Artificial Cycling Products ~ Pro's/Con's

Vinny · 08-01-2007, 08:30 PM

It seems that their have been some opposing views as to what is the correct/most efficient way to cycle a tank. Some of them include "Fish less" - involving ammonia usually, and ones that involve a "guinea pig" fish to risk its life in hopes that a tank will become cycled.

There are also numerous other alternatives include the liquid "bacteria" that can be found at many pet stores... that promise a tank to become fully cycled by just dumping a cap-ful of liquid daily, saying it will achieve results faster than any of the methods i mentioned in the first paragraph.

What are your experience with these products? Any Pro's/Con's to using such products as there? Are they a scam, or worth the money? This includes and is not limited to the following:

Cycle
Bio Spira

I'm sure your advice will not only be helpful to me, a person new to Fish Keeping who seems to be lost in finding the most efficient way to cycle, but many others.

**TheOldSalt** · 08-03-2007, 08:04 AM

Cycle- Takes 8 weeks. Wrong species; not only useless, but gets in the way of the right stuff. You're literally better off without using anything at all than using this.

BioSpira - Awesome. Works in one day.

Stability- almost as good. Takes a week to work.

Zoe · 08-03-2007, 11:13 AM

I found Cycle to be useless.

I have not used Bio-Spira, but I hear good things.

My prefered method is to mooch some used gravel and a used filter insert from an established tank.

**Scuba Kid** · 08-03-2007, 06:22 PM

Like has been said, Cycle is crap. Worthless and a waste of money and time.

Bio Spira is amazing. I've used it in three or so tanks and it works awesomely. Only downside is its pretty expensive so if you can get your hands on some mature filter media or gravel (put in a nylon and leave it in the tank) that can work fast as well and obviously much cheaper.

Oh, by the way. Bio-Spira isn't really an "artificial" cycling product as it contains live bacteria....the same bacteria that breaks down ammonia and that develops in the tank during a regular cycle.

Vinny · 08-03-2007, 09:17 PM

Okay, well thanks guys... that pretty much sums it up heh. So don't use Cycle.... stick with Bio Spira.

Apotheosis · 08-03-2007, 09:25 PM

....and Stability.

Both bio-spira and stability will work. Bio-spira costs more, but is faster than stability.

**JustOneMore20** · 08-03-2007, 09:42 PM

I personally "silent cycle" a tank by piling in lots of fast growing plants and stocking slowly. That was with my 2nd tank though. Since the 3rd one, I've just taken gravel and filter material from established tanks...and planted other tanks which always helps.

If you don't have access to an established tanks media or gravel, the BioSpira is the way to go. I've never used it, but have heard good things about it. There was one person I've talked to that BioSpira didn't cycle their tank instantly (or in a couple days), but I am not sure what happened there.

**TheOldSalt** · 08-04-2007, 07:20 AM

His batch probably got hot and ruined, I'd bet.

fishbone · 08-13-2007, 03:32 PM

+1 to BioSpira

08-01-2007, 08:30 PM	#1
Vinny Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lake Forest, IL Age: 16 Posts: 160	Artificial Cycling Products ~ Pro's/Con's It seems that their have been some opposing views as to what is the correct/most efficient way to cycle a tank. Some of them include "Fish less" - involving ammonia usually, and ones that involve a "guinea pig" fish to risk its life in hopes that a tank will become cycled. There are also numerous other alternatives include the liquid "bacteria" that can be found at many pet stores... that promise a tank to become fully cycled by just dumping a cap-ful of liquid daily, saying it will achieve results faster than any of the methods i mentioned in the first paragraph. What are your experience with these products? Any Pro's/Con's to using such products as there? Are they a scam, or worth the money? This includes and is not limited to the following: Cycle Bio Spira I'm sure your advice will not only be helpful to me, a person new to Fish Keeping who seems to be lost in finding the most efficient way to cycle, but many others. Last edited by Vinny; 08-01-2007 at 08:34 PM.

08-03-2007, 08:04 AM	#2
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,250	Cycle- Takes 8 weeks. Wrong species; not only useless, but gets in the way of the right stuff. You're literally better off without using anything at all than using this. BioSpira - Awesome. Works in one day. Stability- almost as good. Takes a week to work. Last edited by TheOldSalt; 08-03-2007 at 08:06 AM.

08-03-2007, 11:13 AM	#3
Zoe <·)))< Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ottawa Age: 22 Posts: 1,030	I found Cycle to be useless. I have not used Bio-Spira, but I hear good things. My prefered method is to mooch some used gravel and a used filter insert from an established tank. __________________ 90g pltd: angelfish [black, leopard, platinum, silver zebra & gold vt] · glass catfish · harlequin rasbora · neon & rummy nosed tetra · sterpai & spotted cory · bristlenose pleco 28g pltd: scarlet badis · oto cats · bristlenose 16g pltd: flame & honey gourami · cherry barbs 8g (soon to be 18g): 15 lbs LR · 10 lbs LS · YSP · zoas · shrooms · flame & hammer corals · brittle star · scarlet & electric blue hermits · firefish

08-03-2007, 06:22 PM	#4
Scuba Kid Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: RI Age: 17 Posts: 4,160	Like has been said, Cycle is crap. Worthless and a waste of money and time. Bio Spira is amazing. I've used it in three or so tanks and it works awesomely. Only downside is its pretty expensive so if you can get your hands on some mature filter media or gravel (put in a nylon and leave it in the tank) that can work fast as well and obviously much cheaper. Oh, by the way. Bio-Spira isn't really an "artificial" cycling product as it contains live bacteria....the same bacteria that breaks down ammonia and that develops in the tank during a regular cycle. __________________ Current setups: 1800 gallon koi pond, 10 gallon planted, 150 gallon reef, other FOWLR tanks Last edited by Scuba Kid; 08-03-2007 at 06:26 PM.

08-03-2007, 09:42 PM	#7
JustOneMore20 Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Alabama, US Age: 22 Posts: 3,487	I personally "silent cycle" a tank by piling in lots of fast growing plants and stocking slowly. That was with my 2nd tank though. Since the 3rd one, I've just taken gravel and filter material from established tanks...and planted other tanks which always helps. If you don't have access to an established tanks media or gravel, the BioSpira is the way to go. I've never used it, but have heard good things about it. There was one person I've talked to that BioSpira didn't cycle their tank instantly (or in a couple days), but I am not sure what happened there. __________________ *Kristin* 5 Planted tanks: 55g, 40g, 29g, 10g, 5.5g 10g N. multifasciatus tank, 5.5g Platy fry

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08-03-2007, 09:17 PM	#5
Vinny Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lake Forest, IL Age: 16 Posts: 160	Okay, well thanks guys... that pretty much sums it up heh. So don't use Cycle.... stick with Bio Spira.

08-03-2007, 09:25 PM	#6
Apotheosis Adamant Minded Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Location is only a matter of physical being. The perceiving mind is omnipresent. Age: 17 Posts: 352	....and Stability. Both bio-spira and stability will work. Bio-spira costs more, but is faster than stability.

08-04-2007, 07:20 AM	#8
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,250	His batch probably got hot and ruined, I'd bet.

08-13-2007, 03:32 PM	#9
fishbone Newbie Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Nebraska Posts: 414	+1 to BioSpira __________________ My YouTube aquaria videos

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