Ready to cycle my tank!

[labman]

Ok I have my 150 Gallon up and running I have heard two stories one old#ed_op#br#ed_cl#school and one newer one says use raw shrimp and let them desolve in#ed_op#br#ed_cl#the tank the second is a product called cycle or simuler how ever I#ed_op#br#ed_cl#heard cycle is best I want to get the tank setup the best way wich is#ed_op#br#ed_cl#best this is what Dr Fosters had to say about cycle.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#span class="Verdana6pt"#ed_cl##ed_op#/span#ed_cl##ed_op#a href="javascript:popupWin1('/product/detailed_image.cfm?pCatId=3983', 50, 50, 268, 472)"#ed_cl##ed_op#img src="http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20040618163656/www.drsfostersmith.com/images/products/large/p_120093_23827D.jpg" alt="Cycle" title="Cycle" align="left" border="0" height="216" hspace="8" vspace="5" width="124"#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl# #ed_op#br#ed_cl# #ed_op#br#ed_cl# #ed_op#/a#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl# #ed_op#br#ed_cl# #ed_op#img src="http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20050919182221/www.drsfostersmith.com/images/g_drschoice.gif" alt="Doctors' Choice" align="left" border="0" height="34" width="108"#ed_cl# #ed_op#br#ed_cl# #ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#p#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl# #ed_op#br#ed_cl# #ed_op#span class="catShortDesc"#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl# #ed_op#p#ed_cl##ed_op#table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0"#ed_cl##ed_op#tbody#ed_cl##ed_op#tr valign="top"#ed_cl##ed_op#td#ed_cl##ed_op#span class="verdana75pt"#ed_cl##ed_op#strong#ed_cl#*#ed_op#/strong#ed_cl##ed_op#/span#ed_cl##ed_op#/td#ed_cl##ed_op#td#ed_cl##ed_op#span class="verdana75pt"#ed_cl##ed_op#strong#ed_cl#Concentrated bacterial additive boosts the nitrogen cycle#ed_op#/strong#ed_cl##ed_op#/span#ed_cl##ed_op#/td#ed_cl##ed_op#/tr#ed_cl##ed_op#tr valign="top"#ed_cl##ed_op#td#ed_cl##ed_op#span class="verdana75pt"#ed_cl##ed_op#strong#ed_cl#*#ed_op#/strong#ed_cl##ed_op#/span#ed_cl##ed_op#/td#ed_cl##ed_op#td#ed_cl##ed_op#span class="verdana75pt"#ed_cl##ed_op#strong#ed_cl#Establishes new aquariums and supplements biological filtration#ed_op#/strong#ed_cl##ed_op#/span#ed_cl##ed_op#/td#ed_cl##ed_op#/tr#ed_cl##ed_op#tr valign="top"#ed_cl##ed_op#td#ed_cl##ed_op#span class="verdana75pt"#ed_cl##ed_op#strong#ed_cl#*#ed_op#/strong#ed_cl##ed_op#/span#ed_cl##ed_op#/td#ed_cl##ed_op#td#ed_cl##ed_op#span class="verdana75pt"#ed_cl##ed_op#strong#ed_cl#Maintain healthy aquarium environment#ed_op#/strong#ed_cl##ed_op#/span#ed_cl##ed_op#/td#ed_cl##ed_op#/tr#ed_cl##ed_op#/tbody#ed_cl##ed_op#/table#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#
#ed_op#img src="http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20031026083728/www.drsfostersmith.com/images/logo_hagen.gif" align="right" border="0" height="27" hspace="8" vspace="8" width="72"#ed_cl#Concentrated#ed_op#br#ed_cl#bacterial formulation rapidly matures new aquariums. Carefully selected#ed_op#br#ed_cl#strains of beneficial bacteria, including Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter,#ed_op#br#ed_cl#actively reduce both ammonia and nitrite to prevent fish loss. Also#ed_op#br#ed_cl#enhances existing biological filters for optimum filter performance to#ed_op#br#ed_cl#achieve ideal water quality, naturally.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#/p#ed_cl##ed_op#p#ed_cl#Unique processing method keeps bacteria in a dormant state#ed_op#br#ed_cl#until it comes in contact with ammonia or nitrite to ensure#ed_op#br#ed_cl#effectiveness even after extended periods of bottled storage. Minimum#ed_op#br#ed_cl#shelf life of three years is guaranteed. Cycle is non-pathogenic and#ed_op#br#ed_cl#will not harm plants, animals, or humans. It is impossible to overdose.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#/p#ed_cl##ed_op#/span#ed_cl##ed_op#/p#ed_cl#

[graphixx]

I would go with the shrimp method. This is what i have done in the past. Also when your ready to cycyle I would 'seed' your tank. What that is if you dont know is to take a large cup of substrate from an allready established tank and maybe a piece of live rock from an allready established tank and put it in the tank you are cycling. This introduces all of your bacteria and gives the tank quite a boost. If you do not have anyone who has a tank a lot of times your local fish store will sell or even give you a cup full of sand from one of their tanks. Good luck :D

[dakar]

I vote for the cocktail shrimp and let nature do the rest, personally I'm always leary of anything that looks like a chemical wonder treatment.

[jerryc]

another vote for shrimp. chemicals or always a last desperate attempt to fix
a problem you cant fix any other way

[graphixx]

one of the reasons that companies offer these bio boosters is to speed the process up. they know that we hate to wait for the cycle process. So they come up with these 'bugs in a jug' to help expidite the cycle process. But like stated above nature is allways the best way.