HiQ-USA discussion thread

[sirdarksol]

Originally Posted by soldieroffortune1974

So,would I be accurate in summarizing that the system DOESN'T cycle the aquarium,but in effect,the equipment,and 'pillows' added IS the cycle.....a mechanical/chemical cycle, so to speak?

I'm not positive. That's the next thing we're testing.

I think that what happens is that the mechanical/chemical stuff mitigates the damage of the cycle long enough for the bacteria to colonize the filter. It's something like using Amquel to "remove" ammonia throughout your cycle. It neutralizes the ammonia, but the ammonia is still there to feed the bacteria.
In the long run, I would much prefer to use cycled media to jump-start the cycle, leave the "pillows" out altogether, and use the other parts to keep nitrates down (and I am now testing this. I should start an "Unofficial Zero-Water-Change Experiment" thread).

[sirdarksol]

It's been at least a month since I stopped using the filter "pillows" (the ones with lime, carbon, and zeolite in them), and the nitrates are still low. Not quite as low as they had been, but lower than they should be, considering the fact that there is a koi in the tank.

On the other hand, I've been trying the BioMagic in a tank that didn't have the towers in it, and it doesn't appear to be doing anything. Granted, I have only been using it for two weeks, so I'm not positive that it won't work.

My final test of the system is going to be to see if the BioMagic bacteria is capable of setting up a colony, or if it's like Cycle, and will stop working if not repeatedly added to the aquarium.

However, my long(er)-term analysis of the system is more positive than I thought it was going to be. It does appear that it's not just the smoke and mirrors I thought it was, and there is more to it than the zeolite. I hope to eventually test a system without the BioMagic (though this will be an expense that I can't afford right now). I'm wondering if the towers will colonize with denitrifying bacteria (bacteria that consume nitrates and expel nitrogen gas) on their own.