Anyone tried this?

[BillyVille]

I was researching faster ways to cycle a tank and come across this. Anyone tried it?

"Septo Bac is a powdered pre-measured bacterium in 1 oz packages. One dry ounce will cycle a 150-gallon tank in a few days. Cost $3.49 CAD for 12 packages versus considerably more for a bottle of tank cycling products or other pet store products. The product contains the same aerobic bacteria but Septo Bac is more concentrated and can cycle 10 x 150 gallon tanks."

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I have successully used this stuff to quickly cycle tanks in a pinch, like when my 20 gallon tank sprung a leak about 2 weeks ago and I had to transfer all the fish in a 10 gallon. The 19 gallon was overstocked and I had to resolve a high nitrite problem. Septo-Bac put an end to that in a hurry(matter of hours and not days) and water remains fully cycled with no nitrite or other spikes for weeks eventhough the 10 gallon is for all intensive purposes is still overstocked. This is not the first time that I have used this for this purpose. I have tried it over many years with no ill effects to fish or invertebrates.

Bio-Spira may work but if I can find something for a fraction of a cost that gets the job done, why would I pay a ton of money for Bio-Spira.

By the way Wal-Mart carries Septo-Bac. It is in the Septic Tank accessories section.

[shockshockshad]

the kind of Bacteria that lives in aquariums needs water to live. That stuff is powdered, so it probably won't work.

[Sasquatch]

Bacteria from a septic system are very different than the bacteria for cycling.

Septic bacteria break down organic matter (vs converting it to something else) and work in anaerobic conditions (little/no oxygen).

If you want a cheap way to cycle faster, get a handful of gravel from an established tank (other tank, friend or LFS) and do a fishless. If done right, it'll take less than a week.

[lacnibor]

But he said he's done it and it worked.

[BillyVille]

I think im going to give it a try...


Here is some more info on this stuff...




I agree, most of them do not work as claimed, but there are some that do.
I know Bio-Spira works very well, but is near impossible to find up here, but there is one product that Canucks can buy at any local WalMart, cheap, and it's supposed to work as good as bio-spira.

It's called Septo-Bac and for $4.50 you'll have enough freeze dried bacteria to kick start a few thousand gallons worth of tanks.

From the people that have used this with great success (150 gallon tanks cycled in 1 week) you take 1 pack of Septo-Bac, mix it into a few gallons of water, stir it up & let it 'grow' overnight. Then strain over cheese cloth, and 1 cup will provide enough bacteria for a 50 gallon tank. As long as there's an ammonia source to feed the bacteria, it appears to work extremely well.


Bio-Spira works as claimed, as does Septo-Bac, both are made up from the same type of bacteria that you used to seed your tank.

Septo-Bac just happens to be a very cheap one.


BTW - Septo-Bac isn't made or distributed for the aquarium trade, and for the amount you get for $4.50, I don't think the manufacturers are attempting to deceive anyone. ;)

This is also the product the CRLCA recommends for kick starting a new tank.

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Just in case you are wondering what this product is used for: If you have a backed up septic tank full of all kinds of waste (courtesy of your house's toilets), you dig it up, open it, and drop in one of these packages of Septo Bac which will break down the waste.


If it has enough biological enzymes to break down that much waste, handling something like cycling a puny little 120 gallon tank compared to a septic tank should be incredibly efficient.

[mitcore]

i cycle my tanks faster by using half the tank of another tank water then top it up with fresh clean tap water, for example i cycled my 4ft with my 3ft water and top up with fresh water, now i only took water from the top of the 3ft so i didnt get the gunk on the bottom of the 3ft

works well for me
i tested the water before adding fish adjusted the ph and hardness did a partly tank change and then added fish

[gm72]

Mitcore, the bacteria colonizes on surfaces and so does not colonize the water column. Adding old tank water does nothing to help the cycle unless the old water is from a tank that is experiencing a bacteria bloom. You must have seeded the tank heavily in some other manner to achieve a cycle as quickly as you describe?