Want to learn more about water parameters? How to Lower Ammonia: ruclips.net/video/5l-POiCc0dI/видео.html How to Lower Nitrite: ruclips.net/video/3t8yq-ydOaE/видео.html Now to Lower Nitrate: ruclips.net/video/rTdjjZRBIDU/видео.html What is the Nitrogen Cycle: ruclips.net/video/dFpN4wXgmfI/видео.html Here is an Amazon affiliate link for Fritzyme: amzn.to/3924DSt Also, our new shirts can be found at: www.primetimeaquatics.com/merch For the latest in the fish room check us out on Instagram primetime_aquatics
im upgrading my betta fish from a 10 to a 20 long, the 10 gallon tank has a sponge filter/heater and i would like to use that instead of starting new. how can i do this without hurting my betta?
Hi WoWDSM, I’m a little freaked out by this process too. For my Betta, do you know know if I can add silk plants that were in my unfiltered 3.5 gal tank to my new 5 gal filtered tank to add beneficial bacteria?
I know this is a two year old video but i really appreciate you taking the time to explain to us newbies these things. Saving us all time and money even years later!!
I have never had to cycle fast; however, this information is great to have. Watching the material it there I often feel alone in enjoying the slow methodical process of starting a new tank. Enjoy the journey! Thanks again, Jim
DLS Shares Inc , I cycle my aquarium without fish. I use beneficial bacteria in a bottle to kick start the cycling process. I cycle my tank for about 6 weeks. Just finished cycling mine this week. Sorry for your loss.
I haven't had to cycle a tank in over two years. Last month, I got a new plant, got home and put it right in my tank.. and yes, now my little 10 gallon is littered with bladder snails. The last time I had to deal with these, my tank had to dry out for over a year (nothing worked to get rid of them and now I'm much more knowledgeable to fish keeping. Now I have a set plan for if this happened). So, I'm going to transfer everything over to the new tank using this guide and then do a quarantine with my plants (or do a dip, idk yet) and hopefully, never forget to quarantine plants again! So, I say all of this to say thank you for having this easy to follow, right to the point, fast cycle guide up! I wish everyone a happy and very healthy fish tank! :)
I’m new to fish keeping and I am loving it so far! I really love the videos you guys do, they are so very helpful and I love all the knowledge you have and share! Thanks for all the amazing videos!
Pro tip: always have as many bio media (rings, balls, etc) jammed in your existing filter as possible and that way you can easily transfer some those to new setups. Combine that with daily dosage of 'bacteria in a bottle' products like seachem stability (and others like fritz) for the first week or so and you will be almost guaranteed to instant cycle your new setups.
@@karicoleman3548 no, primary use of those bottled bacteria is to jump start initial cycling process. When you have a new aquarium, add it daily for the first 2 weeks. After that, test parameteres. If no ammonia and/or nitrite, you dont have to add it anymore. You can add it once every month when you deep clean your filters for example just to be on the safe side.
@@karicoleman3548 I would advise no, you need to research "nitrogen cycle" and get your tank cycle for at least 2 weeks before adding any fish. If you have spare mature filter media from somewhere then you can add your fish immediately.
@@kamenidriss I have been researching until my eyes are crossed lol. I’ve been trying to find some established tank media in my area (AK) but no luck so far. May I ask you this, (here’s where I get confused) if my Betta has been very active and happy in his 3.5 gal unfiltered tank with treated tap water, why would it be a huge shock to him to move to a 5 gallon filtered tank? I very much want to do right by him.
Dr. Tim's works as well I used it to speed up when I first started. And then I added an fritz amonia and it cycled fast. Now I keep spare sponge filters in many of my aquariums.
I raised hundreds of thousands of Angelfish in the early eighties and sold them to a wholesaler while putting myself through college. I can't tell you how many times I started a new 40 gallon tank by only dipping one or two sponge filters in an established tank, adding them to the new tank, added as many as 20 quarter sized angels to the tank, and then did 10% water changes every two or three days for a couple of weeks. After a couple of weeks I went back to weekly water changes. NEVER lost fish with that method. It's all about constant water changes for the first couple of weeks.
Amazing advice today I lost 6 discus because I thought my tank was cycled after a month:( absolutely devastated waking up to that. Will be starting a new cycle today fingers crossed! Discus are so expensive!
Never a problem using seachem stability either i currently run 4 tanks from 90 to 20 gallons all were seeded with stability and fish added day 1 no problems
Waaaaay way back in the day when I was 15 I got my first paycheck and went out and bought a huge aquarium.... Which I still have... Anyway I knew nothing about keeping fish at the time and they told me to cycle the tank with goldfish. Those poor fish lived about 2 days. Still feel bad about that.
That was the first advice I got but it wasn't goldfish they told me to cycle with. It was neons and I couldn't figure out why the fish that were supposed to be "iron clad" died. It broke my heart and almost ruined the hobby for me at 8 or 9 years old. It wasn't until I got older that I got back into the hobby but from 8 or 9 years old until my late 20s I didn't even want to try because it "left a bad taste in my mouth" .
I went through that too! Once I learned how to cycle my tanks it made a HUGE difference! I began making videos on tank cycling to pass along to simplify the process for others!
Hi! I just wanted to thank you. This video helped soooo much. We are new to fish keeping. I've been stalking your channel along with KG Tropicals. Out of nowhere, I woke up to corydora eggs the other day. Luckily, I had a quarantine tank. I did not have cycled media. I was so worried, but remembered a key point you made. Beneficial bacteria is everywhere on the tank. I took a chance and took substrate (sand) from a cycled aquarium. It's cycled and just in time when they started hatching this morning. Thank you so much for doing the videos.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics thank you! All the eggs I managed to scrape from the tank and move have hatched. I'm looking at 20+ emerald cory fry 😂 My boyfriend says "you wanted more corydoras" 🤦♀️ Now the hard part....keeping them alive 🤞
i usually just clean a well used sponge filter inside the new tank with a new sponge filter, it becomes cloudy for a while then settle down, i get instant seeding, used it on more than 20 tanks i believe, no issues so far. but the most important thing that you said is (lightly stock the tank at the beginning). great video as always
Enjoy your content. I have learned so much from channels like yours and now have three large tanks. I'm a long way from a fish room but working on it. Had to get the t-shirt too lol
watched this after added over 10 fish on a new tank but luckily used the old filter media of cycled tanks and other decorations and similar water with only added half of the new conditioned water! Hopefully, it's ok. !! thank you so much!! i got on this video a little too late
I just started a 55 gallon and transferred a well established filter s two fluval wich is over a year old and some old established substrate and fish are doing well plants and all with a small bottle of prime and stability so far so good
New subscriber! Thank you for this! Today one of the fishes died but I am going to cycle the tank and follow your tips . I promise myself that it won’t happen again.
Thanks for all the information - much appreciated. Just a quick one though, how long do I need to leave the old media in the new tank. I run two sponge filters in an overstocked heavily planted tank. I plan to pull one of the filter sponges out and put it in the new tank to "Insta-Cycle" . . . unsure how long my other tank will have to rely on only one filter.
As someone who has has reef tanks and freshwater aquariums for over 40 years….Time is the one and Only way to cycle a tank. No used sponge filter or fast fix in a bottle work. It’s just a fact !
Completely disagree - there is a very thorough and long history of it working well in freshwater tanks - been doing it for decades as have 100s of people I know.
Amazing content as always Jason 🙏. Could I clarify two things please. 1. If fish and cycled media are added simultaneously, is there a risk the BB from the established tank will be starved of amonia and die? It takes a few days for the new fish waste to covert to amonia, right? 2. I have started a 20 gallon with 10 guppies (too many I know), so to mitigate, I have applied both methods you've mentioned in this vid. Added a good amount of cycled media and using bottle BB (seachem stability). What should I expect to see when testing water? A bypass of amonia and nitrite and simply a nitrate reading after a few weeks?
Cool video Professor fish. Something I like is Sera crystal clear looks like new tennis 🎾,its rinse and reuse filter floss. After a short time color fades and it can pass as moss balls drop in different parts of the tank seems to do a great job for me.
I got a new tank for my fish, and I also got a new canister filter. Can I take my old canister filter and put it on my new tank and put a new filter on the old tank without causing my old tank issues? FYI, the old tank has an HOB and sponge filter as well.
I have 3 baby turtles, 2 pink convicts, 2 red tail sharks, algae eater, and snails in a 40 gallon. I do have the hang on filter and sponge filter on the tank as well. If it does spike, what do I do to bring it back to normal?
@@PrimeTimeAquatics i mean if u already have cycled the water the first time. and one day u do a complete water change, you would have to cycle again after the complete water change again correct?
You have to use Prime or something like it to dechlorinate first though, yes? Otherwise the beneficial bacteria will die... or so I've heard. I have never tried this method to cycle before.
Thank you for another great video!! I’ve learned SO much thanks to your fantastic educational videos. I believe that they’ve saved many fish lives :) Our 1st tank (110 l / around 35 gallon) is working like a clock and now we’re about to start our 1st large tank (450 l / around 150 gallons). I’ve already “pimped” the current sponge filter with a bag of ceramic filter media that I’m gonna use in the new tank (along with some of the sponges).
@@j-pixnz8458 thank you! Sorry, I apparently had chosen wrong type of “gallons” when I googled. It’s not always so easy for a European to get all the American measuring units right 😅
Thanks for the guide I'm moving my goldfish to a 55 gallon and I wasn't sure if it would be okay to add them right away they currently live in a 20 gallon I have a sponge filter and a hang on back filter I will put my sponge filter in the new tank
I had no idea what the nitrogen cycle was when I got my first aquarium. I was so focused on what equipment I needed that i didn’t even think about water parameters being a thing. A few days after adding 2 fish, one of them died and after researching I got a test kit and ammonia was sky high and after 50% water changes every day for 2-3 weeks the tank was cycled. It really turned me off from the hobby but it was worth the work. I still don’t understand how the nitrogen cycle never came in researching my first aquarium...
Thanks for the information, If i put a new sponge in an old tank with the idea of cycling a future tank, how long take that new sponge to charge with beneficial bacterias?
So here’s my situation... I have a 20 gallon long. Setup about 4 weeks ago, one week of feeding fish food, then I added two packs of tissue culture Christmas moss onto my driftwood. Three weeks of feeding the tank usually once every other day, as well as dosing liquid fertilizer and started to see new growth and great green colour on the moss. Saw some ammonia build up here and there, nitrites peaked pretty quickly as well, and then they both went down to zero. Now, because of COVID, not really a huge fan of going to stores, so when my son and I went to get some fish, they had the fish in stock, and I decided to go a little aggressive on the stocking. Hoping that if I could keep things in check, it could avoid multiple trips back and forth to the store. So we picked up 12x diamond neon tetras and 8x panda corydoras. All the fish we bought are small, the biggest of the entire lot being MAYBE 3/4” Maybe someone if anyone reading this will pick up on some subtle self justification as to why I’m taking a risk. Even the LFS employee voided the warranty on the sale. So even though I was comfortable that my new setup had at least had some bacteria build up, I decided to pick up Seachem’s Stability. I dosed according to the instructions 2 days prior to buying the fish, and will continue with the 7-day dosing regiment they suggest. I’m just over 48 hours now of fish in tank. They acclimated very quickly, showing great schooling behaviour, eating extremely well. No signs of stress so far. I have been very diligent in water testing since the fish went in. Testing for ammonia 5 times/day. Only once this evening did I see a small rise, not even enough to match the colour for .25ppm. I did a 20% water change and added my daily dose of Stability, waited 3 hours and could not get any ammonia on the next test. Nitrites have been testing 0ppm for the last week, that’s tested twice a day right now. I’m trying to walk the line of being risky and responsible at the same time so here is what I have planned in case things hit the fan: I am running a fluval 207, two containers are completely filled with crushed lava rock which I believe is way more surface area than that tiny bag of ceramic rings they give you. The rings are in a nylon bag and in the aquarium so I can cycle that media too because I have a 10 gallon aquarium I’m going to fill up tomorrow, in case I need to move some fish out if things get funky quick. I know I have 5 more days of being super diligent with testing, dosing and water changes as needed. I do have to put this out there because I’m not sure I’ve seen it touched on yet, but how long after you add fish to a tank would you expect to see an ammonia spike? I’m right on top of everything I think I should be right now... I tried to pre-plan as much as possible and I have a back-up plan. So far everything seems to be working... If anyone reading this has anything to say, tips, comments etc, please feel free. I’ve only gotten back into the hobby after being out for 12 years and this is a project I did with my 9yr son, and I want to sure it works well. Edit: other parameters are last ph test was 7.4 and temperature is 78F
I do the same thing but I’ve found with stocking tank sometimes you can get slight increases in Ammonia and nitrites but will never go really high I call it a soft cycle. It doesn’t last very long at all and goes right too nitrates
I've got some Fritz Complete and some FritzZime7 on the way right now in preparation for my first tank setup in almost 10 years. I'm ashamed to admit that way back in the day we used to get fish into the tank right away to start the bacteria build up and do a bunch of water changes. We didn't have the good bacteria in a bottle back then. Just a stalwart set of convict cichlids. As you said a lot of the other stuff on the market just doesn't work. Not going to name any names but I tried two separate widely available name brands from the big pet stores.
Ok so if I’m understanding correctly, I put a used filter from my sisters established tank into my new tank. Now I can lightly stick my tank with some fish. What am I watching for next? Do I do daily water tests to watch for spikes? Once a week? When should be my first water change? I am learning so much from your channel! So thankful I came across this!
Great questions. Yes, I would start by just adding a fish or two. If everything is ok for a couple weeks, you can probably add a few more. I would test every few days for the first few weeks. When we do it this way we haven't had any issues. Water changes can start when your nitrates are hitting 20ppm or higher.
What about other objects from the tank that are not filter media? Plants (potted with rock wool from the fish store, for example), wood, rocks, decor etc? Enough BB on that stuff for an instant cycle? Thanks.
Im starting a sorority betta tank 55gal. it's brand new. Because you are supposed to add all the females at the same time, how can I cycle the tank for them ? Looking to put 60 females in
I have a spong filter in another tank that has copopods through it, I'm starting up a new 40gallon breeder. Would it be a good idea to take the spong and put it inside of a new canister filter? Note I have also left the bio balls that will be inside the canister filter floating in the established tank to help seed it.
Quick question. Im currently doing a fishless cycle in a 55g. Adding ammonium chloride to keep the ammonia up between 3-5ppm. Would it be safe to add plants at those ammonia levels? Or does ammonia hurt plants? Im dying to order some beautiful plants but a little gun shy as I dont want them dying and wasting money. Id truly appreciate your opinion. Ty
@Prime Time Aquatics i actually was able to get some fritz turbo start. Found a good fish store about an hr away. We stopped at a gas station and got a cup of ice so it would stay cold on the way home. I added it last night. Should i add some safe now? Or will safe ruin the turbo start? We also bought lots of plants last nignt lol yeahhh i jumped the gun hahaha
Finally 7 weeks later and I have. 25 ammonia, 25 nitrate and 1 nitrate. I dosed with prime and stability so as to not let it spike. Have I reached a full cycle now and should no longer need these chemicals?
Your content seems great, I’m willing to buy the product you were advertising but you waved it in front of the screen I can’t see what it is and I didn’t find the product listed in your comments.
Thank you again for your help.My tank has been up over a month and still looks really cloudy. I bought one worthless product already so I’m looking forward to trying what you recommend. Thank you again.
So if I understood this correctly I can take a use filer from a cycled and put in a new set up tank and it will be ready to add my one fish? I have one bluegill. So I can add it to the new tank?
I'm going to give this a go. I'm setting up 2 more tanks in the next month. I can put some filter media, moss balls, old substrate and ornaments in the first new tank while it cycles. Then move it all over to the 3rd tank as things settle.
I’m about to buy a second hand fish tank and fish with two fx6 filters so once I fill my tank with water and turn on the filters how long before I can add the fish thx
Have you ever put samples of the various kinds of ‘bacteria in a bottle’ under a microscope to see if there was in fact live bacteria and not just spores? If I had access to a microscope powerful enough, I would be looking at all kinds of things. Oh, the many microorganisms in a sample from under the substrate or the surface of wood!
Used fritz zyme 7. Not having much luck but my water comes out of the tap with .25 ppm ammonia. It has been 2 days. Should the ammonia be coming down? Did I get a bad bottle?
I have had a 20 gallon tank for 2weeks. 5 female betta (removed one because she was stressed and hiding all the time) 5 peppered cory's and 5 chili rasboras. I added 5 gallons of fritz conditioned water and the rest spring water. Added a small amount of Gravel from a cycled tank, 2 plants from a cycled tank and rinsed an established gunky filter in the new tank. On day 2 it was cloudy white. Wood had the white fungus that is now disappearing and tannins are being released (tea colored water). I have been testing ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and ph and all are negative. How do I know if my tank is cycled, or if it has not started the cycle yet?
Sounds good, hope it's not snake oil. The surest way for instant cycle and the only one I trust is filter media from another tank. Would love to see the results with sensitive fish.
What about some substrate, from a fish bowl? I've had a feeder gold fish in there, for about 3 or 4 months. Does it matter that It's gold fish, and not tropical fish? (I'm working on cycling a new 29 gallon, for tropical, fresh water fish)
I cycle my tanks with old filtration and media. I wash the filter in the new tank once it fills and start the cycle for about an hour add my bacteria and clear. I add the fish right after that and so far so good I’ve done thins on six tanks. I have guppy’s and betta fish in all and have yet to loose any other than the occasional guppy. I have coreys red barbs neon tetras shrimp snails and no issues.
Just restarted my 5 gallon tank. I set it up with a filter, heater, and air and planted it out today. I used bio gravel mixed with regular (1:1 ratio) and put liquid fertiliser in. I have Prodibio start up bacteria (says you can add fish after 4 hrs). I’m wondering if I should be adding it now then wait a week before starting with populating or add it just before populating the tank. My plan is to put in a snail in in a bit over a week then if things are looking good finish with a small school of neon tetra a week or two after that. This is my first proper go at a planted aquarium so any help would be appreciated. I can’t get the starter 7 thing you mentioned as I haven’t seen it in my country. I have an ammonia tester but not a nitrite tester
I've seeded two new tanks with bags of sea chem matrix , I stuff the matrix in media bags and throw a bunch in my established HOBs for about a week . Sea chem stability does work if dosed properly I used it for my first tank. While it helped initialize the cycle and speed it along nothing compares to established bio media or filter tho !!!
I have a new small 5 gallon tank, gravel in water in etc. I just used API Quick Start and API Stress coat. I need to get my fish in there asap. Can I add the FritzZyme 7 and the one Betta at the same time or not? I did a water test and of course ammonia and nitrates were 0.
Can you use the substrate from an old tank in the new tank to help with the cycle? I also have a lot of wood decorations in two tanks. I was thinking of using two sponge filters. I have one in a 10 gallon tank that’s been in use for months. I have a second on the way from aquarium co-op. How long does a sponge filter or any filter medium need to be in an established tank to get all bacteriaed up to use in a new tank?
All great questions! I would leave a sponge filter in a tank for about four weeks before switching it over. Using the substrate from the old tank should really help as would using a decoration or two!
@@PrimeTimeAquatics I was watching this video for this exact question! My 6 year old daughter and I have been watching you and Cory from aquarium co-op for all our aquarium questions! We started a 10 gallon December 2018, and we just bought a 29 gallon for a 1.00 a gallon sale at big box store. We are going to make our own lid, stand, and lighting set up. Our first tank is going so well, we can't wait to add the new one in. Thanks for all your awesome advice and videos!!
I’m cycling a 20 gal for 2 goldfish (small fish living in an uncared for water trough)((will get at least a 55 gal soon and if not friend has coy pond)) and I think there is a mosquito larve helping me out?? Are mosquito’s good ammonia producers lol?
great. just when i needed it . yesterday i added 2 sponge filter and 1 kilogram of ceramic ring to my 120g tank from my already established 50 gallon tank. 120 g contains 8 geophagus 3inch and 5 bristlenose pleco 2 inch . i hope so there wont be an issue.
Love your videos sir. Just a question, what if we add a few livestocks to jumpstart the nigrogen cycle process and during this stage; the livestocks get sick (ich), do we medicate ? Thank you
Want to learn more about water parameters?
How to Lower Ammonia: ruclips.net/video/5l-POiCc0dI/видео.html
How to Lower Nitrite: ruclips.net/video/3t8yq-ydOaE/видео.html
Now to Lower Nitrate: ruclips.net/video/rTdjjZRBIDU/видео.html
What is the Nitrogen Cycle: ruclips.net/video/dFpN4wXgmfI/видео.html
Here is an Amazon affiliate link for Fritzyme: amzn.to/3924DSt
Also, our new shirts can be found at: www.primetimeaquatics.com/merch
For the latest in the fish room check us out on Instagram primetime_aquatics
Fritzyme > Your posted Amazon Affiliate link says "Sorry We Couldn't Find That Page"
im upgrading my betta fish from a 10 to a 20 long, the 10 gallon tank has a sponge filter/heater and i would like to use that instead of starting new. how can i do this without hurting my betta?
Is this stuff safe to use with snails?
I love how straight to the point, no-nonsense your channel is. No loud music, fancy graphics or shenanigans! You should have much more views.
Thank you!
Love that when I search anything fish related on youtube you guys show up with a great informational video!!!
Glad you find them useful. :-)
Tree frog
Thank you for this video. People tend to really over complicate seeding a new tank, further driving away any noob fish keepers.
Hi WoWDSM, I’m a little freaked out by this process too. For my Betta, do you know know if I can add silk plants that were in my unfiltered 3.5 gal tank to my new 5 gal filtered tank to add beneficial bacteria?
@@karicoleman3548 kefe
I know this is a two year old video but i really appreciate you taking the time to explain to us newbies these things. Saving us all time and money even years later!!
I have never had to cycle fast; however, this information is great to have.
Watching the material it there I often feel alone in enjoying the slow methodical process of starting a new tank. Enjoy the journey!
Thanks again,
Jim
Glad to hear someone else think the way I do about cycling an aquarium. Slow down. Enjoy the process.🐟👍
DLS Shares Inc , I cycle my aquarium without fish. I use beneficial bacteria in a bottle to kick start the cycling process. I cycle my tank for about 6 weeks. Just finished cycling mine this week. Sorry for your loss.
I haven't had to cycle a tank in over two years. Last month, I got a new plant, got home and put it right in my tank.. and yes, now my little 10 gallon is littered with bladder snails. The last time I had to deal with these, my tank had to dry out for over a year (nothing worked to get rid of them and now I'm much more knowledgeable to fish keeping. Now I have a set plan for if this happened). So, I'm going to transfer everything over to the new tank using this guide and then do a quarantine with my plants (or do a dip, idk yet) and hopefully, never forget to quarantine plants again! So, I say all of this to say thank you for having this easy to follow, right to the point, fast cycle guide up!
I wish everyone a happy and very healthy fish tank! :)
Hope it all works out ok!
I’m new to fish keeping and I am loving it so far! I really love the videos you guys do, they are so very helpful and I love all the knowledge you have and share! Thanks for all the amazing videos!
Thank you!
Pro tip: always have as many bio media (rings, balls, etc) jammed in your existing filter as possible and that way you can easily transfer some those to new setups. Combine that with daily dosage of 'bacteria in a bottle' products like seachem stability (and others like fritz) for the first week or so and you will be almost guaranteed to instant cycle your new setups.
Once you start adding the beneficial bacteria, are you then locked in to adding it always?
@@karicoleman3548 no, primary use of those bottled bacteria is to jump start initial cycling process. When you have a new aquarium, add it daily for the first 2 weeks. After that, test parameteres. If no ammonia and/or nitrite, you dont have to add it anymore. You can add it once every month when you deep clean your filters for example just to be on the safe side.
@@kamenidriss
Thank you so much! Can I add my beta prior to the 2weeks being up?
@@karicoleman3548 I would advise no, you need to research "nitrogen cycle" and get your tank cycle for at least 2 weeks before adding any fish. If you have spare mature filter media from somewhere then you can add your fish immediately.
@@kamenidriss
I have been researching until my eyes are crossed lol. I’ve been trying to find some established tank media in my area (AK) but no luck so far.
May I ask you this, (here’s where I get confused) if my Betta has been very active and happy in his 3.5 gal unfiltered tank with treated tap water, why would it be a huge shock to him to move to a 5 gallon filtered tank? I very much want to do right by him.
Dr. Tim's works as well I used it to speed up when I first started. And then I added an fritz amonia and it cycled fast. Now I keep spare sponge filters in many of my aquariums.
I raised hundreds of thousands of Angelfish in the early eighties and sold them to a wholesaler while putting myself through college. I can't tell you how many times I started a new 40 gallon tank by only dipping one or two sponge filters in an established tank, adding them to the new tank, added as many as 20 quarter sized angels to the tank, and then did 10% water changes every two or three days for a couple of weeks. After a couple of weeks I went back to weekly water changes. NEVER lost fish with that method. It's all about constant water changes for the first couple of weeks.
Great that you’re telling us but showing us exactly what to do is easier to follow.
Thanks
Amazing advice today I lost 6 discus because I thought my tank was cycled after a month:( absolutely devastated waking up to that. Will be starting a new cycle today fingers crossed! Discus are so expensive!
Bruh F 😭😭😭
@@jrycsssss yep I gave up and stuck with African cichilds 👌
@@KJ_92-x2k now we're talking, cichlid supremacy😎
@@jrycsssss yes bro
Never a problem using seachem stability either i currently run 4 tanks from 90 to 20 gallons all were seeded with stability and fish added day 1 no problems
Waaaaay way back in the day when I was 15 I got my first paycheck and went out and bought a huge aquarium.... Which I still have... Anyway I knew nothing about keeping fish at the time and they told me to cycle the tank with goldfish. Those poor fish lived about 2 days. Still feel bad about that.
That was the advice we all got when I was younger.
That was the first advice I got but it wasn't goldfish they told me to cycle with. It was neons and I couldn't figure out why the fish that were supposed to be "iron clad" died. It broke my heart and almost ruined the hobby for me at 8 or 9 years old. It wasn't until I got older that I got back into the hobby but from 8 or 9 years old until my late 20s I didn't even want to try because it "left a bad taste in my mouth" .
Thomas Ashe why would you eat it??
I went through that too! Once I learned how to cycle my tanks it made a HUGE difference! I began making videos on tank cycling to pass along to simplify the process for others!
@@hemothy Its a figure of speech. He didn't eat anything.
Hi! I just wanted to thank you. This video helped soooo much. We are new to fish keeping. I've been stalking your channel along with KG Tropicals. Out of nowhere, I woke up to corydora eggs the other day. Luckily, I had a quarantine tank. I did not have cycled media. I was so worried, but remembered a key point you made. Beneficial bacteria is everywhere on the tank.
I took a chance and took substrate (sand) from a cycled aquarium. It's cycled and just in time when they started hatching this morning.
Thank you so much for doing the videos.
Congrats on the eggs!
@@PrimeTimeAquatics thank you! All the eggs I managed to scrape from the tank and move have hatched. I'm looking at 20+ emerald cory fry 😂
My boyfriend says "you wanted more corydoras" 🤦♀️
Now the hard part....keeping them alive 🤞
i usually just clean a well used sponge filter inside the new tank with a new sponge filter, it becomes cloudy for a while then settle down, i get instant seeding, used it on more than 20 tanks i believe, no issues so far. but the most important thing that you said is (lightly stock the tank at the beginning). great video as always
Assem Elsayed same here.
I have done that before as well.
Jason is a fish keeping legend.
Enjoy your content. I have learned so much from channels like yours and now have three large tanks. I'm a long way from a fish room but working on it. Had to get the t-shirt too lol
Thank you! Appreciate you being here!
So helpful. I love this channel so much. You are so knowledgeable and give off such a gentle vibe. The best channel
Thank you for being here!
You guys are the real thing! Great content and honesty. Thank you!
Appreciate you being here!
Your channel Rocks. I learn so much from you, thank you both!
I'm Newby and your account is sooo helpful thank you
Thank you!
I use just a used filter and 1/3 used water from a nother running aquarium 🤗never lost a fish (added straight away) and never had a spike🤗
Me too. I also did put the used wood in my new tank and the used filtermedia and also some plants.....never had a problem.
watched this after added over 10 fish on a new tank but luckily used the old filter media of cycled tanks and other decorations and similar water with only added half of the new conditioned water! Hopefully,
it's ok. !! thank you so much!! i got on this video a little too late
I just started a 55 gallon and transferred a well established filter s two fluval wich is over a year old and some old established substrate and fish are doing well plants and all with a small bottle of prime and stability so far so good
New subscriber! Thank you for this! Today one of the fishes died but I am going to cycle the tank and follow your tips . I promise myself that it won’t happen again.
We’re all learning things in this hobby!
Thanks for all the information - much appreciated. Just a quick one though, how long do I need to leave the old media in the new tank. I run two sponge filters in an overstocked heavily planted tank. I plan to pull one of the filter sponges out and put it in the new tank to "Insta-Cycle" . . . unsure how long my other tank will have to rely on only one filter.
I leave the old media in the new tank for about four weeks.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics thanks for getting back. much appreciated
Great video! Been a follower of yours for a long time! You got me hooked on sponge filters!
Thank you for being here!
Love the conciseness. Thanks for this very informative content!
Thank you!
sir how long does it take transfer bacteria from an established sponge filter to a new sponge filter to be used for a different tank?
Give it 4-6 weeks
@@PrimeTimeAquatics Thank you 🙏
As someone who has has reef tanks and freshwater aquariums for over 40 years….Time is the one and Only way to cycle a tank. No used sponge filter or fast fix in a bottle work. It’s just a fact !
Completely disagree - there is a very thorough and long history of it working well in freshwater tanks - been doing it for decades as have 100s of people I know.
Best beard ever.
Amazing content as always Jason 🙏.
Could I clarify two things please.
1. If fish and cycled media are added simultaneously, is there a risk the BB from the established tank will be starved of amonia and die? It takes a few days for the new fish waste to covert to amonia, right?
2. I have started a 20 gallon with 10 guppies (too many I know), so to mitigate, I have applied both methods you've mentioned in this vid. Added a good amount of cycled media and using bottle BB (seachem stability). What should I expect to see when testing water? A bypass of amonia and nitrite and simply a nitrate reading after a few weeks?
👍 Great information really help me out alot .🐟🐠🐡🤙❤
Cool video Professor fish. Something I like is Sera crystal clear looks like new tennis 🎾,its rinse and reuse filter floss. After a short time color fades and it can pass as moss balls drop in different parts of the tank seems to do a great job for me.
I just clean my old filter in the new tank with new filter running.works fin for me.
I got a new tank for my fish, and I also got a new canister filter. Can I take my old canister filter and put it on my new tank and put a new filter on the old tank without causing my old tank issues? FYI, the old tank has an HOB and sponge filter as well.
The old tank might experience a temporary ammonia spike if it is heavily stocked.
Turtles
I have 3 baby turtles, 2 pink convicts, 2 red tail sharks, algae eater, and snails in a 40 gallon. I do have the hang on filter and sponge filter on the tank as well. If it does spike, what do I do to bring it back to normal?
Came here since google only has info on doing waterchanges during cycle. My question is, if u did a complete water change do i need to cycle again?
It may prolong the cycling process if all the ammonia is removed.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics i mean if u already have cycled the water the first time. and one day u do a complete water change, you would have to cycle again after the complete water change again correct?
You have to use Prime or something like it to dechlorinate first though, yes? Otherwise the beneficial bacteria will die... or so I've heard. I have never tried this method to cycle before.
For sure!
Thank you for another great video!! I’ve learned SO much thanks to your fantastic educational videos. I believe that they’ve saved many fish lives :) Our 1st tank (110 l / around 35 gallon) is working like a clock and now we’re about to start our 1st large tank (450 l / around 150 gallons). I’ve already “pimped” the current sponge filter with a bag of ceramic filter media that I’m gonna use in the new tank (along with some of the sponges).
110 litres = 29 gallons, 450 L = 118 G .... not having a dig at all just FYI
@@j-pixnz8458 thank you! Sorry, I apparently had chosen wrong type of “gallons” when I googled. It’s not always so easy for a European to get all the American measuring units right 😅
Very helpful. Thank you.
Thanks for the guide I'm moving my goldfish to a 55 gallon and I wasn't sure if it would be okay to add them right away they currently live in a 20 gallon I have a sponge filter and a hang on back filter I will put my sponge filter in the new tank
Thanks Thanos!❤️🤞
I had no idea what the nitrogen cycle was when I got my first aquarium. I was so focused on what equipment I needed that i didn’t even think about water parameters being a thing. A few days after adding 2 fish, one of them died and after researching I got a test kit and ammonia was sky high and after 50% water changes every day for 2-3 weeks the tank was cycled. It really turned me off from the hobby but it was worth the work. I still don’t understand how the nitrogen cycle never came in researching my first aquarium...
As long as you know about it now - you are all good! : -)
I never got an ammonia spike using rodi water. But added fritzzyme 7 and stability to the water and everything has been great.
Thanks for the tips I want to make usre my tank is set up just right!
Thanks for the information, If i put a new sponge in an old tank with the idea of cycling a future tank, how long take that new sponge to charge with beneficial bacterias?
I usually try to give it fours weeks.
Worded very well.
Convenient how only the sponsors product works hmmmm....but would the used filter media trick work if a friend posted in an envelope
I only promote products that work.
I used a spongefilter to seed my 5.5 gallon lowboy, and i also used a ton of duckweed as it is a nitrite and nitrate sponge and its going well so far
can i do this in saltwater
I believe Fritz also makes a saltwater version of Fritzyme 7?
What's your opinion on seachem stability?
Works just fine!
Hi! Thank you so much for your explanation. I have a question,
Can I add just a betta fish immediately if I add a used sponge filter to the new tank?
Yes!
So does it stress the fish to add to a new tank with the fritz 9 is what i used? Have not added any fish yet but just the fritz 9
I think the 9 might be for saltwater?
@@PrimeTimeAquatics yes it is a salt water tank, would it stress the fish to instantly add if you are adding beneficial bacteria fritz product?
So here’s my situation...
I have a 20 gallon long. Setup about 4 weeks ago, one week of feeding fish food, then I added two packs of tissue culture Christmas moss onto my driftwood. Three weeks of feeding the tank usually once every other day, as well as dosing liquid fertilizer and started to see new growth and great green colour on the moss.
Saw some ammonia build up here and there, nitrites peaked pretty quickly as well, and then they both went down to zero.
Now, because of COVID, not really a huge fan of going to stores, so when my son and I went to get some fish, they had the fish in stock, and I decided to go a little aggressive on the stocking. Hoping that if I could keep things in check, it could avoid multiple trips back and forth to the store.
So we picked up 12x diamond neon tetras and 8x panda corydoras. All the fish we bought are small, the biggest of the entire lot being MAYBE 3/4”
Maybe someone if anyone reading this will pick up on some subtle self justification as to why I’m taking a risk. Even the LFS employee voided the warranty on the sale.
So even though I was comfortable that my new setup had at least had some bacteria build up, I decided to pick up Seachem’s Stability. I dosed according to the instructions 2 days prior to buying the fish, and will continue with the 7-day dosing regiment they suggest.
I’m just over 48 hours now of fish in tank. They acclimated very quickly, showing great schooling behaviour, eating extremely well. No signs of stress so far.
I have been very diligent in water testing since the fish went in. Testing for ammonia 5 times/day. Only once this evening did I see a small rise, not even enough to match the colour for .25ppm. I did a 20% water change and added my daily dose of Stability, waited 3 hours and could not get any ammonia on the next test. Nitrites have been testing 0ppm for the last week, that’s tested twice a day right now.
I’m trying to walk the line of being risky and responsible at the same time so here is what I have planned in case things hit the fan:
I am running a fluval 207, two containers are completely filled with crushed lava rock which I believe is way more surface area than that tiny bag of ceramic rings they give you. The rings are in a nylon bag and in the aquarium so I can cycle that media too because I have a 10 gallon aquarium I’m going to fill up tomorrow, in case I need to move some fish out if things get funky quick.
I know I have 5 more days of being super diligent with testing, dosing and water changes as needed.
I do have to put this out there because I’m not sure I’ve seen it touched on yet, but how long after you add fish to a tank would you expect to see an ammonia spike? I’m right on top of everything I think I should be right now... I tried to pre-plan as much as possible and I have a back-up plan. So far everything seems to be working...
If anyone reading this has anything to say, tips, comments etc, please feel free. I’ve only gotten back into the hobby after being out for 12 years and this is a project I did with my 9yr son, and I want to sure it works well.
Edit: other parameters are last ph test was 7.4 and temperature is 78F
You're usually safe after about two weeks (with your plan). If it hasn't spiked by then it's probably going to be ok. Good luck with everything!
I do the same thing but I’ve found with stocking tank sometimes you can get slight increases in Ammonia and nitrites but will never go really high I call it a soft cycle. It doesn’t last very long at all and goes right too nitrates
I've got some Fritz Complete and some FritzZime7 on the way right now in preparation for my first tank setup in almost 10 years. I'm ashamed to admit that way back in the day we used to get fish into the tank right away to start the bacteria build up and do a bunch of water changes. We didn't have the good bacteria in a bottle back then. Just a stalwart set of convict cichlids. As you said a lot of the other stuff on the market just doesn't work. Not going to name any names but I tried two separate widely available name brands from the big pet stores.
That's how most people did it when I was a kid. Glad there are good products out there now!
Ok so if I’m understanding correctly, I put a used filter from my sisters established tank into my new tank. Now I can lightly stick my tank with some fish. What am I watching for next? Do I do daily water tests to watch for spikes? Once a week? When should be my first water change? I am learning so much from your channel! So thankful I came across this!
Great questions. Yes, I would start by just adding a fish or two. If everything is ok for a couple weeks, you can probably add a few more. I would test every few days for the first few weeks. When we do it this way we haven't had any issues. Water changes can start when your nitrates are hitting 20ppm or higher.
Can you use a few rocks from a fresh water lake and use that to speed the cycling process for a new aquarium
The risk might be more than the reward with the possibility of introducing disease.
How long do you usually have to wait after adding Fritz Zyme?
I add fish at the same time, but very few.
This was pretty informative, thanks for the video. Also, you sound like Michelangelo from the 90's Ninja Turtles cartoon, which is awesome!
Too funny
What if i dont have fish but a crawdad/ crawfish, what do i do then, should i put its food in there to create nitrate?
You can do the same as outlined here
What about other objects from the tank that are not filter media? Plants (potted with rock wool from the fish store, for example), wood, rocks, decor etc? Enough BB on that stuff for an instant cycle?
Thanks.
I will have BB, but not as concentrated as filter media.
Cool, thanks.@@PrimeTimeAquatics
What kind of filter is this? Where did you get it? My fish keep swimming into my filter that sucks water from the bottom:(
In the 75 gallon I have two ATI Hydro IV sponge filters and a Marineland Pro 375.
Thanks! Just stole some fleece from my 75 and put it into my hob filter for my new 30!
Im starting a sorority betta tank 55gal. it's brand new. Because you are supposed to add all the females at the same time, how can I cycle the tank for them ? Looking to put 60 females in
That usually the biggest challenge. You would have to make sure the filtration is already cycled before adding that much bioload.
I am working on a betta breeding project, do I need to cycle my breeding or grow out tank? I see so much mixed options online.
Definitely
Would an older HOB cartridge work as a good seeding material? I'm just not sure how the activated carbon affects the bb
Sure, the carbon loses its ability to do anything after a while anyhow.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics thank you!
I have a spong filter in another tank that has copopods through it, I'm starting up a new 40gallon breeder. Would it be a good idea to take the spong and put it inside of a new canister filter? Note I have also left the bio balls that will be inside the canister filter floating in the established tank to help seed it.
Quick question. Im currently doing a fishless cycle in a 55g. Adding ammonium chloride to keep the ammonia up between 3-5ppm. Would it be safe to add plants at those ammonia levels? Or does ammonia hurt plants? Im dying to order some beautiful plants but a little gun shy as I dont want them dying and wasting money. Id truly appreciate your opinion. Ty
Might be easier to stop adding ammonia, add the plants and some Fritzyme 7?
@Prime Time Aquatics i actually was able to get some fritz turbo start. Found a good fish store about an hr away. We stopped at a gas station and got a cup of ice so it would stay cold on the way home. I added it last night. Should i add some safe now? Or will safe ruin the turbo start? We also bought lots of plants last nignt lol yeahhh i jumped the gun hahaha
Finally 7 weeks later and I have. 25 ammonia, 25 nitrate and 1 nitrate. I dosed with prime and stability so as to not let it spike. Have I reached a full cycle now and should no longer need these chemicals?
Once you have a the tank cycled you probably won't need the stability again.
Your content seems great, I’m willing to buy the product you were advertising but you waved it in front of the screen I can’t see what it is and I didn’t find the product listed in your comments.
There should be a link in the description? Fritzyme 7!
Thank you again for your help.My tank has been up over a month and still looks really cloudy. I bought one worthless product already so I’m looking forward to trying what you recommend. Thank you again.
So if I understood this correctly I can take a use filer from a cycled and put in a new set up tank and it will be ready to add my one fish? I have one bluegill. So I can add it to the new tank?
Yes!
Best thing you shared😊
Glad you think so!
I'm going to give this a go. I'm setting up 2 more tanks in the next month. I can put some filter media, moss balls, old substrate and ornaments in the first new tank while it cycles. Then move it all over to the 3rd tank as things settle.
I cycled my 55 gallon with the fish in method by adding 3 tiny baby angels. It worked out fine in my case but if I could go back wouldn’t do it again.
At least you risked it for the biscuit😎
Thank you. I am rescuing two adults Patriot Cichlids and to to get a tank up,and running in a couple of days
I’m about to buy a second hand fish tank and fish with two fx6 filters so once I fill my tank with water and turn on the filters how long before I can add the fish thx
If the filters are running now and you can just get them running right away when you get it home you might be ok from the start.
I got a new 70 gallon saltwater can I add the old live rock I got and add my fish the same day ? 😊
I have never done saltwater so I’m not sure?
Have you ever put samples of the various kinds of ‘bacteria in a bottle’ under a microscope to see if there was in fact live bacteria and not just spores? If I had access to a microscope powerful enough, I would be looking at all kinds of things. Oh, the many microorganisms in a sample from under the substrate or the surface of wood!
Boom! I like that idea. Gonna do it. : -)
Used fritz zyme 7. Not having much luck but my water comes out of the tap with .25 ppm ammonia. It has been 2 days. Should the ammonia be coming down? Did I get a bad bottle?
It can take a couple days.
I will be setting up a new tank soon...
Will the nutrients leached from the aquasoil be enough of a ammonia source to start the bacteria colony??
Quite possibly. If you add some Fritzyme 7 that will help add the beneficial bacteria quickly.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics ok right not sure if I can get that product in Australia
@@PrimeTimeAquatics I'm going from a hob to a canister. I will possible add the current media into the new filter
I have had a 20 gallon tank for 2weeks. 5 female betta (removed one because she was stressed and hiding all the time) 5 peppered cory's and 5 chili rasboras. I added 5 gallons of fritz conditioned water and the rest spring water. Added a small amount of Gravel from a cycled tank, 2 plants from a cycled tank and rinsed an established gunky filter in the new tank. On day 2 it was cloudy white. Wood had the white fungus that is now disappearing and tannins are being released (tea colored water). I have been testing ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and ph and all are negative. How do I know if my tank is cycled, or if it has not started the cycle yet?
Nitrate will start to build up without the ammonia or nitrite. My guess is you’re in good shape.
Sounds good, hope it's not snake oil. The surest way for instant cycle and the only one I trust is filter media from another tank. Would love to see the results with sensitive fish.
Driftin Driftwood used media is my ultimate go-to but the Fritzyme has worked well too.
So if I take a used filter from my 5gal and let it run through my new 20gal how long do I need to let that cycle?
You can add a small number of fish once you add the used filter media. Just add one or two and then add slowly after that.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics right away? Don't need to wait a day or two?
Can you use the FritzZyme in an existing stocked tank as well? My tank is showing some ammonia and water changes haven’t gotten rid of it completely
Definitely
What about some substrate, from a fish bowl? I've had a feeder gold fish in there, for about 3 or 4 months. Does it matter that It's gold fish, and not tropical fish? (I'm working on cycling a new 29 gallon, for tropical, fresh water fish)
Nope - that should help too!
@@PrimeTimeAquatics thank you! 😊
How long does it take for beneficial bacteria to colonize a new sponge in a mature tank? Is a week long enough?
I usually give it 3-4 weeks
I cycle my tanks with old filtration and media. I wash the filter in the new tank once it fills and start the cycle for about an hour add my bacteria and clear. I add the fish right after that and so far so good I’ve done thins on six tanks. I have guppy’s and betta fish in all and have yet to loose any other than the occasional guppy. I have coreys red barbs neon tetras shrimp snails and no issues.
Just restarted my 5 gallon tank.
I set it up with a filter, heater, and air and planted it out today.
I used bio gravel mixed with regular (1:1 ratio) and put liquid fertiliser in.
I have Prodibio start up bacteria (says you can add fish after 4 hrs).
I’m wondering if I should be adding it now then wait a week before starting with populating or add it just before populating the tank.
My plan is to put in a snail in in a bit over a week then if things are looking good finish with a small school of neon tetra a week or two after that.
This is my first proper go at a planted aquarium so any help would be appreciated. I can’t get the starter 7 thing you mentioned as I haven’t seen it in my country. I have an ammonia tester but not a nitrite tester
I haven’t used that product so I don’t know how it works. Assuming it has live nitrifying bacteria the snail should be fine. Have fun!
Jason what’s your opinion on using substrate and decors like Rock in a new tank from an established tank with Fritz Zyme 7
It can certainly help with the cycle!
I've seeded two new tanks with bags of sea chem matrix , I stuff the matrix in media bags and throw a bunch in my established HOBs for about a week . Sea chem stability does work if dosed properly I used it for my first tank. While it helped initialize the cycle and speed it along nothing compares to established bio media or filter tho !!!
I have a new small 5 gallon tank, gravel in water in etc. I just used API Quick Start and API Stress coat. I need to get my fish in there asap. Can I add the FritzZyme 7 and the one Betta at the same time or not? I did a water test and of course ammonia and nitrates were 0.
Yes you can add it at the same time.
Can you use the substrate from an old tank in the new tank to help with the cycle? I also have a lot of wood decorations in two tanks. I was thinking of using two sponge filters. I have one in a 10 gallon tank that’s been in use for months. I have a second on the way from aquarium co-op. How long does a sponge filter or any filter medium need to be in an established tank to get all bacteriaed up to use in a new tank?
All great questions! I would leave a sponge filter in a tank for about four weeks before switching it over. Using the substrate from the old tank should really help as would using a decoration or two!
Prime Time Aquatics Great, thank you!!! That helps! I wish some online stores would sell preseeded media!
@@PrimeTimeAquatics I was watching this video for this exact question! My 6 year old daughter and I have been watching you and Cory from aquarium co-op for all our aquarium questions! We started a 10 gallon December 2018, and we just bought a 29 gallon for a 1.00 a gallon sale at big box store. We are going to make our own lid, stand, and lighting set up. Our first tank is going so well, we can't wait to add the new one in. Thanks for all your awesome advice and videos!!
So I just did this, can I add fish immediately? I put in prime and stability as well, or should I wait a bit?
A small number of fish can be added.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics thanks!
API quick start works too.
I’m cycling a 20 gal for 2 goldfish (small fish living in an uncared for water trough)((will get at least a 55 gal soon and if not friend has coy pond)) and I think there is a mosquito larve helping me out?? Are mosquito’s good ammonia producers lol?
They won’t matter 😀
@@PrimeTimeAquatics 👍
great. just when i needed it . yesterday i added 2 sponge filter and 1 kilogram of ceramic ring to my 120g tank from my already established 50 gallon tank. 120 g contains 8 geophagus 3inch and 5 bristlenose pleco 2 inch . i hope so there wont be an issue.
Aquarium Addictions I’d be surprised if you had any issues. 😀 I would feel comfortable with that setup.
Love your videos sir. Just a question, what if we add a few livestocks to jumpstart the nigrogen cycle process and during this stage; the livestocks get sick (ich), do we medicate ? Thank you
Yes, otherwise they will die.
My new 29 has been up and running several days and is testing really well. Should I still wait a couple weeks to add my fish?
I wait until I start seeing nitrates (or I do one of the two things mentioned in this video).
@@PrimeTimeAquatics I think I'm good to go, then. I'm just paranoid of having a crash. That's so frustrating!
@@PrimeTimeAquatics and thanks for the advice!