even so it only lasts a couple years, maybe they run out of the food.

i have a bacteria supplement that cycles my tanks in 1-3 days, its hard to find and only certain stores sell it, its pricey but worth it. opened its good for a year and unopened 3 years

NICE! Cocoa, what is that supplement called? The brand name I mean.
I gotta get me some of that!

[cocoa_pleco]

its called special blend.

2 hours after i bought my 90g i had it filled and fish in it, i had no ammonia spike using the product.

just a warning, the bacteria stuff smells like sewer