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Thread: Cycling

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    USA
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    Unhappy Cycling

    Tom Barr: "You might also suggest this to folks, you can prep this [scrubber] filter very easily by using a bucket and the pump and getting a good film of growth outside (if possible , near a window with direct sun light) on the screen prior to use in the aquarium; no waiting for it to get all furry. This is pre cycling for an algae scrubber. There is a little sloughing and adaptation once you place in the tank, but this will accelerate the process. Use a bucket to prep things instead of the aquarium, this way you can get on top of things and cycle the tank much faster, essentially bypassing the cycle altogether, a so called "silent cycle". Algae remove NH4 [ammonium] directly, so there's no NO2 or NO3 build up. No need for bacteria (they will form later anyway, but will have a less prominent role). For folks that do FC ["fish cycling" in FW tanks], they should prep their algae filters in a bucket, not bomb the whole tank with NH3 [ammonia]. That's foolish to do that."
    The above quote came from Oct, 16,2008 in this forum. Can you expand on this? Can you start a brand new tank with a new algae scrubber and bypass the cycling stage? I am working with fresh water but understand there should be no difference with saltwater.

  2. #2
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    Oct 2008
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    Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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    Re: Cycling

    Certainly can. You can start your scrubber while still cycling; it will keep ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate from getting too high, and may stop the algae outbreak altogether. Now, the scrubber won't grow too much algae until you start feeding livestock, but it will be ready to go when you do. There has been no need to "cycle the scrubber in a bucket", however.

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