Interesting correspondence with API in regards to Quick Start.

[FreshyFresh]

I recently posted the following question to API / Mars fish care:

Hello! I'm 2 weeks into a fishless cycle with my 29gal freshwater tank. I've added ammonia to achieve ~5ppm in the tank and I'm waiting for the magic to happen (nitrites to climb, etc). Would a product like Quick Start speed things along as long as I kept an ammonia load on the tank?

This was API's response:

"Thank you very much for contacting us regarding our products. All of your comments and questions are valuable. We use your feedback to create the most effective line of aquarium and pond products available.

Joel QuickStart will help to speed up the cycling process but it has been tested in conditions were live fish are the source of ammonia. The bacteria in Quick Start keep ammonia and nitrite around 0.50 ppm or below through the 4-5 week cycle. If the first 7-14 days you will see ammonia, again a level around or below 0.50 ppm. In the second or third week, you will see nitrite, again a level around or below 0.50 ppm. In the 3rd, 4th or 5th week you will begin to see nitrate and the nitrate continues to rise just like any other aquarium. When you start to see normal nitrate production, you will see ammonia and nitrite staying closer to 0ppm and the aquarium has fully cycled. The results however may vary because you are adding 5.0 ppm ammonia with a fishless cycle so it should still help to speed up the cycling but it will not drastically reduce the ammonia level in a quick period of time.

If you have any other questions or wish to discuss this further, please email back or give us a call at 1-800-847-0659.

Best Regards,

Nathan *********
Technical Service and Research
Mars Fishcare



50 EAST HAMILTON ST
PO BOX 218
CHALFONT, PA 18914-0218

***********@AQUARIUMPHARM.COM



www.marsfishcare.com"



I'm very impressed with the fact they actually got back to me, and not with a canned corporate response!

To me, this speaks volumes about this company in general. I will have no problems buying their products.

I don't see how this particular product is any better than a fishless cycle, given the time-frames described above, but they've got plenty of other products that help in a big way.

Just thought I'd share.

Joel

 

[FishDad]

So its the equivalent of a really, really nice guy trying to sell a ice box to an eskimo.

 

[FreshyFresh]

So its the equivalent of a really, really nice guy trying to sell a ice box to an eskimo.

LOL! Pretty much.

I guess I could see the benefit, if you're clueless and already have some fish in the tank. This product may offer some protection to the fish in that situation.

As described, Quick Start (with fish) would most likely take LONGER than a fishless cycle.

Joel

 

[OrangeCones]

I've always had good (and personal) feedback from API and Seachem. Both stand-up companies, in my opinion.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Nice that they did an actual, useful response.

It would be helpful if you already have fish or are just flat too impatient to wait with no fish and intend to add fish right away.

 

[FishDad]

I have trouble believing that bacteria can live, in any useful capacity at least, in an air tight little bottle that gets no light and sits on the shelf for who knows how long. I have heard of refridgerated alternative products with short expiration dates and that to me sounds alot more legit. I understand the company gave a caring response, I just hate the fact they are peddling this stuff. May as well have smiling Bob do the commercial.

I wonder if you can find any studies online that have ever been done, like a petri dish experiment to see if that stuff actually "contains live bacteria". The resentment btw stems from petsmart handing me and my two year old son 6 fish, a ten gallon tank and a bottle of that stuff. Literally the next morning every single fish was dead. And I set the tank up next to his cribb of all places. Luckily he didn't really care that much, but I did chew out the manager the next day.

 

[SKSands]

Personally, i'm surprised that no one has freeze dried the little critters and put them into little air tight bags.....Yeast, anyone?

 

[FreshyFresh]

I can't find the article at the moment, but I read online that these bottled BB products carry the BB in the spore stage, thus the capability of them living without air, etc. How a spore can be carried in liquid? Got me there.

The fact of the matter still remains that a good DIY fishless cycle can be done in the same timeframe or less. So much for the "quick" in Quick Start IMO.

Joel