Has anyone ever used tank startup for aquaruims to jump start your aqua ponic system.

[Craig Hannaford]

well  i havs seen this stuff in pet stores and have used them to jump start aquaruims to.Wondering if any one has used it and if it worked....

[Harold Sukhbir]

Hi Craig,

May not be such a good idea. You may end up "importing" some fish type disease, to your new AP system. I've done it using my personal aquarium, but at least i knew the history of my source water was clean enough. If you going to grow fish and veggies for your personal/ family consumption, it makes sense to be cautious, don't you think?

[Chris Carr]

A question which is asked quite often. Some will "say" it really works, but I believe in a side by side comparison with and without aquarium starter will show it has no effect. The truth is to jump start your system with oxygen breathing, living, bacteria you will need it from another system (or an aquarium). It is hard to get enough oxygen into a sealed bottle to keep them alive for long. Dead bacteria doesn't do you much good.

[Jonathan Kadish NYC AA Chair]

Some of the pros here will tell you it is a waste of money. I don't believe that anyone has scientifically proven it one way or another. I used it anyway when I started because it was all magic to me. It took me 45 days before any nitrites showed up which is longer than others. The bacteria are everywhere, in the air and water. They will find there way to your fish poo if you chose not to use it.

[John Cubit]

I did use it and forget it....did absolutely nothing. About all you may want to get for a tank at the pet store is a de-chlorinator and maybe some Aquarium salt in the event you need it   Some of them contain an ammonia lock which will mess up chem readings saying Ammonia is high.  Some also have a nitrogen enhancer that will do nothing for getting bacteria started.

[Harold Sukhbir]

Hi All,

Completely misinterpreted the topic here, sorry........... As i see from the replies, its been fully addressed.

Harold Sukhbir said:

Hi Craig,

May not be such a good idea. You may end up "importing" some fish type disease, to your new AP system. I've done it using my personal aquarium, but at least i knew the history of my source water was clean enough. If you going to grow fish and veggies for your personal/ family consumption, it makes sense to be cautious, don't you think?

[Carey Ma]

Ah-hem; I hate to go against what you all are saying to the exception of what Chris said about using water from a mature aquarium.

First of all, I believe what Craig was asking about was the dehydrated (powdered) inoculants that are used when byproduct (formerly called waste) levels get high and water starts to become cloudy. It isn't meant to be used to jumpstart because new tanks don't have any N to process. One must first put in some urine/ ammonia, then add in your biology.

I am, or have become, very probiotic!

I believe it is very important to balance all the five (six) kingdoms. What modern Ag science lacks is compassion. Forcibly segregating and compartmentalizing what was naturally integrated, into flow streams for the sake of profit instead of producing the best food possible in a responsible manner.

I make a slew of composts and brew teas that are derived from them.

So, my vote is to go ahead and try using stuff like "Biozyme" or simply buy Sylvia's startup kit which is easiest for beginners and includes everything.

As to you nay sayers, I'm not sure about the conditions you were under but I would dare say that your system probably lacked something. "New" (tap) water contains nothing for the microbes to process. One has to have either a maturing or otherwise "contaminated" tank for biological function to occur. Different sets of microbes process different materials under different conditions, which is why, (provided there is plenty of oxygen) I go through the trouble of making the spectrum of composts and teas.

As to the question about inoculants being viable. Under the right conditions, most microbes can be made to go dormant and theoretically be viable as long as conditions are right. Lightproof, airtight and dry is one way to go. Another method of extending shelf life is refrigeration, although it doesn't last as long. One does have to be aware that there is a lot of hype and bunk on the market, esp. in big box and hydroponics stores.  So I am not surprised that you may have unfavorable opinions towards this subject.

Sterile was the mantra of the early hydroponics community but even they, have begun  drifting towards organic. We in AP should try to be more compassionate about all life by understanding how they function and how their symbiosis effects life down the next trophic level. Our goal should be to produce wholesome food, not just another confined feed opp. in a more marketable package.

Cheers