Naeusu

Hey guys, I recently purchased this "Immediate Water Cycling Kit" at my LFS and was wondering if anyone else had used it and what their experience with this product was. The kit includes Microbe-Lift/Special Blend and Microbe-Lift/ Nite-OutII

I was hoping to use this product on my QT in order to reduce the cycle time and begin using my tank as early as possible. IF this product does work, how long would you suggest I wait before adding any fish to the QT?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

locoyo386

Hi there, well to be honest with you I have no idea how long it will take. However you must test for ammonia and nitrites before you put any fish in any tank. Test for them in the first 1 week, everyday and see if you get ammonia and nitrites. If you don't detect either of them, than;

1.) the tank was cycled almost instantanously or
2.) the tank has not begun the cycle.

You will not know that unless you put a fish and test for ammonia and nitrites (or test continously for longer period). If you test positive for ammonia than the tank is not cycled and the stuff does not work, and if there is no ammonia (or nitrites say in 5 days after the fish was put in) than the stuff works great.

Take into consideration that the bacteria that converts nitrites in to nitrates takes longer to colonize than the bacteria that converts ammonia into nitrites.

aquarist48

Hello Naeusu. You know the old saying if it sounds too good to be true it probably is...well I believe this will fit into that category. I don't know of anything that will immediately cycle your tank. (that doesn't mean it isn't so). Tetra Safe Start is what is most recommended for a fast cycle. (TSS) Anything else, chemical wise, that I've ever heard of has to be added for the life of the tank. Then once you've stopped adding it the cycle can crash and result in fish loss.
I would take what the makers of this product say with a grain of salt, so to speak. I'd have a back up plan just in case. Maybe a bottle of TSS would be good to have.
Let us know what you decide and your results please.

To cycle your quarantine tank, you could take some filter media from an established tank, add it to the filter of the quarantine tank or in the tank itself for an instant cycle. I always keep extra filter media in my filters for this purpose. Once your fish has recovered and returned to its original home I suggest disposing of the quarantine filter media. You don't want to spread disease.
Here is a link you may find helpful as well:
Quick and dirty quarantine setup
Best wishes!
Ken