# Is cycling needed if using Carib Sea Arag Alive?



## MrCastro3 (Jan 21, 2010)

The bag says no cycling of the tank is needed because the bacteria colonies are already mixed in. I've been doing 20-30% water changes every other day so far. I don't have an ammonia test kit yet. It's been a solid week since the fish were introduced. Just don't know what to expect.

I have about 8 Peacocks in the new tank. An emergency forced me to put them in a brand new tank setup.


----------



## jrf (Nov 10, 2009)

Get the ammonia test kit and you'll know the answer to your question. I would say, don't get your hopes up though. Some people report success with the bacteria in a bottle products. But, I've never seen anyone claim success with the live sand.

So keep up with the water changes and use an ammonia detox product between WCs. Along with the ammonia test kit, make sure to get one for nitrites also. At a minimum, you'll need those to see where you're at in the cycle.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

And nitrate, because once that begins appearing, you know you are getting there.


----------



## steelers fan (Jun 26, 2009)

when i started my 75 i used that sand and it still took almost 3 weeks for 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite. the bacteria might be alive in those bags when its shipped but who is feeding them the ammonia when its sitting on the shelf


----------



## gfry (Oct 20, 2009)

steelers fan said:


> when i started my 75 i used that sand and it still took almost 3 weeks for 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite. the bacteria might be alive in those bags when its shipped but who is feeding them the ammonia when its sitting on the shelf


They claim it is in a dormant state and doesn't need to be fed until the bag is opened and the contents exposed to air. I used the Carib Sea Eco-Complete Cichlid sand for my 55 which supposedly contains the dormant bacteria also. It took five weeks to complete my fishless cycle which is about what I would expect without any bacterial starters or seeded media. That's not to say yours won't cycle faster with the Arag Alive substrate. It just wasn't my experience.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Is that substrate meant for marine tanks? Maybe you got critters acclimated to saltwater and they did not survive the freshwater? I know eco-complete is fresh, but is carib sea arag alive like live sand for a marine tank?


----------



## tankhead (Aug 8, 2008)

I used the eco-complete substrate product when I started my last tank. I definitely experienced a spike in waste products, but did feel that the cycling was quicker. The sand also seemed cleaner and did not make the water cloudy for long.


----------



## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

arag alive is for marine aquariums only, eco complete, and instant aquarium are for fresh water only


----------



## austinramirez (Aug 15, 2009)

IME, the "live" substrates have not helped cycle at all. The shortest cycle time i have had is one week, however I transferred a filter and rocks from another cycled tank, swished the filter cartridge in the new tank, squeezed out a sponge filter from the old tank into the new, and added the "bacteria" in a bottle supplement.I only did 2 water changes to lower amonia.BUT the tank was lightly stocked also and i watched the ammonia,nitrite,and nitrate readings.Just what worked for me a couple times

I would invest in some test kits though,good luck :thumb:


----------



## GopherWacker93 (Feb 8, 2010)

I used the carib sea instant aquarium and my nitrates climbed up within 24hrs.
But the LFS owner said it was a new shipment so idk about it dying when its sitting on the shelf.


----------

