There are a number of products available that are designated as being bacteria to kick start the cycling process of a reef aquarium. They supply the bacteria, in a concentrated form, the process the ammonia and nitrite to nitrate. There is no real need to use these products, they wont provide bacteria that wont find its way into your system anyway, or make a large difference to the speed at which it cycles.

You may wonder, if I don't add the bacteria, then how will it find its way into the system? You would actually find it very difficult to keep the bacteria out. Even if you kept the tank and the water you added to it sterile, then adding sterilised nutrients, within a relatively short period of time airborne bacteria of the correct species will find its way in there and start mutilplying. All you need to do is provide the nutrient source and the bacteria will find a way there. Plus if you are adding liverock, that will have the require species of bacteria on it also, ready to go.

But wont it add a boast, a sudden influx of a large number of bacteria to start processing the nutrients? Yes it will. However, the bacteria that is added wont be able to hit the ground running and start processing all of those nutrients. The bacteria will go through a phase of little activity, where it adjusts to the new conditions it has been placed in. Then it will start multiplying and processing, so the advantage isn't as large as expected. The other issue is the viability of the bacteria in those solutions, is it actually alive or is a nutrient soup just being added to the system?

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