Too good to be true?

[smidoid]

Cycle a tank in 24hours... are they kidding?

http://www.hdltd.com/products/p_rightnow.html

Usually when something sounds too good to be true, it is. This appears to have evidence (and, FWIW, a patent) to support the claim sand since I'm a bacteriaphile, I'm intrigued.

Seem like nice chaps and it's not that expensive...

Anyone tried it?

[Steven Pro]

I believe I have seen similar claims regarding Marineland's Bio-Spira and I have used that product to very quickly cycle some mostly sterile tanks for quarantine and experiments and it has worked. But, I have not tried this product and have found most other bacteria in a bottle products to be worthless.

[smidoid]

Bio Spira's worth a look then. I was hoping to keep a small quarantine tank available for when I get new stock - and this would be ideal since the wife won't stand for having it "up" all the time.

I have to admit to being a bit wary myself, however...

[Sushiman]

Can I ask: what is the hurry anyways? Nothing good happens quickly in a reef tank 99% of the time (a.k.a. to hell with the snake oil products; buy more liverock!)

[smidoid]

No hurry. I've had my setup up and down for two months waiting to get everything right! As to LR, most experts recommend no more than 1.5lbs per gallon (US, I assume). I don't know why.

Right Now! bacllius has a number of positive things going for it like a wide temperature variance and tollerance to a number of products including heavy metals that other bacteria are killed by. It's not just about "snake oil".

I want something that would survive in the sparse tank that I use for quarantine so I can take it down very quickly and sterilise everything for another day. There really *is* a method in me madnesss! ;-0)

[Sushiman]

I feel your pain mate! The temperature swings you describe are the bane of tanks especially this size. It gives me flashbacks of my once beatiful 65gal softie /LPS boiling one toasty summer day. I lost almost everything! With the cost of the livestock I lost I easily could have bought that chiller I was avoiding. Well, that was around four + years ago, I still haven't bought a chiller but I found other ways to beat the heat & I haven't had a crash since. First off, I put A/C in the display room ( just happened to be the livingroom anyways) my wife said if we were spending that kind of coin, we ALL were going to cool down. I added a DIY 5 gallon top-off /Kalk dripper. Put all my pumps externally, put timers on my lights & got a larger sump. I have no idea about # of liverock /gallon; my display & sump are stuffed with it. "Always" & "never" statements always seem to make me say Bull$hit anyways. Keep up the fight!

[Steven Pro]

I find it much easier to simply keep a sponge filter in my sump for use in the quarantine tank. That way, I can dismantle the quarantine when not in use, but I can also set it up in a moment's notice too.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

[smidoid]

You know, I've heard that before, and it makes a lot of sense the more I think on it. Particularly as the same bacteria will be present in the main tank too. Definitely worth placing one in the fuge for "one of those days".

Steven - do you think it's better to aerate the floss/spong fiter in the fuge - as it will be in the quarantine tank?

In other news...

The new layout with the newly built fuge (just) passed water test tonight and it's now warming and clearing ready for the new LR.

Note to self: "re-install anti-syphon *before* turning off return pump"

Damn - that was close! You know those times when you see the water level dropping and wonder where it's all going... Another 1/8" (2-3 seconds) and I would have had a LOT of explaining to do. Crazy really, I try all sorts of gizmos - and it turns out that a 3/4" T-piece does the trick very nicely!

[Steven Pro]

Yes, I would operate/aerate the sponge filter on the main display system just like you would in the quarantine.

[smidoid]

Neat - and I'm loving your articles. The last one I read has convinced me to break the mould and develop a "reef edge" look so I'm positioning the main display mid tank (looking front-to-back) with the background an austere deep blue fading to almost black. The fish (will) have some swim room around the display and places to hide. Next I have to figure out how to distribute the return line - and fix the blasted venturi that the anti-syphon has created!


In the meantime, if anyone wants a wife, I have one here with only two careful owners. Good with kids and prefers reef tanks already ready to go (without the expense or visible equipment).

[smidoid]

I find it much easier to simply keep a sponge filter in my sump for use in the quarantine tank. That way, I can dismantle the quarantine when not in use, but I can also set it up in a moment's notice too.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

Here is where my troubles began (again) I ABSOLUTELY KNOW I need a QT - but the wife is kicking off. (I didn't need telling again, I know this from keeping freshwater species - and suffering with ich on two, separate, horrid occasions.

The plan is to set it up in the fuge area - but I don't have a lot of space. The fuge area itself barely allows for a tank of more than about 22" wide - and there's a support stringer/strut in there that means I don't have a lot of room to move. This may in fact mean two joined tanks.

Two questions:

1) how much does the depth of the QT affect the livestock? I can get 6"-8" - sufficient for a heater, bubbling filter and possibly a Fluval 1 (the iddy-biddy one) as a small filter-cum-powerhead.

2) What about DOCs? I can't realistically fit a skimmer of any size in there and I hate to take risks with living creatures! Actually, I'm quite anal about it much to my wife's chagrin.

[Steven Pro]

1.) As long as the fish are not taller bodied than the tank, you should be ok.

2.) No need to worry. They can be handled via water changes since it is only for short-term holding.

[smidoid]

Thanks Steven. I'll go and design it now!