Excellent video. I finally understand the chemical cycle . I kept hearing nitrates , nitrites , amonia etc , but couldn't get a picture in my head . Thank you
We don't forget lol we are just not aware. I went to petco and petsmart 3 times before making a purchase and no one told me about cycling. The clerk said all I needed was dechlorinator.
My first tank also in over 30 years. I just got it up and running on Sunday and was going to let it run for one week before I put some food into it to start the cycle. Then I was going to add a small amount of food once a week and let the tank start cycling for a total of six weeks before I add the first fish. All comments are welcome.
My freshwater tank has been trying to cycle since mid April. I've been having to self dose ammonia (keeping it at 3.0-4.0) because my food wasn't decaying (water was sitting at 65ish). Temp is now at 75ish, ph 8.4, ammonia 3.0, but still no nitrites... any ideas? I'm trying to cycle for an axolotl so a heater was never necessary, I only bought one to try and help my nonexistent cycle.
We suspect that you are likely using ammonium chloride, with the dosing level you are reporting of up to 4.0ppm (we assume ppm/mg/L here?), this has created a toxic enough level of ammonia such that it is inhibiting nitrifying bacteria from developing. We suggest taking down the concentration to 1.5 to 2ppm of ammonia, double dosing start up dosages of Fluval Biological Enhancer and when you see ammonia drop to less than .5ppm, change 50% of the water every week to eliminate lingering nitrite. We also suggest seeding the filter with filter media from a healthy, well established aquarium. Do not disturb the filter at any time after seeding it. Please report back to provide an update, thanks for reaching out.
Fluval Aquatics I bought the bottle of ammonia (no surfactants or anything) from a local hardware store. I'm using API Freshwater Master Test Kit to test the ammonia levels. I'll reduce ammonia levels then get some of the starter you mentioned. Thank you!
Hi there, I have a question. I’m a total newcomer into the fish world and I quickly discovered that there’s a lot more to it than what the pet store guy explained. I only have a Betta fish and I’m good with just him for now. He is currently in a one gallon tank and I’m going to be moving him to at least a 2.5 or bigger depending on what I can find at the store. I plan to get a tank that includes the filter and heater and everything necessary but I’m still a little confused about the water cycling process. If I get a brand new tank, what is the very first thing I do? Do I just put my fish in there and by feeding him the process starts? I have read that you need to let the tank cycle for sometime before introducing your fish, but without the fish how do I start the cycle? Like I said I’m a total beginner so I know I sound clueless and that’s because I am lol. I didn’t even know water cycling was a thing. But I’m trying to make the necessary changes for my fish to live a happy life, so any advice from anyone would be so appreciated!
Thanks for asking and we can certainly understand how this might not be so clear. For one betta in a 2.5 gallon the level of initial ammonia that would be achieved is of no danger to the fish as the aquarium becomes biologically established. Dose with Fluval Biological Enhancer to ensure you have inoculated your set up (follow on label dosing instructions) with the best nitrifying strains is good insurance. Include some live plants, something durable like hornwort, you can leave it floating, it is a fairly quick growing plant and it too will scavenge ammonium as a nutrient, further ensuring good water quality. Change half the water weekly, maintain 78 to 80 degrees F as a temperature range and if you have started with a healthy betta it should stay that way. A varied diet is also recommended, Fluval Bug Bites, Betta formula along with supplementary feeding of a a couple of frozen foods should be sufficient.
PetTide, our advice is 100% accurate. You do realize that the nitrogen cycle is on going within an aquarium, yes? Initially the only difference is that the rise in actual ammonia would be higher due to the lack of nitrifying bacteria, which is why we recommend the addition of live nitrifyers within Biological Enhancer and live plants, more than enough to deal with the output of a single betta in 2.5 gallons of water along with the water changing schedule we have included. As for what we care about, you comment is both inaccurate and inappropriate.
PetTide, the nitrogen output of 1 betta when dosed with biological enhancer and a weekly water change of 50% with the inclusion of live plants, that are by the way very effective at absorbing ammonium, makes this a very safe and tested procedure, we have lots of experience running quantitative tests, you may trust this information. We are not as you mentioned just interested in products, we have dedicated aquarists on staff, some of whom are avid keepers and breeders of tropical fish for over 4 decades, the well being and care of tropical fish is important to us as we are sure it is to you.
That strategy would not assure you that the most efficient nitrifyers are present, Fluval Biological Enhancer would That is not to say installing some established filter media from a healthy aquarium filter into the new unit would not be good, it absolutely would. We recommend doing both.
Loved this video. Very informing. I came here looking for an explanation of what it means to “cycle” a new fish tank, as I made the mistake of skipping the process. (Im a new fish keeper please do not come at me)
Me too my 1st tank ever Marineland portrait 5 gal & the water is milky color you can't even see inside of it added a few feeder minnows on Wed then started adding fish flakes as well minnows seem fine eating swimming happy I don't see how but they seem to be getting along very well in all the milkly water ??So now I'm like ok what do I do now , I've never been any good at science ughhh & my ex always took care of the Aquariums & did it quickly simple & easily it seemed, not for me but I've never been one to just give up or quit either but I'm thinking I should have got a bird instead of a Aquarium..lol geez
I did the same thing I bought a dozen crayfish to start breeding them and my ignorance cost me 1/3 of my gene pool and Im so heartbroken over it. I can afford new animals I have a new 2-3 year old adult breeding pair on the way but what upsets me is that the animals suffered and died and it was all because of me. Im going to go get this fluval cycle start and a test kit and some aquatic plants asap I had no idea that this was so important I thought as long as the water was the right PH and clean and oxygenated and being cycled through a good filter that everything would be fine and I was so wrong I shoupd have done less research on crayfish and more research on aquarium maintenance in general. I thought I read up on crayfish enough that itd be easy especially since they can live in such a variety of water conditions and I couldnt have been more incorrect. ☹
@Fluval Aquatics: My tank appears to be stuck in Stage 2. I'm producing loads of Ammonia, but there's no sign of stage 3 kicking in. It's currently got 3 fish (about an inch each) in a Flex 125, Ammonia is currently somewhere between 1 and 2 (According to API test kit), but Nitrates and Nitrites are effectively 0 at all times. I saw the nitrites go up a tiny bit a week or two ago but nothing more than that.
@@fluval I was originally adding "Nutrafin Cycle" for the first week or 2, then switched to Seachem Stability when that ran out (as these were what's available at LPS). Just wondering what I am doing wrong that nothing is happening with my ammonia levels.
👍🏻 really helped me out. I’ve had 8 fish in my tank for almost a month now . Was starting to wonder when to change the filter. Also my nitrite goes up to stress level a lil below that I just started useing prime. Hopping that will help
Once your aquarium has initially cycled there should be sufficient de-nitrifying bacteria to convert the on-going produced ammonia to nitrite and from nitrite to nitrate. The cycle never ceases as the nitrogen input from food, excretion from fish respiration etc...that is converted to waste and is broken down quickly so you would not read any dangerous levels, post the biological maturation of your aquarium. Nitrate is the end by- product, it is controlled and prevented from accumulating by regular partial water changes. Products such as Cycle/Fluval Biological Enhancer can be used regularly to ensure the best strains of nitrifying bacteria remain and dominate...also as prevention, it helps to dose with a good nitrifying supplement after having performed filter maintenance or should it have been necessary to medicate an aquarium for example.
I am setting up my new low tech planted tank with Fluval Stratum.I would like to know the about cycling and necessary water changes during cycling and post cycling.
Fluval stratum will not adversely affect the nitrogen cycle nor would it be a factor in partial water changes. We usually recommended that once ammonia has dropped off and nitrite is at its peak you may initiate a 50% partial water change and from there proceed with partial water changes of 25% approximately every 2 weeks.
@ 1:04 I keep hearing this Nitrates not harmful (hear and there)..... but then hear water change involved....weird Does the water eventually get saturated like sugar in a water solution? Does it actually become harmful eventually?
Hi there, great question! Nitrates can indeed be harmful to aquatic life, but only at higher concentrations - they're much more benign than ammonia and nitrite. Furthermore, they're a form of nitrogen that's more easily absorbed by plants. So, while nitrates can eventually become an issue, simply performing regular partial water changes and keeping some live plants is usually enough to keep their levels well below anything dangerous. Ammonia and nitrite, on the other hand, can be toxic at much lower concentrations, and therefore require a more 'hands-on' approach. We hope that helps!
Upgrading my bettas tank and just discovered that I need to cycle the tank beforehand. I’ve ordered some drift wood and also a few live plants, but they won’t be here until later this week. Should I cycle the tank now before those arrive or cycle the tank once I have everything?
For a single betta and using Fluval Biological Enhancer/Cycle while feeding properly and performing regular partial water changes all should be ok without having to be concerned with fishless cycling.
Just got the fluval Evo 13.5..... First thing I'm need is heater and live sand and live dry rock to set up tank....... Now is store bought saltwater better than mixing my own ..... And what chemicals should I put in to start cycle bacteria and what else....??????? Am I close at all
Denny, Benny, Kenny, Lenny, and Mike (zebra danios) are almost through the cycle and are making it okay. I didn't know about the cycle before purchase and even adopted Fruity, Pebbles, and Cereal (albino cory) before I finally realized this process was important. They are all on a strict diet and the tank gets cleaned every two days. If I knew this valuable info, I would have waited 😐. I have emergency solution to help if anything spikes.
I used Feviquick Cynoacralite Adesive in Driftwood and Stones of my newly setup Aquarium. It is my seventh week running and Nitrogen cycle has not kicked in. How to go about fixing the Tank.Somebody please help. 🙏
We recommend feeding fish once or twice a day, paying attention to portion size - you want to achieve nice rounded fish bellies! If you are cycling the aquarium without fish, we don't suggest adding fish food.
You do! Water does not contain nitrifying bacteria, as these species are surface-dwelling and are absent from the water column. You can skip / shorten the cycling process by transferring filter media from an existing aquarium to a new one, but not with water.
hello Tom, I'm starting a brand new aquarium in which I will be using some of the old substrate and same canister filters to speed process the cycling, my question is can I add shrimps like Amano or cherry shrimps in the cycling period?
I know this comment was years ago but I wanted to get a cherry shrimp and have the same question , if I can put it in during the cycling period, do you happen to know if I can ?
Hi question from a newbie here,, just got a new small aquarium and put 4 fishes (2 angel fish and danio) inside after 2 days only 1 fish left first day I forgot to put anti chlorine next day I drop the medicine and the other 2 died.. Please help what should I do? Do I change the water again?
@@fluval also i have another question i have API conditioner and a 20 gallon tank how much should i add a day to speed up the fishless cycle and how long will it take to cycle my 20 gallon fish tank? Also its for one fish
I just cleaned my whole tank out due to ammonia and lost one fish plus the other two have been burned!!!! My tank has been set up for two days tested it to day reading is 0.50, I believe that is still high?? Do I need to change the water again? ( By the way the fish are not in the tank.) How long before I can add my fish in the tank? Do I need to do more water change?
Hi Hazel, we are sorry to hear that you are having some trouble. Please send us a message on our Facebook or Instagram page so that we can help you with this! 😊
We hope they are small goldfish. Changing 25% every two weeks while they are small would be sufficient, increase % and frequency as they grow. Move them to a larger aquarium once they get 4 to 5 inches in length.
Fluval Aquatics they are about 2 inches. I am doing water changes once a week. 50 percent change. is that too much too often? I am going to go to the store to get a water test today. I never had fish before. My husband bought our kids goldfish. I don't know what I'm doing. I just want to keep these fish alive.
Kat never put two goldfish in a 10 gallon. They produce a lot of ammonia and depending on the type they almost always need lots of space to move around.
I'm not having much luck with bottled bacteria. I finally rinsed out a used filter sponge into a bucket of a little aquarium water from my 65g freshwater tank and dumped the "dirty" water straight into my 55g brackish tank's filter system. I'm still getting NH3 readings of 0.25ppm. Is the salinity in my new tank the culprit here? SG: 1.006 pH: 8.8 Temp: 83° Any advice is helpful. "Tanks" in advance....
The S.G you are posting is a value one would use in a brackish water tank, it may initially effect some of the consortium within Fluval Biological Enhancer but it would still be effective. Keeping an active bio filter that you can transfer to a new tank is always a good thing, better would be to run the established sponge filter in the new tank for a few weeks.
@@fluval I just rinsed another sponge from another tank into my brackish, after a reading of 0.50ppm NH3. No NO2 just yet. Prime, Prime and more Prime. I just did a water change yesterday and plan on another tomorrow. More Prime. No signs of stress in my fish, but I'm watching like a hawk. I've been thru multiple bottles of Seachem Stability, and multiple bottles of API Quick Start. Nothing. That was two weeks ago. And I started the tank out with a bag of Arag-Alive to boot.
I bought A 60 gallon tank and the pet store people assembled and installed it from scratch and put the fish i choose ..4 commet and 4 Koi all 2" in size thats on 14th Feb 2019 ...its running since then without any issue ...when to do water change and filter change ? Its new tank ...i think the filter they installed was a used one . ..please advise ...i want my fish to LIVE...
While a 60 gallon is fine for the koi at 2 inches they will eventually outgrow it as will the comets, a pond is really the best place for Koi. That said, for now 25% water changes every two weeks should be fine, we hope you are using a filter with capacity of approximately a Fluval 406.
Mbuna's will quickly establish territories, move the first 5 least dominant fish first, then every two weeks thereafter move the next five least dominant, for the last transfer moving some of the structure around should help.
I have a new 10 gallon planted tank that I have been trying to fishless cycle. It hasn’t been a full week yet and after several fish food doses The ammonia remains very low, nitrate remains very low, but nitrites are super high at about 20-40ppm. I am using Fluval Stratum. I can’t even tell where the pH is at. It seems all over the chart. I thought the ammonia and nitrite was supposed to get high before the nitrates. What is happening? Does all this mean my tank is cycled?
No your aquarium is not biologically mature at this point. The level of ammonia/nitrite would depend on how much food and the rate at which it breaks down to become ammonia and nitrite. Preferable is to use Fluval Biological Enhancer and add a few small hardy fish and be patient, with proper feeding there is no risk to the fish and by adding live plants which will take in ammonium it is only a matter of being patient. Once the levels are as explained in the video you can slowly increase the fish population.
I need some help with my aquarium, i had already had fish in the aquarium before but because of my ignorance they didn't last very long 6-8weeks for half while the rest lived on for about 2 months or so. After doing a "little" research and learning about the cycling factor i assumed that my aquarium was cycled now (This is about 4 months or so after having no fish in it), and added fish (2 Pictus Catfish and 1 common pleco that will be moved to a larger tank later) and ordered an API Freshwater master Test kit and Fluval C4 Filter, This is for a 29 Gallon tank. when the Test kit came in i immediately tested the water, for the three i was most aware of being important... Ammonia (1.0ppm) Nitrite (5 or excess of 5ppm) and Nitrates (40-80ppm) My problem is this from what i've read ammonia and Nitrite are suppose to be 0 - 0.25ppm. I've used some ammonia lock to protect my fish from that but my problem now would be the Nitrite if the level is truely unsafe for fish (today would be Day 2 of them swimming in it.) My New Filter will arrive on monday which will be better than the stock one that i have for giving the bacteria to grow but the question is do i have time to wait for that and if i don't what can i do to save the fish.
Some products that bind ammonia cause false readings when using ammonia and nitrite test kits. Ammonia and nitrite should be 0 in an established healthy aquarium. If you are reading unsafe nitrite levels we recommend 50% water changes and dosing at the recommended rate for new aquariums on the label of Fluval Biological Enhancer. Reduce feeding and introduce some established filter media from a healthy aquarium as well as regular dosing with Biological Enhancer will ensure your fishes safety, good that you have test kits to verify levels, very important.
Fluval Aquatics yeah i know about false ammonia readings because it attaches another molecule to the ammonia so its harmless to fish (to my knowledge) I've been doing research and such on my own as far as what you've given me as an answer I've been doing 30% water changes daily and i finally was able to install the fluval c4 and i had already ordered the biological enhance (red striped bottle that states to add fish immediately) i have both my old filter and the new one side by side and poured the enhancer directly into the filter itself assuming it would work better there. Tested water in the morning and still had around nitrites 3.0-5.0 using tetra 6-1 strips I'll be doing the amount of water change you suggested tonight. (And i dont have any other aquarium this would be the first one)
Noted, however when we say false readings we are referring to ammo lock and the effect that has on the chemical reagents in the test kit, to explain the false reading. In other words you likely do not actually have that level of nitrite.
The point here is to address the problem, water changes and establishing active biological conversion is doing just that, ammo lock is simply masking the symptom while not allowing you to properly monitor levels.
A pair of black mollies would be perfect. Feed sparingly, keep some live plants and if possible seed the filter with some established filter as well. Using Fluval Biological Enhancer/Cycle ensures an optimal mix of nitrifyers will develop.
Is it okay to cycle with new tank and a live plant that used to live in a tank with great beneficial bacteria? And should i put fish? I just the the 9 gal tank and im new to fish keeping hobby
In the video we do cover this, a few hardy fish, careful feeding and the on label dose rate of Biological Enhancer will serve to initiate and complete the nitrification cycle and provide the basis of its on-going benefits.
I have one of those tanks that's "filtered" by an herb garden on top. It doesn't have an actual filter, it just pumps water to the plant roots in the lid, which then trickles back into the tank. Will a tank like that ever cycle?
The plant roots will service a site for nitrifying bacteria to settle as would other surfaces in the set up, not as much capacity as using bio media but would eventually provide bio-support.
I’ve got a 7 gallon tank that I’m going to be using for fry, put fish food in there last night, 2 of this aquarium bacteria clear squishy balls, and squeezed a bit of my filter media in the tank from my established tank, tank has gone cloudy 24 hours later, is this a sign of ammonia present? What do i need to do now?
You should test with an ammonia test kit and in two weeks also start following up with nitrite tests to see how the nitrogen cycle is progressing. Keep a record of measurements to refer back to as well.
i have a freshwater 10 gallon tank with 10 creatures. I had it for about a week. I noticed the water is cloudy/murky and smelly so I decided to put in this water clearifer. I currently have two live plants but the water is still murky. Is it safe for my fish? I have no test kits to calculate the nitrates, etc. Do you recommend for me to buy one?
Help!! I have the fluval edge 23 litre tank.. used 1 full bottle of biological enhancer over the three days as advised. Used half a cap of water conditioner.. added the betta only after a week as this is the only fish I was planing on getting. 3 days after adding the fish I decided to do a ph an ammonia test. PH, water Hardener etc is spot on but the ammonia test for Nitrate was high... I spoke to local pet store and they said to add in a few drops of biological enhancer.. my fish seems really happy and everything but I’m a little worried on what to do??? Please help, I’m new with fish.
Can you clarify what you mean when you say: "the ammonia test for nitrate was high"...? They are two separate tests. If ammonia is low or not measurable based on adding Fluval as per new aquarium on label start up dosing and the fact it is 1 betta in 23L of water, which is expected, what is the nitrate level as that is measured with another kit?
Fluval Aquatics sorry just read that back.. makes no sense. Nitrate is fine.. just the ammonia test was high. I’m going to use another ammonia test tonight to double check.. I was also going to buy some prime and do a little water change? Is that advisable. I’ve been told two different things and my head is mashed!! My local pet store said leave the tank for 8 weeks with no water change and feed him live food... to me that sounds dangerous. People on Facebook have said partial water changes daily... but I have the biological enhancer in my tank.. So if I did a water change do I use biological enhancer, water conditioner and prime?
Prime can affect some ammonia test kit readings due to the ingredients in that product. For dechlorinator we would advise Fluval Water Conditioner or a simple product that only uses sodium thiosulphate as the only ingredient. Try another ammonia test reagent first to see if that is not perhaps an issue, adding more Biological Enhancer is always safe. Regular small water changes are always ok, although they would dilute some on the ammonia and nitrite during the initial cycle you are seeding the system with ideal nitrifyers in Biological Enhancer and you are keeping 1 fish in 23L, the conditions should be safe. We support regular good sized water changes, always beneficial with properly conditioned water. Feeding live food is fine but sparingly which in the case of 1 betta is not an issue, he should immediately eat would you feed, do not overfeed....it is still a nitrogen source.
Hey there I have a done a water change this morning ( 17th feb) I use your product for conditioner done tha test water and still 20 showing in my test strip of nitrite I always do and it’s annoying me what can I do to get it to 0? Also my fish are not eating they haven’t eaten in over 2 weeks now I have recently had bloat iv treated that with a parasite liquid but my fish aren’t Interested in food please help with me that also? Thanks a lot
The medication is likely affecting the nitrifying bacteria resulting in the nitrite value you are seeing. Any uneaten food should be removed asap. What type of fish and which food specifically are you attempting to feed them?
So basically do I need to buy those beneficial bacteria (Nitrosomonas & Nitrobacter) or it will grows during the cycling process by themselves? Btw, I'm using a new tank...
A big advantage of using a product like Fluval Biological Enhancer is that it contains the right strains, ones that have been carefully selected and cultured for best performance. Additionally you are able to add big doses in cases when there are reasons for having ammonia and nitrite, for example, over-feeding, too many fish, post a treatment with medication, etc....
High pH values in tapwater mean a much greater proportion of gaseous ammonia, or free ammonia or toxic ammonia, NH3, all the more reason to be very careful and starting slowly with only a few fish and minimum food (nitrogen) input while dosing appropriately on a weekly basis with Fluval Biological Enhancer / Cycle.
Fluval Aquatics yeah I have been testing water ph is near 7.8 and ammonia has dropped I add some tank starter and some extra maintenance bacteria as well as the bio blocks I have plants and a crayfish inside of 75 gal my tap water was nearly same as aquarium water after about 2 weeks but I did have it running before but did a huge water change and got rid of fish only kept crayfish
Fluval Aquatics also these worms on the glass not many but I see some floating around as well not sure what type they are but was just wondering could’ve some from plants? Do I need to get them out just did partial water change Monday
The flow path in an FX series filter occurs from top to bottom within the filter media basket stack, placing the finest filter media at the bottom (for example, a fine white water polishing pad) would be the correct placement, the course media to be placed at the top. The pre-filter foam surround filter pads provide pre-filtration.
if have cycled tank can you keep adding the bacteria in bottle every couple weeks make sure bacteria in the tank is on top or that stupid ? sorry i am new and just trying to learn
Looking for some help here, so we purchased a used 55 gallon tank and got new gravel, a new filter, and new heater. We’ve only ever had live plants in it because I can’t seem to get the levels under control. Even with frequent water changes, my PH, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are all through the roof. Any tips for getting it under control?
try adding a few hardy fish to start the cycle like Guppies, and if you can try and get some media from your LFS or even ask for some water from an established tank - or use something like seachem prime it works better than fluval imo,
Please note that I have two filter . I would like to load one of them to put it for african chicled fish please tell me a way for a good set up What I did From top tray I removed the red tray I put bio media and on top course media. Second tray bio media and above one fine pad 3rd tray bio media course media on to and at the bottom a fine pad. Do you have other suggestions. Thank you very much Nasir
I just got my fx6 and I'm planning on cleaning it in a month , I'm excited to do it so I'll try to wait til 5 or 6 wee k s but there's no way I'll make 2 months
I have had a freshwater aquarium for about 12 years from a young age and i change 20%-30% of the water every week, I test the water before and after, but only the nitrate goes down, I have never seen the ammonia and nitrate go up only when I originally set up my tanks! Does this mean my tank is healthy due to the water changes for the nitrate? Apart from the biological bacteria breaking it down! If the plants are feeding off the ammonia stopping the process of nitrite that convert into nitrate how come I don’t ever find traces of ammonia and nitrite? Does this cycle happen within 7 days in a well established tank? Thanks james
The initial cycle usually takes 3 to 4 weeks, somewhat less if you use Cycle/Fluval Biological Enhancer. Regular water changes, plants, low fish stocking levels and careful feeding are why you never experienced measurable ammonia or nitrite levels. Once a tank is established post a good feeding for example, you may measure some nitrite for an hour or two, ammonia is usually converted very quickly, nitrate tends to accumulate but is usually never an issue in the presence of healthy growing plants and regular water changes.
That is the Master Test Kit, you may still be able to find it in some stores, if not, the mini-master is a useful kit as well: fluvalaquatics.com/ca/product/master-test-kit/
I have a question. I just upgraded my 55 gallon to a 75. I want to put half of the water from the 55 into the new one, but it currently has some detritus worms in it. There’s not a lot, and I know that they can be helpful, but I just really don’t want them in the new tank. Is there a way I can filter them out when transferring the old water and fish? I have two Oscars, so they won’t eat them. But I really want to get them into this bigger tank without the worms because 55 is way too small for the kiddos, and I don’t want the population to spike up for any reason. Or can I transfer my fish safely without using their old water? I’m just so scared of putting them into shock
Hi Emphoon, thank you for your comment! Unfortunately there is always a risk of carrying the detritus worms from one tank to the other. In most cases, this is through the substrate and if left untreated, they can spread into your filter and float through the water column. Theoretically, the worms can be filtered out through a mesh or sponge that is finer than the worms themselves although, there is still a risk of carrying them over to your new tank. You can safely transfer your fish into the new aquarium if you seed the new aquarium with cycled filter media or if you attach a filter with cycled media inside of it onto the new tank. As mentioned however, the worms can be carried over as well if they are present within your filter. To completely avoid carrying the worms into the new tank, it would be best to use a new filter, new substrate and cycle the tank normally without using any old water or treat your tank for detritus worms and once gone, you can make the transfer! 😊
Unfortunately, a lot of chain pet stores allow the purchase of a tank and fish to go in that tank within a short period of time, meaning that a lot of fish die due to ammonia build up. If you have a spare minute, please sign this petition, asking the UK's largest chain pet store to educate its customers on tank cycling: chng.it/RVXPxMZvXz Thank you for caring!
My son brought a tank last week, we are starting to set it up today-thank god for UA-cam because if it was up to pets at home we would be adding fish 3 days to a week later!! So glad I looked online for more info!
I just got started with my fish tank. I have a 10 gallon tank. I have 6 fish in there. 2 black mollies and 4 Marigold Variatus. They're eating fine and very active. Is there anything I need to know to make sure they will live long? I am buying a gravel vacuum soon for cleaning. I just put fish in last week. How often should I change the water? Any information would greatly help me since I am new at this. Thank you!
go get the API 5 in 1 test strips to keep an eye on the water quality. how often you should change water depends on the reading of the testing results.
Thanks for the question, the nitrifying bacteria we include is put into a dormant state prior to bottling to ensure it capable of surviving to substantial levels for the full rated shelf life.
I just came back from a fish store and the guy there told me to cycle the tank with some hardy fish inside, so he gave me 10 zebra danios and your Fluval product .My tank is 80L. Do I need to change the water all this time? Or I should wait 6 weeks and then change 25%? Thanks!
It would be preferable to have an ammonia and nitrite test kit to ensure you do not exceed tolerable levels for the 10 fish, they are hardy but 10 in 20L does mean you need to be careful feeding them and yes, partial water changes in th event ammonia and nitrite which will peak later reach unsafe levels.
@@fluval Thank you for the reply. I've just done an API liquid test, at the moment Ammonia is 0, Nitrite 0.50, Nitrate 0.40, PH 7.2 . I hope they'll survive in a few weeks :-)
Hi John, live plants are not absolutely necessary although they will help create a natural habitat for your fish as well as contribute to a cleaner and more balanced aquarium! 😊
What did you add to start the cycle? Ammonium chloride? What are current levels of ammonia and nitrite? Also important, pH and KH levels? Date cycle started? Also let us know what size of aquarium, filter(s) & filter media used.
started tank on 5/05 but have added media since.current levels ph7.0 highph7.4 ammonia0.25 nitrite0.0 and nitrate 0.20. added stability and nautal rapport to condition. also i dose niloc allinone fert once a week and 2.5 excel every other day.
You mentioned fishless cycle? Which nitrogen source did you use to initiate the cycle? From your values you can commence doing partial water changes, if you want o use nitrate as a value to guide that frequency then 20 ppm is a good target, we prefer monitoring nitrate regularly to ensure it does not exceed 20 ppm and doing a bi-monthly to monthly (depending on species being kept, etc) 10 to 20% partial water change.
Tina as over 6 weeks have gone by and ammonia is low with 0 nitrite all should be underway. Can you let us know which nitrogen source you are using as you mention "fishless"?
My guppy gave birth to fry and then my heater decided to stop working along with my sponge filter. I've had a 40 gallon (U.K.) tank that has been cycling for only 3 days before moving them in. This isn't ideal as i would have liked it to cycle a lot longer but now I'm getting spikes what can I do in order to keep my fry alive?
Izzy, make sure to does with Fluval Biological Enhancer and if you can get some established filter media from a healthy aquarium it will also help. Also make sure to do larger water changes to keep the levels down and ensure that you are not increasing pH when doing so to avoid converting much less harmful ammonium to the toxic form ammonia.
That depends to a large degree on how much nitrogen input there is into the tank. We advise using Fluval Biological Enhancer and a few hardy small fish, feed sparingly for the first few weeks and seed the existing filter with established filter media from another healthy aquarium, stable conditions should be achieved within a few weeks.
@@HadEnough745 We suggested it in the case they do, it works very well. May we take this opportunity to add to the fact that if you have any friends or fellow members from a local fish club, these can be good sources too.
I’m still confuse. I got the part of testing but how do we cycle the water? Is by adding a type of conditioner after cleaning the tank fully? Please I need someone to explain. I’m new to this aquatic world.
How you doin, i was new too and i did fish in cycle cause i had no idea about cycling, but im about 2 months in and im good and can give you a few tips..buy some api quick start its a life savor! Add some every other day till it runs out along with some fish food or if you have some fishes in there already thatll do. Do water changes of 25% every 3 days or every 6 days max, do this for about a month and youll be all good, you will get some spikes and thats where seacham prime conditioner comes in, itll help you out ALOT! It lowers amonia nitrites and nitrates and removes chlorine, so you need that! Do this and youll be up in running, im talking from experience.
llJohnnyboy13ll I have a 5 gallon tank I haven’t done a 25% change yet bc i recently added the fish to the tank. There’s a filter and heater. I know that the conditioner is the top thing. I but the freshwater kit I’m going to start using it. I’m looking to buy a vacuum pump cleaner but don’t know which is the right one for my tank. Which type of water are you using?
luke morrison add the api quick start to you list, a conditioner wont take care of the problem cause you only add that each time you do a water change, you need something to battle the amonia while its up and running, ask for pumbs i use top fin gravel vaccum its the best! Regardless of what anyone says dont exceed a 25%-30% water change, anything more than that will make your cycle time double
Using Fluval Biological Enhancer and the protocol addressed in the video will ensure you seed the aquarium and filter effectively, directives for dosing are on the Fluval Biological Supplement. Unlike other supplements Fluval empolys Bio-Flocs, visual indicators of huge nitrifying biomass that assures a successful start. As we mention in the video if you have another healthy aquarium or a friend who does, add some established filter media to your filter.
llJohnnyboy13ll I have the API. Test kit. Ph was great but ammonia was 0.25 well that’s what I showed m. The color were pretty much the same for 0 and .25. i ordered two pumps vacuum for an overnight delivery bc the pet store didn’t have and pets mart was way too far. So at soon I gets those pump. I will clean his tank. It should arrive today. Also I ordered the fluval conditioner to the list bc it was recommended by a vet who said that one of the top brand out there for fish. What worries me is the water. People keep saying tap water is good but to make sure it has conditioner. And the vet told me that I need to be careful bc too much conditioner can affect the fish. Is spring water good? And if I use tap water should I test the ammonIa nitre and the other one before adding it to the tank?
I did not cycle my tank as I didn't know I had to. I've just purchased two small black moor goldfish, what should I do. I feed them very sparingly, allowing them to eat all the food before I add any more. My tank is 50 litres. Help, please
May sure to add Fluval Biological Enhancer and follow the new aquarium dosing schedule on the label. Follow up with some ammonia and nitrite tests, ensure your filter is working properly and ensure it is moving the water surface for good oxygenation. Twice a day the amount the Black Moors eat in a minute should be fine and good that you are monitoring what they consumer. Some partial water changes weekly will also ensure better water quality.
Fluval Aquatics hello, I've done exactly what you said. I've also had my water tested today and the levels are non existent. My fish are also alive and well. Thank you so much
love my fluvial products, i have four filters and all media from you, question, i am cycling with bio load from other tanks plus bio in a bottle, my nitrites are good on the third day, but my ammonia is up to .05 to 1.0 what should i do
Joyce, as you have live fish in the tank you should do a 50% water change with conditioned tap water while ensuring the pH is the same as your aquarium or slightly lower. Use Fluval Biological Conditioner and double dose. You will note on our Bio product we have a new tank regimen for dosing. Keep the feedings light for your two flagfish and consider adding a little more established filter media from another healthy aquarium. Keep us posted.
Kerry, anaerobic bacteria by definition cannot survive in the presence of oxygen. Perhaps if those bacteria are housed in a separate vessel or container that is kept at a very poor oxygen concentration their might be an effect but the effect could be a negative one as well....as in the production of other unwanted gases and/or by products.
@@fluval so if you get a chancenice, watch a couple of videos about improving your filters. He claims he can achieve anaerobic action, which is bugging the heck out of me because I don't believe he is right. Thank you for your answer. Merry Christmas!
Hi Jovita, Fluval will be coming out with Test Kits later this year, however, in the meantime we recommend Nutrafin test kits (if they are available in your country). They have a range of tests including those for Ammonia and Nitrite.
@@fluval thanks sir i measured the readings all is okay now ! it took 5 days for a cycling process so the 6th day i added two imported guppies . Both are happy 👍 my doubt is next when can i add another two guppies in my tank ? I should wait another 1 week ?
Can I use mechanical, biological and chemical media simultanously? And tell me do I have to put any nitrifying bacteria in there or do they naturally exist in dormant form or something like that?
Muhammad, yes in fact most filters do provide for the use of all 3 filter media types that are meant to be used at the same time. Yes again, a product such as Fluval Biological Enhancer is highly effective at providing the most efficient nitrifying strains (along with a couple of stains of hetertrophs) of bacteria that ensure you establish the most effective biological filtration. Yes these bacteria do naturally exist but that does not in anyway mean they would in your aquarium, using the aforementioned product does.
Hi there, you can cycle the tank with fish in it although, ammonia and nitrites are toxic to fish at any level. Cycling your tank with fish in it offers the possibility of them being harmed, it can also interrupt the nitrogen cycle in certain instances.
Just setup a 5 gal Spec 5 two days ago and am doing a "fish-less" cycle since a lot of websites recommend that over "fish-in" cycle. I conditioned the tap water and aqua-scaped (with a mix of live and plastic plants) the tank yesterday and everything looked great but a couple of hours ago my tank suddenly got really cloudy. Is this normal? Also, I have a single male Betta splendens currently in an unfiltered 1 gal tank (he's been there a little over a week and I've done a couple 30% water changes) while I get his new home setup. Instead of buying the bio-enhancer can I just transfer some of the water from his tank to the new tank?
Robyn, we strongly recommend using Fluval Biological Enhancer. Yes new tanks often do become cloudy, this can be for a number of reasons, with regular water changes, Biological Enhancer, low stocking levels and proper follow up with ammonia and nitrite test kits all should be well.
Depending on the tank size, yes! We recommend cycling an aquarium with a light fish load, while dosing Biological Enhancer, testing your water regularly, and performing frequent partial water changes.
Once the aquarium is cycled it is stated to add weekly , while optimal to maintain the best consortium of nitrifiers you can opt to dose when filter media is replaced and after other events, such as treating with a medication.
Is it true that if you use cycle to start an aquariums cycle, you then have to continue to use it for the life of the tank otherwise the bacteria will die off?
Hi Alfred! There are many species of nitrifying bacteria, and only a select few are efficient and desirable. It is recommended to continue using Cycle even once the aquarium is established to ensure these desirable species of bacteria have a competitive advantage over the undesirable, less efficient ones!
Why does the instructions on your biological cycle come in milliliters I have a new tank and I've been using a cap full for a 20 gallon tank is that enough after I put my fish in the water got cloudy can I change the water a day after putting the fish in at least 10 or 15%
What if I used water and Live rock from my already established tank? and just Buy new live sand? Would it Be ready for me to add fishes and corals? I asked alot of people here on youtuBe, But seems like noBody has an answer for it
Excellent video. I finally understand the chemical cycle . I kept hearing nitrates , nitrites , amonia etc , but couldn't get a picture in my head . Thank you
Great information here, I think alot of new fish keepers forget this important step. Thanks
E Dawg i’m trying to learn about it now since i’m getting a aquarium soon
I have bad water. My water naturally came with increased levels so how do i get it down without killing alot of fish to start?
We don't forget lol we are just not aware. I went to petco and petsmart 3 times before making a purchase and no one told me about cycling. The clerk said all I needed was dechlorinator.
@@adecuire6601 thats true. When i go to the fish shop, they just said add water, anti chlorine and put some fish!
Nice video - a must see for all newbies with their first tank!
Hi today i recived an email from fluval asking me how helpfull is the channel and honstley I have given 10/10perfect.
My first tank also in over 30 years. I just got it up and running on Sunday and was going to let it run for one week before I put some food into it to start the cycle. Then I was going to add a small amount of food once a week and let the tank start cycling for a total of six weeks before I add the first fish. All comments are welcome.
Sounds like it should go swimmingly!
Sounds like a great plan to get your tank running. It's been 2 years, how's the tank doing?
@Ahmed Al Awadhi, thanks for the question. Yes, you can, but monitor water quality with ammonia and nitrite test kits, and feed carefully. ~Tom
This was so informative and easy to understand. Thank you so much for this!
We're glad the video was helpful! 👍
How do nitrosomonas bacteria enter the aquarium since the tap water is chlorinated?? Where are they found?
Thanks John Goodman Sir. I really admire you in The Big Lebowski
great video. easy to understand info. thanks for keeping it simple and explaining everything clearly with no fluff. have a good weekend
My freshwater tank has been trying to cycle since mid April. I've been having to self dose ammonia (keeping it at 3.0-4.0) because my food wasn't decaying (water was sitting at 65ish). Temp is now at 75ish, ph 8.4, ammonia 3.0, but still no nitrites... any ideas? I'm trying to cycle for an axolotl so a heater was never necessary, I only bought one to try and help my nonexistent cycle.
We suspect that you are likely using ammonium chloride, with the dosing level you are reporting of up to 4.0ppm (we assume ppm/mg/L here?), this has created a toxic enough level of ammonia such that it is inhibiting nitrifying bacteria from developing. We suggest taking down the concentration to 1.5 to 2ppm of ammonia, double dosing start up dosages of Fluval Biological Enhancer and when you see ammonia drop to less than .5ppm, change 50% of the water every week to eliminate lingering nitrite. We also suggest seeding the filter with filter media from a healthy, well established aquarium. Do not disturb the filter at any time after seeding it. Please report back to provide an update, thanks for reaching out.
Fluval Aquatics I bought the bottle of ammonia (no surfactants or anything) from a local hardware store. I'm using API Freshwater Master Test Kit to test the ammonia levels. I'll reduce ammonia levels then get some of the starter you mentioned. Thank you!
Can you confirm this is 100% ammonium chloride?
asking as another axolotl owner, how did you end up cycle your tank for your axolotl and how did it work?
@@TDGCmote Did you ever find out? I have a baby axolotl right now and doing research for when I'm going to put it in the tank lol
Hi there, I have a question. I’m a total newcomer into the fish world and I quickly discovered that there’s a lot more to it than what the pet store guy explained. I only have a Betta fish and I’m good with just him for now. He is currently in a one gallon tank and I’m going to be moving him to at least a 2.5 or bigger depending on what I can find at the store. I plan to get a tank that includes the filter and heater and everything necessary but I’m still a little confused about the water cycling process. If I get a brand new tank, what is the very first thing I do? Do I just put my fish in there and by feeding him the process starts? I have read that you need to let the tank cycle for sometime before introducing your fish, but without the fish how do I start the cycle? Like I said I’m a total beginner so I know I sound clueless and that’s because I am lol. I didn’t even know water cycling was a thing. But I’m trying to make the necessary changes for my fish to live a happy life, so any advice from anyone would be so appreciated!
Thanks for asking and we can certainly understand how this might not be so clear. For one betta in a 2.5 gallon the level of initial ammonia that would be achieved is of no danger to the fish as the aquarium becomes biologically established. Dose with Fluval Biological Enhancer to ensure you have inoculated your set up (follow on label dosing instructions) with the best nitrifying strains is good insurance. Include some live plants, something durable like hornwort, you can leave it floating, it is a fairly quick growing plant and it too will scavenge ammonium as a nutrient, further ensuring good water quality. Change half the water weekly, maintain 78 to 80 degrees F as a temperature range and if you have started with a healthy betta it should stay that way. A varied diet is also recommended, Fluval Bug Bites, Betta formula along with supplementary feeding of a a couple of frozen foods should be sufficient.
PetTide, our advice is 100% accurate. You do realize that the nitrogen cycle is on going within an aquarium, yes? Initially the only difference is that the rise in actual ammonia would be higher due to the lack of nitrifying bacteria, which is why we recommend the addition of live nitrifyers within Biological Enhancer and live plants, more than enough to deal with the output of a single betta in 2.5 gallons of water along with the water changing schedule we have included. As for what we care about, you comment is both inaccurate and inappropriate.
PetTide, the nitrogen output of 1 betta when dosed with biological enhancer and a weekly water change of 50% with the inclusion of live plants, that are by the way very effective at absorbing ammonium, makes this a very safe and tested procedure, we have lots of experience running quantitative tests, you may trust this information. We are not as you mentioned just interested in products, we have dedicated aquarists on staff, some of whom are avid keepers and breeders of tropical fish for over 4 decades, the well being and care of tropical fish is important to us as we are sure it is to you.
That strategy would not assure you that the most efficient nitrifyers are present, Fluval Biological Enhancer would That is not to say installing some established filter media from a healthy aquarium filter into the new unit would not be good, it absolutely would. We recommend doing both.
Correct, as that is what is necessary based on what she asked.
Loved this video. Very informing. I came here looking for an explanation of what it means to “cycle” a new fish tank, as I made the mistake of skipping the process. (Im a new fish keeper please do not come at me)
Same
me too, when i did my research i returned my fish and am starting over
Me too my 1st tank ever Marineland portrait 5 gal & the water is milky color you can't even see inside of it added a few feeder minnows on Wed then started adding fish flakes as well minnows seem fine eating swimming happy I don't see how but they seem to be getting along very well in all the milkly water ??So now I'm like ok what do I do now , I've never been any good at science ughhh & my ex always took care of the Aquariums & did it quickly simple & easily it seemed, not for me but I've never been one to just give up or quit either but I'm thinking I should have got a bird instead of a Aquarium..lol geez
I did the same thing I bought a dozen crayfish to start breeding them and my ignorance cost me 1/3 of my gene pool and Im so heartbroken over it. I can afford new animals I have a new 2-3 year old adult breeding pair on the way but what upsets me is that the animals suffered and died and it was all because of me. Im going to go get this fluval cycle start and a test kit and some aquatic plants asap I had no idea that this was so important I thought as long as the water was the right PH and clean and oxygenated and being cycled through a good filter that everything would be fine and I was so wrong I shoupd have done less research on crayfish and more research on aquarium maintenance in general. I thought I read up on crayfish enough that itd be easy especially since they can live in such a variety of water conditions and I couldnt have been more incorrect. ☹
My teacher made us watch this 10/10 nice way to burn class time😊
This video worked, I immediately went and bought some Fluval cycle! 🐠
@Fluval Aquatics: My tank appears to be stuck in Stage 2. I'm producing loads of Ammonia, but there's no sign of stage 3 kicking in. It's currently got 3 fish (about an inch each) in a Flex 125, Ammonia is currently somewhere between 1 and 2 (According to API test kit), but Nitrates and Nitrites are effectively 0 at all times. I saw the nitrites go up a tiny bit a week or two ago but nothing more than that.
If you haven't added Fluval Biological Enhancer we suggest adding the new aquarium dosing regimen, as per the label.
@@fluval I was originally adding "Nutrafin Cycle" for the first week or 2, then switched to Seachem Stability when that ran out (as these were what's available at LPS).
Just wondering what I am doing wrong that nothing is happening with my ammonia levels.
👍🏻 really helped me out. I’ve had 8 fish in my tank for almost a month now . Was starting to wonder when to change the filter. Also my nitrite goes up to stress level a lil below that I just started useing prime. Hopping that will help
Great to hear!
After the cycle if I do a 100% water change do I have to cycle the tank again? Or will the nitrate stay there?
Once your aquarium has initially cycled there should be sufficient de-nitrifying bacteria to convert the on-going produced ammonia to nitrite and from nitrite to nitrate. The cycle never ceases as the nitrogen input from food, excretion from fish respiration etc...that is converted to waste and is broken down quickly so you would not read any dangerous levels, post the biological maturation of your aquarium. Nitrate is the end by- product, it is controlled and prevented from accumulating by regular partial water changes. Products such as Cycle/Fluval Biological Enhancer can be used regularly to ensure the best strains of nitrifying bacteria remain and dominate...also as prevention, it helps to dose with a good nitrifying supplement after having performed filter maintenance or should it have been necessary to medicate an aquarium for example.
Thank you
thank you sir. im just a lil dizzy by the moving camera
Now I can’t unsee the moving camera and it’s annoying haha.
Quick and informative 👍
Does Fluval cycle should be dosed into the water directly or to the filter media???
Many Thanks, very nice video👍
You can do both! We always simply add it to the water in our aquariums.
I am setting up my new low tech planted tank with Fluval Stratum.I would like to know the about cycling and necessary water changes during cycling and post cycling.
Fluval stratum will not adversely affect the nitrogen cycle nor would it be a factor in partial water changes. We usually recommended that once ammonia has dropped off and nitrite is at its peak you may initiate a 50% partial water change and from there proceed with partial water changes of 25% approximately every 2 weeks.
@ 1:04 I keep hearing this Nitrates not harmful (hear and there)..... but then hear water change involved....weird
Does the water eventually get saturated like sugar in a water solution?
Does it actually become harmful eventually?
Hi there, great question! Nitrates can indeed be harmful to aquatic life, but only at higher concentrations - they're much more benign than ammonia and nitrite. Furthermore, they're a form of nitrogen that's more easily absorbed by plants. So, while nitrates can eventually become an issue, simply performing regular partial water changes and keeping some live plants is usually enough to keep their levels well below anything dangerous. Ammonia and nitrite, on the other hand, can be toxic at much lower concentrations, and therefore require a more 'hands-on' approach. We hope that helps!
Upgrading my bettas tank and just discovered that I need to cycle the tank beforehand. I’ve ordered some drift wood and also a few live plants, but they won’t be here until later this week. Should I cycle the tank now before those arrive or cycle the tank once I have everything?
For a single betta and using Fluval Biological Enhancer/Cycle while feeding properly and performing regular partial water changes all should be ok without having to be concerned with fishless cycling.
Just got the fluval Evo 13.5.....
First thing I'm need is heater and live sand and live dry rock to set up tank....... Now is store bought saltwater better than mixing my own ..... And what chemicals should I put in to start cycle bacteria and what else....??????? Am I close at all
Hi Michael! Here's a video all about setting up an Evo aquarium - it should be helpful! ua-cam.com/video/ZPu5WL3R10s/v-deo.html
Denny, Benny, Kenny, Lenny, and Mike (zebra danios) are almost through the cycle and are making it okay. I didn't know about the cycle before purchase and even adopted Fruity, Pebbles, and Cereal (albino cory) before I finally realized this process was important. They are all on a strict diet and the tank gets cleaned every two days. If I knew this valuable info, I would have waited 😐. I have emergency solution to help if anything spikes.
I used Feviquick Cynoacralite Adesive in Driftwood and Stones of my newly setup Aquarium. It is my seventh week running and Nitrogen cycle has not kicked in. How to go about fixing the Tank.Somebody please help. 🙏
So how many times do I put in the fish food when cycling the tank? Once, once a day or once a week etc…
We recommend feeding fish once or twice a day, paying attention to portion size - you want to achieve nice rounded fish bellies! If you are cycling the aquarium without fish, we don't suggest adding fish food.
Once my brand new tank has fully cycled is it necessary to do a huge water change? There are no fish in my tank
Hi there, it would be best to change 25% of the aquarium water to prepare it for fish. 😊
I don't need to go through the cycling process if I transfer the water from an old tank to the new tank, right?
You do! Water does not contain nitrifying bacteria, as these species are surface-dwelling and are absent from the water column. You can skip / shorten the cycling process by transferring filter media from an existing aquarium to a new one, but not with water.
Does the nitrogen cycle develop fully at low temperatures like for Axolotls (62 degrees)
Jim, it is prolonged as nitrifying bacteria is less active at that temperature, ideal range is really 70 to 80 deg F.
you are great man thanks for the help love you sir
hello Tom, I'm starting a brand new aquarium in which I will be using some of the old substrate and same canister filters to speed process the cycling, my question is can I add shrimps like Amano or cherry shrimps in the cycling period?
I know this comment was years ago but I wanted to get a cherry shrimp and have the same question , if I can put it in during the cycling period, do you happen to know if I can ?
@@xotweaka I'm here for the answer as well!
Ashlee Piper I did a little research and unfortunately they can not handle ammonia, They will likely die . You can put ram /pond snails in though !
Hi question from a newbie here,, just got a new small aquarium and put 4 fishes (2 angel fish and danio) inside after 2 days only 1 fish left first day I forgot to put anti chlorine next day I drop the medicine and the other 2 died.. Please help what should I do? Do I change the water again?
We would need information,tank size, which filter, which heater, etc...Angelfish in small tank are not recommended.
All i have for now is just the tank and conditioner can i just put water and conditioner in there and leave until i get other thinga for the tank?
Yes you can do that, any biological products should be added at the time the first fish are added, not before.
@@fluval also i have another question i have API conditioner and a 20 gallon tank how much should i add a day to speed up the fishless cycle and how long will it take to cycle my 20 gallon fish tank? Also its for one fish
I just cleaned my whole tank out due to ammonia and lost one fish plus the other two have been burned!!!! My tank has been set up for two days tested it to day reading is 0.50, I believe that is still high?? Do I need to change the water again? ( By the way the fish are not in the tank.) How long before I can add my fish in the tank? Do I need to do more water change?
Hi Hazel, we are sorry to hear that you are having some trouble. Please send us a message on our Facebook or Instagram page so that we can help you with this! 😊
I have two gold fish in a ten gallon tank, how much water do I need to change and how often?
We hope they are small goldfish. Changing 25% every two weeks while they are small would be sufficient, increase % and frequency as they grow. Move them to a larger aquarium once they get 4 to 5 inches in length.
Fluval Aquatics they are about 2 inches. I am doing water changes once a week. 50 percent change. is that too much too often? I am going to go to the store to get a water test today. I never had fish before. My husband bought our kids goldfish. I don't know what I'm doing. I just want to keep these fish alive.
I also posted a video of my fish on my youtube.
Kat never put two goldfish in a 10 gallon. They produce a lot of ammonia and depending on the type they almost always need lots of space to move around.
2years. let me guess those goldfish died, and never were upgraded to a bigger tank. Goldfish shouldnt be allowed to sell to beginners
Question what the ph
...for 45 tank...do I have to go to go to the fish stores to test the water or....
What type of fish are you keeping?
@@fluval 3 different topic of fish...3 tiger topical fish /
I'm not having much luck with bottled bacteria.
I finally rinsed out a used filter sponge into a bucket of a little aquarium water from my 65g freshwater tank and dumped the "dirty" water straight into my 55g brackish tank's filter system.
I'm still getting NH3 readings of 0.25ppm.
Is the salinity in my new tank the culprit here?
SG: 1.006
pH: 8.8
Temp: 83°
Any advice is helpful.
"Tanks" in advance....
The S.G you are posting is a value one would use in a brackish water tank, it may initially effect some of the consortium within Fluval Biological Enhancer but it would still be effective. Keeping an active bio filter that you can transfer to a new tank is always a good thing, better would be to run the established sponge filter in the new tank for a few weeks.
@@fluval
I just rinsed another sponge from another tank into my brackish, after a reading of 0.50ppm NH3.
No NO2 just yet. Prime, Prime and more Prime.
I just did a water change yesterday and plan on another tomorrow. More Prime.
No signs of stress in my fish, but I'm watching like a hawk.
I've been thru multiple bottles of Seachem Stability, and multiple bottles of API Quick Start.
Nothing.
That was two weeks ago.
And I started the tank out with a bag of Arag-Alive to boot.
We are not worthy of mighty fluval 😁👍🤙
Liked and subscribed 👍
Say if you remove all fish from an aquarium. Does the waste and water chemistry increase or decrease over time??
The nitrogen levels in the aquarium would eventually decrease over time, as there would be no more fish consuming food and producing organic waste!
Do you know where can I buy nitrification solution for making bacteria?
Fluval Biological Enhancer or Cycle is available at many if not most local fish and pet stores.
I bought A 60 gallon tank and the pet store people assembled and installed it from scratch and put the fish i choose ..4 commet and 4 Koi all 2" in size thats on 14th Feb 2019 ...its running since then without any issue ...when to do water change and filter change ? Its new tank ...i think the filter they installed was a used one . ..please advise ...i want my fish to LIVE...
While a 60 gallon is fine for the koi at 2 inches they will eventually outgrow it as will the comets, a pond is really the best place for Koi. That said, for now 25% water changes every two weeks should be fine, we hope you are using a filter with capacity of approximately a Fluval 406.
I have 15 Mbuna's in a 40 and m transferring them to a 60 which is almost cycled, how many should I move at intervals and how often, thanks?
Mbuna's will quickly establish territories, move the first 5 least dominant fish first, then every two weeks thereafter move the next five least dominant, for the last transfer moving some of the structure around should help.
Thanks for the video. Can you tell me the name of the tank with the black background?
That is the Fluval F-60, which is currently discontinued.
Definitely important to know how to cycle a fish tank!! I added videos to my channel that explain the nitrogen cycle in simplified terms!
i wonder if i can use this video for learning purpose on my website.. we sell fluval products too ..they are awesome.
I have a new 10 gallon planted tank that I have been trying to fishless cycle. It hasn’t been a full week yet and after several fish food doses The ammonia remains very low, nitrate remains very low, but nitrites are super high at about 20-40ppm. I am using Fluval Stratum. I can’t even tell where the pH is at. It seems all over the chart. I thought the ammonia and nitrite was supposed to get high before the nitrates. What is happening? Does all this mean my tank is cycled?
No your aquarium is not biologically mature at this point. The level of ammonia/nitrite would depend on how much food and the rate at which it breaks down to become ammonia and nitrite. Preferable is to use Fluval Biological Enhancer and add a few small hardy fish and be patient, with proper feeding there is no risk to the fish and by adding live plants which will take in ammonium it is only a matter of being patient. Once the levels are as explained in the video you can slowly increase the fish population.
Fluval Aquatics what Hardy fish do you recommend?
Excellent cycle tips
love fluval! ...I have a lot of fluval products. ❤️
very informative video thnx
Hello gorgeous baby doll😍😘
@@JC-vi7gg wtf
I need some help with my aquarium, i had already had fish in the aquarium before but because of my ignorance they didn't last very long 6-8weeks for half while the rest lived on for about 2 months or so. After doing a "little" research and learning about the cycling factor i assumed that my aquarium was cycled now (This is about 4 months or so after having no fish in it), and added fish (2 Pictus Catfish and 1 common pleco that will be moved to a larger tank later) and ordered an API Freshwater master Test kit and Fluval C4 Filter, This is for a 29 Gallon tank. when the Test kit came in i immediately tested the water, for the three i was most aware of being important... Ammonia (1.0ppm) Nitrite (5 or excess of 5ppm) and Nitrates (40-80ppm) My problem is this from what i've read ammonia and Nitrite are suppose to be 0 - 0.25ppm. I've used some ammonia lock to protect my fish from that but my problem now would be the Nitrite if the level is truely unsafe for fish (today would be Day 2 of them swimming in it.) My New Filter will arrive on monday which will be better than the stock one that i have for giving the bacteria to grow but the question is do i have time to wait for that and if i don't what can i do to save the fish.
Some products that bind ammonia cause false readings when using ammonia and nitrite test kits. Ammonia and nitrite should be 0 in an established healthy aquarium. If you are reading unsafe nitrite levels we recommend 50% water changes and dosing at the recommended rate for new aquariums on the label of Fluval Biological Enhancer. Reduce feeding and introduce some established filter media from a healthy aquarium as well as regular dosing with Biological Enhancer will ensure your fishes safety, good that you have test kits to verify levels, very important.
Fluval Aquatics yeah i know about false ammonia readings because it attaches another molecule to the ammonia so its harmless to fish (to my knowledge) I've been doing research and such on my own as far as what you've given me as an answer I've been doing 30% water changes daily and i finally was able to install the fluval c4 and i had already ordered the biological enhance (red striped bottle that states to add fish immediately) i have both my old filter and the new one side by side and poured the enhancer directly into the filter itself assuming it would work better there. Tested water in the morning and still had around nitrites 3.0-5.0 using tetra 6-1 strips I'll be doing the amount of water change you suggested tonight. (And i dont have any other aquarium this would be the first one)
Noted, however when we say false readings we are referring to ammo lock and the effect that has on the chemical reagents in the test kit, to explain the false reading. In other words you likely do not actually have that level of nitrite.
Fluval Aquatics ahhh so ammonia lock gives a false positive of both at the same time? I thought it was just ammonia.
The point here is to address the problem, water changes and establishing active biological conversion is doing just that, ammo lock is simply masking the symptom while not allowing you to properly monitor levels.
How many hardy fish guppy/molly etc should i introduce in a 10 gallon tank to start the cycle ?
A pair of black mollies would be perfect. Feed sparingly, keep some live plants and if possible seed the filter with some established filter as well. Using Fluval Biological Enhancer/Cycle ensures an optimal mix of nitrifyers will develop.
Is it okay to cycle with new tank and a live plant that used to live in a tank with great beneficial bacteria? And should i put fish? I just the the 9 gal tank and im new to fish keeping hobby
In the video we do cover this, a few hardy fish, careful feeding and the on label dose rate of Biological Enhancer will serve to initiate and complete the nitrification cycle and provide the basis of its on-going benefits.
I have one of those tanks that's "filtered" by an herb garden on top. It doesn't have an actual filter, it just pumps water to the plant roots in the lid, which then trickles back into the tank. Will a tank like that ever cycle?
The plant roots will service a site for nitrifying bacteria to settle as would other surfaces in the set up, not as much capacity as using bio media but would eventually provide bio-support.
I’ve got a 7 gallon tank that I’m going to be using for fry, put fish food in there last night, 2 of this aquarium bacteria clear squishy balls, and squeezed a bit of my filter media in the tank from my established tank, tank has gone cloudy 24 hours later, is this a sign of ammonia present? What do i need to do now?
You should test with an ammonia test kit and in two weeks also start following up with nitrite tests to see how the nitrogen cycle is progressing. Keep a record of measurements to refer back to as well.
i have a freshwater 10 gallon tank with 10 creatures. I had it for about a week. I noticed the water is cloudy/murky and smelly so I decided to put in this water clearifer. I currently have two live plants but the water is still murky. Is it safe for my fish? I have no test kits to calculate the nitrates, etc. Do you recommend for me to buy one?
We suggest testing for ammonia and nitrite to ensure you have not surpassed safe limits.
Help!! I have the fluval edge 23 litre tank.. used 1 full bottle of biological enhancer over the three days as advised. Used half a cap of water conditioner.. added the betta only after a week as this is the only fish I was planing on getting. 3 days after adding the fish I decided to do a ph an ammonia test. PH, water Hardener etc is spot on but the ammonia test for
Nitrate was high... I spoke to local pet store and they said to add in a few drops of biological enhancer.. my fish seems really happy and everything but I’m a little worried on what to do??? Please help, I’m new with fish.
Can you clarify what you mean when you say: "the ammonia test for nitrate was high"...? They are two separate tests. If ammonia is low or not measurable based on adding Fluval as per new aquarium on label start up dosing and the fact it is 1 betta in 23L of water, which is expected, what is the nitrate level as that is measured with another kit?
Fluval Aquatics sorry just read that back.. makes no sense. Nitrate is fine.. just the ammonia test was high.
I’m going to use another ammonia test tonight to double check.. I was also going to buy some prime and do a little water change? Is that advisable.
I’ve been told two different things and my head is mashed!! My local pet store said leave the tank for 8 weeks with no water change and feed him live food... to me that sounds dangerous. People on Facebook have said partial water changes daily... but I have the biological enhancer in my tank..
So if I did a water change do I use biological enhancer, water conditioner and prime?
Prime can affect some ammonia test kit readings due to the ingredients in that product. For dechlorinator we would advise Fluval Water Conditioner or a simple product that only uses sodium thiosulphate as the only ingredient. Try another ammonia test reagent first to see if that is not perhaps an issue, adding more Biological Enhancer is always safe. Regular small water changes are always ok, although they would dilute some on the ammonia and nitrite during the initial cycle you are seeding the system with ideal nitrifyers in Biological Enhancer and you are keeping 1 fish in 23L, the conditions should be safe. We support regular good sized water changes, always beneficial with properly conditioned water. Feeding live food is fine but sparingly which in the case of 1 betta is not an issue, he should immediately eat would you feed, do not overfeed....it is still a nitrogen source.
Hey there I have a done a water change this morning ( 17th feb) I use your product for conditioner done tha test water and still 20 showing in my test strip of nitrite I always do and it’s annoying me what can I do to get it to 0? Also my fish are not eating they haven’t eaten in over 2 weeks now I have recently had bloat iv treated that with a parasite liquid but my fish aren’t Interested in food please help with me that also? Thanks a lot
The medication is likely affecting the nitrifying bacteria resulting in the nitrite value you are seeing. Any uneaten food should be removed asap. What type of fish and which food specifically are you attempting to feed them?
So basically do I need to buy those beneficial bacteria (Nitrosomonas & Nitrobacter) or it will grows during the cycling process by themselves? Btw, I'm using a new tank...
A big advantage of using a product like Fluval Biological Enhancer is that it contains the right strains, ones that have been carefully selected and cultured for best performance. Additionally you are able to add big doses in cases when there are reasons for having ammonia and nitrite, for example, over-feeding, too many fish, post a treatment with medication, etc....
What do I need to do to cycle the tank without live plants
Add a few hardy fish and test for ammonia and nitrite regularly while following the new aquarium dosing regimen with Fluval Biological Enhancer.
What about if your tab water has high ph chloramine ammonia etc at the start of it all
High pH values in tapwater mean a much greater proportion of gaseous ammonia, or free ammonia or toxic ammonia, NH3, all the more reason to be very careful and starting slowly with only a few fish and minimum food (nitrogen) input while dosing appropriately on a weekly basis with Fluval Biological Enhancer / Cycle.
Fluval Aquatics yeah I have been testing water ph is near 7.8 and ammonia has dropped I add some tank starter and some extra maintenance bacteria as well as the bio blocks I have plants and a crayfish inside of 75 gal my tap water was nearly same as aquarium water after about 2 weeks but I did have it running before but did a huge water change and got rid of fish only kept crayfish
Fluval Aquatics also these worms on the glass not many but I see some floating around as well not sure what type they are but was just wondering could’ve some from plants? Do I need to get them out just did partial water change Monday
I need tank cycle fast I have aggressive comet he bite female vent.he swims in front her she can't eat
Hi There
Yes I am asking about the FX 6 inside setup of Media
The flow path in an FX series filter occurs from top to bottom within the filter media basket stack, placing the finest filter media at the bottom (for example, a fine white water polishing pad) would be the correct placement, the course media to be placed at the top. The pre-filter foam surround filter pads provide pre-filtration.
if have cycled tank can you keep adding the bacteria in bottle every couple weeks make sure bacteria in the tank is on top or that stupid ? sorry i am new and just trying to learn
Hi Lee, always shake the bottle well as per the label. Adding weekly supports the best possible biological consortium in your aquarium.
Looking for some help here, so we purchased a used 55 gallon tank and got new gravel, a new filter, and new heater. We’ve only ever had live plants in it because I can’t seem to get the levels under control. Even with frequent water changes, my PH, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are all through the roof. Any tips for getting it under control?
try adding a few hardy fish to start the cycle like Guppies, and if you can try and get some media from your LFS or even ask for some water from an established tank - or use something like seachem prime it works better than fluval imo,
The video provides you with what you need to do, can you let us know what nitrogen source you did introduce to have high ammonia, etc...readings?
@@mrguppy682 would tiger barbs be fine? If it were a 29? Or?
Please note that I have two filter . I would like to load one of them to put it for african chicled fish please tell me a way for a good set up
What I did
From top tray I removed the red tray I put bio media and on top course media.
Second tray bio media and above one fine pad
3rd tray bio media course media on to and at the bottom a fine pad.
Do you have other suggestions.
Thank you very much
Nasir
Is this a FX series filter you are asking about?
Can you use this for axolotl's?
Yes you can! 😊
I just got my fx6 and I'm planning on cleaning it in a month , I'm excited to do it so I'll try to wait til 5 or 6 wee k s but there's no way I'll make 2 months
I have had a freshwater aquarium for about 12 years from a young age and i change 20%-30% of the water every week, I test the water before and after, but only the nitrate goes down, I have never seen the ammonia and nitrate go up only when I originally set up my tanks!
Does this mean my tank is healthy due to the water changes for the nitrate? Apart from the biological bacteria breaking it down!
If the plants are feeding off the ammonia stopping the process of nitrite that convert into nitrate how come I don’t ever find traces of ammonia and nitrite? Does this cycle happen within 7 days in a well established tank?
Thanks james
The initial cycle usually takes 3 to 4 weeks, somewhat less if you use Cycle/Fluval Biological Enhancer. Regular water changes, plants, low fish stocking levels and careful feeding are why you never experienced measurable ammonia or nitrite levels. Once a tank is established post a good feeding for example, you may measure some nitrite for an hour or two, ammonia is usually converted very quickly, nitrate tends to accumulate but is usually never an issue in the presence of healthy growing plants and regular water changes.
i went thru about 100 of the comments and didnt find the answer. what kind of test kit is that on the table and where can i get one?
That is the Master Test Kit, you may still be able to find it in some stores, if not, the mini-master is a useful kit as well: fluvalaquatics.com/ca/product/master-test-kit/
I have a question. I just upgraded my 55 gallon to a 75. I want to put half of the water from the 55 into the new one, but it currently has some detritus worms in it. There’s not a lot, and I know that they can be helpful, but I just really don’t want them in the new tank. Is there a way I can filter them out when transferring the old water and fish? I have two Oscars, so they won’t eat them. But I really want to get them into this bigger tank without the worms because 55 is way too small for the kiddos, and I don’t want the population to spike up for any reason. Or can I transfer my fish safely without using their old water? I’m just so scared of putting them into shock
Hi Emphoon, thank you for your comment! Unfortunately there is always a risk of carrying the detritus worms from one tank to the other. In most cases, this is through the substrate and if left untreated, they can spread into your filter and float through the water column. Theoretically, the worms can be filtered out through a mesh or sponge that is finer than the worms themselves although, there is still a risk of carrying them over to your new tank. You can safely transfer your fish into the new aquarium if you seed the new aquarium with cycled filter media or if you attach a filter with cycled media inside of it onto the new tank. As mentioned however, the worms can be carried over as well if they are present within your filter. To completely avoid carrying the worms into the new tank, it would be best to use a new filter, new substrate and cycle the tank normally without using any old water or treat your tank for detritus worms and once gone, you can make the transfer! 😊
Unfortunately, a lot of chain pet stores allow the purchase of a tank and fish to go in that tank within a short period of time, meaning that a lot of fish die due to ammonia build up. If you have a spare minute, please sign this petition, asking the UK's largest chain pet store to educate its customers on tank cycling: chng.it/RVXPxMZvXz
Thank you for caring!
My son brought a tank last week, we are starting to set it up today-thank god for UA-cam because if it was up to pets at home we would be adding fish 3 days to a week later!! So glad I looked online for more info!
Would you cycle an aquarium the same for shrimp as you would for fish?
Absolutely! Invertebrates are as intolerant of poor water quality as fish.
I just got started with my fish tank. I have a 10 gallon tank. I have 6 fish in there. 2 black mollies and 4 Marigold Variatus. They're eating fine and very active. Is there anything I need to know to make sure they will live long? I am buying a gravel vacuum soon for cleaning. I just put fish in last week. How often should I change the water? Any information would greatly help me since I am new at this. Thank you!
go get the API 5 in 1 test strips to keep an eye on the water quality. how often you should change water depends on the reading of the testing results.
Hi, How long Fluval Bacteria last without ammonia for fishless cycling?
Thanks for the question, the nitrifying bacteria we include is put into a dormant state prior to bottling to ensure it capable of surviving to substantial levels for the full rated shelf life.
Great vid I finnaly understand
came here after accidentally killing swim shady and thomas 😔
Same. :(
Pourin one out for the lil homies ⚰️⚰️
AoEplayer07 😂😂
Aww how did y'all kill them?
RIP fish. Gang gang
My anubias plants are turn in to yellow colour and so many brown spot on leafs,what should I do? Please help me
How have you planted your anubias and describe the aquarium conditions please.
I just came back from a fish store and the guy there told me to cycle the tank with some hardy fish inside, so he gave me 10 zebra danios and your Fluval product .My tank is 80L. Do I need to change the water all this time? Or I should wait 6 weeks and then change 25%? Thanks!
It would be preferable to have an ammonia and nitrite test kit to ensure you do not exceed tolerable levels for the 10 fish, they are hardy but 10 in 20L does mean you need to be careful feeding them and yes, partial water changes in th event ammonia and nitrite which will peak later reach unsafe levels.
@@fluval Thank you for the reply. I've just done an API liquid test, at the moment Ammonia is 0, Nitrite 0.50, Nitrate 0.40, PH 7.2 . I hope they'll survive in a few weeks :-)
Do i really need Plants :c
I dont have any, and im planning yo move my fish on a bigger aquarium
Hi John, live plants are not absolutely necessary although they will help create a natural habitat for your fish as well as contribute to a cleaner and more balanced aquarium! 😊
at what ppm level should i do water change on a new fishless, planted cycling tank .
What did you add to start the cycle? Ammonium chloride? What are current levels of ammonia and nitrite? Also important, pH and KH levels? Date cycle started? Also let us know what size of aquarium, filter(s) & filter media used.
started tank on 5/05 but have added media since.current levels ph7.0 highph7.4 ammonia0.25 nitrite0.0 and nitrate 0.20. added stability and nautal rapport to condition. also i dose niloc allinone fert once a week and 2.5 excel every other day.
You mentioned fishless cycle? Which nitrogen source did you use to initiate the cycle? From your values you can commence doing partial water changes, if you want o use nitrate as a value to guide that frequency then 20 ppm is a good target, we prefer monitoring nitrate regularly to ensure it does not exceed 20 ppm and doing a bi-monthly to monthly (depending on species being kept, etc) 10 to 20% partial water change.
Thank you. I wasn’t sure if I should wait or do water change due to fear of messing up the whole process.
Tina as over 6 weeks have gone by and ammonia is low with 0 nitrite all should be underway. Can you let us know which nitrogen source you are using as you mention "fishless"?
Are Fluval chemicals safe on amphibians such as axolotls?
The biological products mentioned in this video are, yes.
My guppy gave birth to fry and then my heater decided to stop working along with my sponge filter. I've had a 40 gallon (U.K.) tank that has been cycling for only 3 days before moving them in. This isn't ideal as i would have liked it to cycle a lot longer but now I'm getting spikes what can I do in order to keep my fry alive?
Izzy, make sure to does with Fluval Biological Enhancer and if you can get some established filter media from a healthy aquarium it will also help. Also make sure to do larger water changes to keep the levels down and ensure that you are not increasing pH when doing so to avoid converting much less harmful ammonium to the toxic form ammonia.
How long will it take to cycle a 10 gal
That depends to a large degree on how much nitrogen input there is into the tank. We advise using Fluval Biological Enhancer and a few hardy small fish, feed sparingly for the first few weeks and seed the existing filter with established filter media from another healthy aquarium, stable conditions should be achieved within a few weeks.
@@fluval Not everyone has filter media from another tank. In fact, most people who are starting out don't.
@@HadEnough745 We suggested it in the case they do, it works very well. May we take this opportunity to add to the fact that if you have any friends or fellow members from a local fish club, these can be good sources too.
I’m still confuse. I got the part of testing but how do we cycle the water? Is by adding a type of conditioner after cleaning the tank fully? Please I need someone to explain. I’m new to this aquatic world.
How you doin, i was new too and i did fish in cycle cause i had no idea about cycling, but im about 2 months in and im good and can give you a few tips..buy some api quick start its a life savor! Add some every other day till it runs out along with some fish food or if you have some fishes in there already thatll do. Do water changes of 25% every 3 days or every 6 days max, do this for about a month and youll be all good, you will get some spikes and thats where seacham prime conditioner comes in, itll help you out ALOT! It lowers amonia nitrites and nitrates and removes chlorine, so you need that! Do this and youll be up in running, im talking from experience.
llJohnnyboy13ll I have a 5 gallon tank I haven’t done a 25% change yet bc i recently added the fish to the tank. There’s a filter and heater. I know that the conditioner is the top thing. I but the freshwater kit I’m going to start using it. I’m looking to buy a vacuum pump cleaner but don’t know which is the right one for my tank. Which type of water are you using?
luke morrison add the api quick start to you list, a conditioner wont take care of the problem cause you only add that each time you do a water change, you need something to battle the amonia while its up and running, ask for pumbs i use top fin gravel vaccum its the best! Regardless of what anyone says dont exceed a 25%-30% water change, anything more than that will make your cycle time double
Using Fluval Biological Enhancer and the protocol addressed in the video will ensure you seed the aquarium and filter effectively, directives for dosing are on the Fluval Biological Supplement. Unlike other supplements Fluval empolys Bio-Flocs, visual indicators of huge nitrifying biomass that assures a successful start. As we mention in the video if you have another healthy aquarium or a friend who does, add some established filter media to your filter.
llJohnnyboy13ll I have the API. Test kit. Ph was great but ammonia was 0.25 well that’s what I showed m. The color were pretty much the same for 0 and .25. i ordered two pumps vacuum for an overnight delivery bc the pet store didn’t have and pets mart was way too far. So at soon I gets those pump. I will clean his tank. It should arrive today. Also I ordered the fluval conditioner to the list bc it was recommended by a vet who said that one of the top brand out there for fish. What worries me is the water. People keep saying tap water is good but to make sure it has conditioner. And the vet told me that I need to be careful bc too much conditioner can affect the fish. Is spring water good? And if I use tap water should I test the ammonIa nitre and the other one before adding it to the tank?
I did not cycle my tank as I didn't know I had to. I've just purchased two small black moor goldfish, what should I do. I feed them very sparingly, allowing them to eat all the food before I add any more. My tank is 50 litres. Help, please
May sure to add Fluval Biological Enhancer and follow the new aquarium dosing schedule on the label. Follow up with some ammonia and nitrite tests, ensure your filter is working properly and ensure it is moving the water surface for good oxygenation. Twice a day the amount the Black Moors eat in a minute should be fine and good that you are monitoring what they consumer. Some partial water changes weekly will also ensure better water quality.
Fluval Aquatics thank you so much for your help. I'm going to get the enhancer
Fluval Aquatics hello, I've done exactly what you said. I've also had my water tested today and the levels are non existent. My fish are also alive and well. Thank you so much
Annairah26 please think about upgrading your tank. Goldfish are big waste producers and get quite large.
i understood a lot from this short video
We're glad it was helpful! 🙂
informative and detailed. thanks
love my fluvial products, i have four filters and all media from you, question, i am cycling with bio load from other tanks plus bio in a bottle, my nitrites are good on the third day, but my ammonia is up to .05 to 1.0 what should i do
How are you cycling your aquarium, with live fish or have you added ammonium chloride?
fish cycle with two flag fish and bio in a bottle
Joyce, as you have live fish in the tank you should do a 50% water change with conditioned tap water while ensuring the pH is the same as your aquarium or slightly lower. Use Fluval Biological Conditioner and double dose. You will note on our Bio product we have a new tank regimen for dosing. Keep the feedings light for your two flagfish and consider adding a little more established filter media from another healthy aquarium. Keep us posted.
Watching other videos they bring in anaerobic bacteria that will turn nitrates to nitrogen. I am curious about your thoughts on that.
Kerry, anaerobic bacteria by definition cannot survive in the presence of oxygen. Perhaps if those bacteria are housed in a separate vessel or container that is kept at a very poor oxygen concentration their might be an effect but the effect could be a negative one as well....as in the production of other unwanted gases and/or by products.
@@fluval so if you get a chancenice, watch a couple of videos about improving your filters. He claims he can achieve anaerobic action, which is bugging the heck out of me because I don't believe he is right. Thank you for your answer. Merry Christmas!
Kerry, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, All the Best!!
CAN YOU PLEASE SUGGEST ME DEVICES TO MEASURE AMMONIA AND NITRITE LEVELS???
Hi Jovita, Fluval will be coming out with Test Kits later this year, however, in the meantime we recommend Nutrafin test kits (if they are available in your country). They have a range of tests including those for Ammonia and Nitrite.
Sir iam using an top filter for my 2/1 feet tank do i need another Sponge filter running inside my tank or the top filter is enough ?
If you are measuring 0 ammonia and nitrite then the top filter is sufficient for the fish population you have.
@@fluval thanks sir i measured the readings all is okay now ! it took 5 days for a cycling process so the 6th day i added two imported guppies . Both are happy 👍 my doubt is next when can i add another two guppies in my tank ? I should wait another 1 week ?
Can I use mechanical, biological and chemical media simultanously? And tell me do I have to put any nitrifying bacteria in there or do they naturally exist in dormant form or something like that?
Muhammad, yes in fact most filters do provide for the use of all 3 filter media types that are meant to be used at the same time. Yes again, a product such as Fluval Biological Enhancer is highly effective at providing the most efficient nitrifying strains (along with a couple of stains of hetertrophs) of bacteria that ensure you establish the most effective biological filtration. Yes these bacteria do naturally exist but that does not in anyway mean they would in your aquarium, using the aforementioned product does.
Fluval Aquatics thanks!
Can i cycle with fish in it
Hi there, you can cycle the tank with fish in it although, ammonia and nitrites are toxic to fish at any level. Cycling your tank with fish in it offers the possibility of them being harmed, it can also interrupt the nitrogen cycle in certain instances.
Just setup a 5 gal Spec 5 two days ago and am doing a "fish-less" cycle since a lot of websites recommend that over "fish-in" cycle. I conditioned the tap water and aqua-scaped (with a mix of live and plastic plants) the tank yesterday and everything looked great but a couple of hours ago my tank suddenly got really cloudy. Is this normal? Also, I have a single male Betta splendens currently in an unfiltered 1 gal tank (he's been there a little over a week and I've done a couple 30% water changes) while I get his new home setup. Instead of buying the bio-enhancer can I just transfer some of the water from his tank to the new tank?
Robyn, we strongly recommend using Fluval Biological Enhancer. Yes new tanks often do become cloudy, this can be for a number of reasons, with regular water changes, Biological Enhancer, low stocking levels and proper follow up with ammonia and nitrite test kits all should be well.
Fluval Aquatics Thank you, I did buy the enhancer and the tank has cleared up.
Robyn, good move! Enjoy the new tank!
Can i put a fancy goldfish in my tank while cycling but i will do 50% water change everyday?
Depending on the tank size, yes! We recommend cycling an aquarium with a light fish load, while dosing Biological Enhancer, testing your water regularly, and performing frequent partial water changes.
How often do I need to put in beneficial bacteria in my tank?
Once the aquarium is cycled it is stated to add weekly , while optimal to maintain the best consortium of nitrifiers you can opt to dose when filter media is replaced and after other events, such as treating with a medication.
Fluval Aquatics ok thanks
Is it true that if you use cycle to start an aquariums cycle, you then have to continue to use it for the life of the tank otherwise the bacteria will die off?
Hi Alfred! There are many species of nitrifying bacteria, and only a select few are efficient and desirable. It is recommended to continue using Cycle even once the aquarium is established to ensure these desirable species of bacteria have a competitive advantage over the undesirable, less efficient ones!
Why does the instructions on your biological cycle come in milliliters I have a new tank and I've been using a cap full for a 20 gallon tank is that enough after I put my fish in the water got cloudy can I change the water a day after putting the fish in at least 10 or 15%
What if I used water and Live rock from my already established tank? and just Buy new live sand? Would it Be ready for me to add fishes and corals? I asked alot of people here on youtuBe, But seems like noBody has an answer for it
Yes it would, stock conservatively and make sure you have an effective protein skimmer installed and functioning.