I bought it to use in cycling my brand new tanks. Will just this product alone be able to cycle a 10 and 20 gallon tank? I'm scared that you are only suppose to use it as a secondary tool in the process. Does anyone have any experience with this?

I've heard that it just primes the water for the growth of the bacteria, while Bio Spira contains the live bacteria you're trying to grow. I think I read that on a page from a web site selling Bio Spira, so who knows. I used it for a while and it was worthless, I didn't notice any difference in weeks. But now I'm re-cycling, and I'm going to try it again, mainly because I already have some and I'm too cash poor too order Bio Spira lol.

Are you doing a fishless cycle? If you have fish in there while the tanks are cycling, I recommend getting something like Bio Spira to speed up the process. I got my first goldfish before I knew anything about cycling, and he didn't make it. But anyway, I'd keep using Cycle, it might work better for you and it can't hurt.

Oh- you could also seed the tank with filter material or gravel from a healthy, established tank. I would do that but I don't have any friends that keep fish, and I worry about nasties coming in from a tank that I don't know.

Good luck!

i love cycle, i never start a new aquarium or do a water change with out it.

it does have the benneficial bacteria in it (according to the info in the leaflet) which as you know is what reduces amonia and nitrite. actually, i've never done anything but fishless cycles; and this stuff w/ a lot of plants and stress coat always did the trick for me in about a week.

when i moved from my 32 to my 72 i had of course old filter media which sped up the process even more. i also put a little more than the recomended dose; since there weren't any fish to possibly harm, and it's all natural anyways. just my personal experience though.

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oh yea, if you use it w/ water changes, use a little less, i've gotten some pretty high nitrAte readings (though i can't be certain that's the cause, when i use less i tend to get lower readings).

I dont know if cycle really helps with the cycling, but give it a try and keep us informed

Well, I've been using it for a few weeks now and it seems to be doing its job well. I just wanted to get other opinions and make sure it was truly cycling my tank, just in case for some reason it was a fake out- lol don't ask...

My 10 gallon went through all the cycling stages; had ammonia that turned into nitrite and than finally to nitrate in about 2 weeks. But now, it seems like the nitrate disappeared and I haven't done a water change??It was around 20, now it is about 3-5. So I don't know whats up with that. But the fish(not goldfish...tropicals) are added and are very happy n healthy.

The 20 gallon, however, has been taking forever! I started about a 3-4 weeks ago and the nitrites are still 3.0. They have not changed in about 2 weeks. I even added some old piece of filter from my cycled tank. Oh well... Eventually I think it will finish:rolleyes:

Overall, I think the Cycle product work pretty well. You have to be patient, but it definitely starts to cycle the tank. I could not find any bio-spira( that would be my first choice)...but this would be my second. It seems like a very safe alternative to cycling with fish

I have read several pages where strictly controlled experiments with many of the different so-called "cycling products" didnt make much of a difference at all. In short, the tanks without any additives cycled just about as fast as the tanks with the shelved products. Bio-Spira was and is the only product that can cycle a tank within a matter of days. Basically, the products that are stored on the shelves of shops do indeed "prep" the aquarium water for cycling. hey seem to injet certain entities that help the colonization of the bacters needed for cycling. However, they do not contribute the actual nitrification bacters needed for breaking down ammonia and nitrIte.


Here is a link that leads to some very explicit articles about this: http://www.marineland.com/science/nspira.asp


Hope this helps!

Paul

All cycling products are snake oil. The only real deal is Bio-Spira. Live active culuture. It cycles overnight. Expensive but worth it.

Respect
JET