Fishless Cycling an Aquarium

[@stlrepper711]

Bro you deserve a ton more subs I just scrolled threw the comments and you're "helpful af" reaching out to everyone(saving the day) so to speak👍🏾👍🏾 I just subbed

[@TrafishAquatics]

Thanks man, I really appreciate it lol

[@stlrepper711]

@@TrafishAquatics it's the truth you're like an teacher and we're in class taking notes, also what's the name of the cycle product you mentioned at the end of the video? I did like the worst amateur thing last night as I've never owned fish before and ordered red belly piranhas and am only going to pick up a 55gal tank in a couple hours sooo yes I REALLY "jumped the gun" on this one smh

[@TrafishAquatics]

I like Fritz turbo start 700

[@stlrepper711]

@@TrafishAquatics alright thanks a lot I'll check that out right now

[@marioquinonez1772]

@@TrafishAquatics (koo

[@angelina-zs3bl]

The only video that helped me- thanks for dumbing it down

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome!

[@aidentree7997]

The u

[@selenanicole4080]

Yes seriously! I'm in so many aquarium groups, forums, I've asked people to break it down to me like a child and still it was so confusing to me. This was so helpful

[@TrafishAquatics]

You're welcome!

[@dynamics3169]

Fr

[@flamingbridges1649]

It's been 13 years so I cycled a tank so this really helped. I've just started cycling my 29 gallon.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Glad it was helpful

[@StephenBrewer89]

Been about 6 years since I first setup my 65 gallon tank. I sold my house and had one built and have been about 10 months no tank. Just set it back up 3 days ago and was trying to remember how to get the cycle started. Thanks for the upload!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome! Glad your getting back into aquariums!

[@lydiuhhhhh]

tysm! i'm getting a 10 gallon tank for my betta soon and was really confused on cycling, and nothing seemed to make sense, but this video actually helped so thanks a lot!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome, I'm glad it was helpful!

[@Chloe-kz4pf]

You are describing me right now! This video is a life saver

[@TrafishAquatics]

@@Chloe-kz4pf You're very welcome

[@fruitygal2236]

Make sure you are completely cycled before adding your betta. I lost mine. :(

[@anotherhuman3866]

@@fruitygal2236 quick question- how dyou know when its fully cycled??

[@rachaelpracht]

I think the only thing missing from this video (or maybe I missed it myself) that was super helpful for me starting out is that there are technically two bacteria colonies present. The one that turns ammonia into nitrites and the one that turns nitrites into nitrates. If you see ammonia falling but not nitrites, and vice versa, your tank is still not cycled yet. Both of those need to be raised and lowered in the tank naturally and end at 0 before you can introduce your fish!

[@Mitchn0]

I‘m 100% new to this, and your video is by far the best i've found on the subject. All the others left me with more questions and this video answered them all. Legend!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Thank you

[@sarge6870]

@@TrafishAquatics Tra...I've been with you since I started my 29gal almost a year ago. YOU were the one that helped me get my tank cycled but you've created a monster!! I just got another tank!!! lol

[@sarge6870]

He's always on target Mitch! Make sure you sub his channel for the future because fish keeping is ALWAYS a learning thing!! Best of luck in your new hobby!!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yea that happens lol

[@weekendwarrior3814]

Thank you for the short and useful video. My son and I learned exactly what we needed to know to set up our tank.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Glad it was helpful

[@celestialtear2047]

this was an awesome video. i tried to find other videos but they were so long and didn't make it this simple. I started my 75 gallon tank cycle a few days ago, can't wait to add my fish!

[@TrafishAquatics]

That's awesome! If you have any questions or issues let me know and I'll try to help you out

[@celestialtear2047]

@@TrafishAquatics thanks I appreciate that :D

[@erikalane8198]

This video helped me so much to understand what I thought was a complicated process, so thank you. I am currently attempting to seed a sponge filter in a 5 gallon, fishless , planted tank. My goal is to move the sponge filter to a 20 gal after it’s gifted to my son for Christmas in hopes that it will “instant” cycle. Everything seems to be moving in the right direction, I think the plants are helping to speed the process up.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Sounds like you are on the right path 👍

[@chadarellano7977]

Thank you for this, Im leaning towards fishless cycling and this video helps a lot for newbies like me thanks

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome

[@lisamyers8991]

Thank you! I was slowly cycling a 20g and after watching this and getting Fritz 700 it’s almost finished in just a few days!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Glad to hear!

[@sunandaparija107]

@@TrafishAquatics how much pellets should i put in my aquarium while cycling it?

[@TrafishAquatics]

That depends, How big is the tank?

[@sunandaparija107]

@@TrafishAquatics its a 10 gal

[@TrafishAquatics]

2-3 pellets every 2 days

[@user-wt6id9il1d]

Thank you so so much I'm going to get an Axolotl and didn't know what cycling was so I was about to put him inside a uncycled tank and also it is so quick with the fish food!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome! With an axolotl make sure you get a 20 long minimum, they like the length over the height.

[@lucifer5788]

I love you. Me and my husband are getting into fish keeping o have seen countless videos and your just made it click with me... I subscribed thank you so much for the info

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome, im glad theyre helpful to you!

[@sammieyo9962]

Currently I've been cycling for 2 weeks. My question is do I add food daily. Or do I stop when I have the desired amount of ammonia? Also should I do water changes? And how often?

[@TrafishAquatics]

No water changes until aftet nitrate starts showing up and the water has cleared up. If you hit 2ppm ammonia you can stop adding food

[@nicolesheehan1298]

Been looking for answers to this that make sense-yours is the only one that’s helped me! Thank you!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome!

[@ryanwaidalowski9221]

I am in the process of setting up my 150 gallon and have a sponge filter extra in my 100 gallon so when I am about to cycle my new one I am going to put my bio sponge filter in my new tank

[@TrafishAquatics]

Sounds great!

[@Scrapla1]

Thank you for a informative straight to the point video on this subject!

[@darcihasselbach4125]

can you put live plants in it while you’re waiting for it to cycle?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Absolutley, it will actually help it to cycle faster because the plants will introduce bacteria

[@evelincespedes9330]

Should I add a live plant while ghost fish cycling?

[@manki_d_oumar6668]

100% would help the cycle, adding floaters too!

[@hakim1462]

Hey i have a question. I started fishless cycling with aquarium plants in it and introduced decholorintor as well as API quickstart in it. I did a water test 2 days later and find that there are no ammonia as well as nitrite but there was a 10 ppm of nitrate. Could you explain how can there be nitrate if there are no ammonia to begin with?

[@rachaelpracht]

Did anything you put in your tank come from an older, established tank? Like the plants or decorations?

[@1dilligaf]

I just set up a 55 gallon tank to cycle tit I used foam filters from some of my other aquariums and it’s ready to go immediately just stocked lightly for the first few weeks.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Perfect this is how I do my tanks as well

[@stargazingmini5143]

“to cycle tit” Omg i love it 😂

[@1dilligaf]

@@TrafishAquatics Spellcheck works out perfect sometimes doesn’t it

[@TrafishAquatics]

Right lol

[@stargazingmini5143]

@@TrafishAquatics yo i thought u guys wouldn’t reply its been 3 months 😳

[@TAYLOR8mm]

It took me a while to understand about cycling and to cycle a tank for my axolotl but cycling without a fish is not hard and its so much better!!!!! I cycled mine with Seachem stability, It took me 2 months but I loved every moment of it???? 😂 I dont know but I loved the responsibility.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Thats awesome

[@MRFLIP]

Will pleco pellets works for ghost feeding

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yes

[@MRFLIP]

@@TrafishAquatics ty

[@Nsobloo]

Do you have to put any chemicals or additives in to convert the nitrites to nitrates? Or will this happen naturally

[@TrafishAquatics]

This will happen naturally due to the bacteria converting it

[@Nsobloo]

@@TrafishAquatics okay 😁👍🏼 great thank you, so that’s why the process takes a while since it’s natural process

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yep exactly

[@mattphillips6714]

Anyone who uses Aqua soil for planted tanks has to do fishless cycle as after 3 days you have cloudy water and a ammonia spike and then the whole nitrogen cycle starts I personally feel fishless cycling is best and also teaches new people to the hobby the patience needed to be successful and that none of the hobby can or should be rushed..

[@TrafishAquatics]

Very true, Well said!

[@gabriella8173]

Hello can anybody help me? I used aqua soil and my tank is a month old already still no green algae but I suffered fungus in the 2nd week like my crypt leaves are dying. So I decided to removed my crypt and let it submerge in a separate water with hydrogen peroxide. I returned it in the aquarium then it looks fine after a week no more fungus and looks healthy. I'm scared that I ruined the cycle because the crypt has been in a water with hydrogen peroxide. If I ruined the cycle should I start again from day 1?

[@mattphillips6714]

@@gabriella8173 Crypt plants are susceptible for the leaves dying off sometimes called melt in newly started aquariums it’s perfectly normal and the plant establishes itself to your tank and grows back stronger and bigger. It’s a shame you didn’t ask before removing the plant and unnecessarily bathing it in peroxide. A new tank has to mature and freshwater as well as saltwater develop diatom algae which is usually brown in appearance, if you have driftwood in the tank this will also grow a type of fungus which is harmless and eventually dies off and disappears. Unless you actually poured any peroxide into the tank I doubt you have restarted the cycle process, however you will and should be doing weekly water tests to keep an eye on how the nitrogen cycle is progressing. This can be done using disposable one use dip tests or testing samples of water using a master test kit. Any test kit for freshwater will give you better information than asking us whether your nitrogen cycle has restarted, if you are totally confused by my statement about testing your aquarium water then I’d suggest that you visit your local aquatic store and ask for a test kit for your freshwater tank they will probably sell you a dip test kit that takes around 1 minute to give you results for NITRITE, NITRATE, KH, GH, PH and finally CHLORINE.. KH = carbonate hardness and GH = general hardness dip test tend to focus on nitrite and nitrate, as high levels of nitrite are just as lethal as ammonia. Hope this helps you if you need more advice please respond..

[@gabriella8173]

@@mattphillips6714 oh so the brown thingy is a diatom algae. I still have them. I just didn't know that crypts are really like that. Thanks for this and noted!

[@mattphillips6714]

@@gabriella8173 yep diatom this will soon die off or get eaten by any algae eating fish.. I will give you this important piece of advice... don't add any shrimps of any kind till your tank is at least 6 months old, this is because your aqua soil will still leach out ammonia for some time and will also need time for any ammonia trapped at the base of your substrate, shrimps have zero tolerance to this type of ammonia. I wish you great success with your future plans for your aquarium.. take care

[@vexiss576]

How many times should you feed the tank with fish food? Like every other day? Once a week? Just once?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Every other day until ammonia becomes 1-2ppm with testing, then cut back to weekly until all ammonia is processed into nitrate.

[@vexiss576]

@@TrafishAquatics Thanks so much!

[@1dilligaf]

I just subscribed and hit the bell I love to see you guys who actually answers questions.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Thank you

[@5stringchessmatch911]

That was probably the most straight forward video I have seen on the topic. Ive been binging these videos for the past two days. Thank you so much!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome!

[@nicoleeirlys5125]

Yesss I got a bacteria starter!! I got so confused when you spoke about the fish food and I was like ohh noo I didn’t do that, then I watched! Phew

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yep the starter should work

[@Anonymous-iu4qs]

Do I have this right ?so you add ammonia then Add beneficial bacteria and wait until cycled

[@TrafishAquatics]

Correct

[@tertommy]

Setting up a shrimp tank , after all set up if shrimp do not produce sufficient ammonia will bacteria die off?

[@TrafishAquatics]

It takes a fair ammount of time for the bacteria to die off but the bacteria will stabilize at whatever your bioload is so no worries there!

[@nancychandler7289]

New subs here....newbie aquarium hobbiest.....loved this. We are just getting ready to set up our 29 gal. Learning about the Fritz Turbostart was a wealth of info.....Great video and will be checking out your others!!!!!!

[@engma7549]

*Is it possible to cycle the tank with a sponge filter only, no other media or substrate?*

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yes

[@aarongray503]

Would adding more surface area for the bacteria speed up the process? Like adding a sponge over the intake and bio Rings or balls in the hang on the back filter?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Would it speed it up, no. Bacteria can only reproduce so fast and it only grows to meet an equilibrium with the bio load of the tank. Adding more surface area increases a filters biological capability by allowing more bacteria to colonize if the need arises.

[@chrisss2829]

do i dechlorinate the water with conditioner before the starting the cycle? and also once the cycle is finished and want a water change, i also have to dechlorinate the water before adding?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yes to both, you always want to dechlorinate your water, however when adding the new water to a cycled aquarium you can remove old water then add the treatment to the tank and add water back in, the treatment will work almost instantly as water is being added back in to remove the chlorine/chloramine

[@Anonymous-iu4qs]

What is a good 20 gallon tank

[@TrafishAquatics]

Marineland, top fin and Perfecto tanks are all made by the same company and are good tanks, aqueon and tetra tanks are manufactured by the same company and are also good.

[@Anonymous-iu4qs]

@@TrafishAquatics i heard aqueon leaks also were can I find ones that ship to me

[@TrafishAquatics]

Any tank has the possibility of leaking if not set up properly on a level surface, only marineland has ever had a recall on manufacturing quality due to leaking tanks. Amazon has many of these tanks in stock but shipping a glass tank always has risk for damage.

[@MegaMaddydog]

Thank you for answering my questions. I appreciate your help.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome

[@tatumgordon9603]

When doing the water change after your tank is cycled do you do a 100% water change?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Usually only 50% but it depends how high your nitrates are, ypu want nitrate under 40ppm

[@tatumgordon9603]

I have one more question, my ammonia is now at the 0.25 to 0.50ppm so do I stop adding fish food to the tank or continue until I see Nitrites? Thank you!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Continue

[@Leannbby]

Is this the way you recommend for an axolotyl?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Definitely, axolotls have very large bio loads and would give themselves ammonia poisoning extremely easily in an uncycled tank

[@Leannbby]

@@TrafishAquatics thank you so much for responding. I’ve been doing tons of research to make sure I can give an axolotyl the best home possible!

[@TrafishAquatics]

I have a video specifically for axolotl care as well as how to make a lid for a tank with built in fans for cooling if you want.

[@Leannbby]

@@TrafishAquatics awesome I’m gonna go check it out 😊

[@0110x]

i found this video very helpful. thank you!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome

[@flamingbridges1649]

This is where I got slightly confused. I was told to put a pinch of food in and wait around 2 days and test for ammonia (not adding more food) if it was still at zero when it was tested again to add a bit more food then wait another 2 days and test again. So do I put a little food in everyday or every 2 days

[@TrafishAquatics]

Either way is fine and will work

[@rulerzreachf4n200]

I’m a little bit confused about cycling. Is cycling to do with the filter, the tank, or the water? If it’s the water, then when you do water changes, do you have to recycle that water? Or do you cycle and the filter is the thing that’s getting cycled? I’m sorry I’m a bit dumb

[@TrafishAquatics]

Cycling is about the establishing of nitrafying bacteria, at first the bacteria blooms and is suspended in the water column which causes the typical cloudy water, after a few weeks this bacteria settles down on your filter media and substrate and any hard surface that is submerged. The basic premise is to encourage the growth of this bacteria and do as little as possible to prevent its growth

[@brittanywarfield4532]

I added turbo start yesterday and it had 0 for everything should I added more turbo start or no

[@TrafishAquatics]

If you have no ammonia to start the turbo start want produce any nitrates because the bacteria have nothing to consume, if your starting with nothing you can add a couple fish with the turbo start to get things going or a product like dr Tim's ammonium chloride

[@geoffprince2258]

Thank you for this video. This is what I'm doing right now. Can't wait to put my little fishes in there.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Glad this was helpful!

[@tiffanyhoward881]

I have a glow tank i am now worried about my water so i am going to re do all the water and my tank is big! Well for me i am a newbie 10 gallon i have! I am going to test my water- and maybe buy water to put in my tank idk? But i did use the stuff that came in the box for tap water

[@TrafishAquatics]

What makes you worried about your water?

[@tiffanyhoward881]

@@TrafishAquatics i used tow different kinds of api Conditioners one is called stress zyme for my Bacteria to grow then right after that i put stress coat also and letting it sit for 3 weeks ! Is that ok? That i used tow different kinds of conditioners and wondering can i add another stress coat when fish go in No i ended up putting tap water in and rinsed it out and went and got better conditioners i am not in no hurry but i am now worried about putting tow different kinds of api same brand but there for different things! I thought hey it will not hurt my fish! Ill get the test kit but have you ever used tow kinds of api Conditioners in your tank?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Using both of those conditioners is fine because they both do different things, stress coat is what eliminates chlorine and chloramine making your tap water safe for fish, stress zyme adds beneficial bacteria to help with nitrogen cycle. Though I'm not a huge fan of these API products and would much prefer using seachem prime and stability. Also just letting the aquarium sit for 3 weeks doesn't do a whole lot You have to add an ammonia source so that the beneficial bacteria can colonize and establish the nitrogen cycle making the aquarium safe for fish.

[@tiffanyhoward881]

@@TrafishAquatics thank you so much okay yes i am new to this! And i just got a new comment from a fish guy he told me to add the food for it to rot or go get a Product that helps the Bacteria to eat! I am in no hurry ill wait 2 months for my tank to be the best! Okay so i add them 3 things that is the 2 api Conditioners that i told you about! i just put the food in there! To rot small amounts for the Bacteria to eat! He said the same thing you said now i understand i need something to help the Bacteria! To live! What product do you recommend me to put in there? Prime? Or is food ok?

[@tiffanyhoward881]

@@TrafishAquatics thank you!

[@frogmoment]

Hello is there any other way to tell if the tank is fully cyled? The testing kits are too expensive in my country.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Without having a test kit is going to be extremely difficult to be able to determine if a tank is indeed cycled or not. However two good identifiers would be if you've had a bacterial bloom in the past or recently, If you've never seen a bacterial bloom chances are the tank isn't cycled, The blooms would last a few weeks so it would be pretty obvious. The second is if you tank smells like ammonia then you would be in the cycling process, once the smell went away then it would be a fair assessment that you would either be close or finished. But there's no true way of knowing for sure without testing.

[@emmagatewood3898]

Ñpc c😊sveb

[@deniskooev9406]

Thank you, Travis. Very helpful.

[@קרןחיון-ו1ש]

if i was to put a sponge filter plus biomedia from an already established tank into my new tank, should i use this method as well to inlarge my bacteria colony along with lets say seachem stability? thanks

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yes that would work great!

[@tashatasha1328]

Each time you do the water Change do you just add normal tap water then add ammonia¿

[@TrafishAquatics]

There is no need to do water changes during a fishless cycle. when you start the aquarium and first fill it you can add enough ammonia to get the tank up to 1-2ppm ammonia and let it run with the filter running and heater on at 78-80 degrees, the bacteria will naturally begin to grow and bloom and colonize the aquarium to process the ammonia into nitrite and then nitrate. this process can take 6-8 weeks on average but for some it can be faster or slower also.

[@releasethealbum6190]

hello! Am i supposed to keep on adding fish pellets until the ammonia and nitrite level go to 0? please respond! :D Some people say that I should keep my filter, heater and oxygen thing on while it's cycling.. should i? or is it going to interfere with thee cycling process

[@TrafishAquatics]

Add pellets until your ammonia reaches between 1-2ppm then the tank will naturally cycle from there and yes you should leave them on for the process

[@releasethealbum6190]

@@TrafishAquatics after the cycle will there be food waste in the bottom of my fish tank that I have to clean or no?

[@TrafishAquatics]

There could be

[@releasethealbum6190]

@@TrafishAquatics sorry to bother but i have another question.. Should I cycle my aquarium before planting a dwarf hairgrass carpet in my fish tank or should i plant the grass then cycle the fish tank?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Plant then cycle the live plants will help the cycle establish quicker

[@JenniferMartinez-pi3yh]

Hi I'm ghost feeding just set up my tank today (: How often do I put fish food in? Do I do water changes weekly ?

[@TrafishAquatics]

If you are ghost feeding and fishless Cycling there is no need to do a waterchange until the cycle is complete and your only showing nitrates, removing ammonia in an uncycled tank will slow the cycling process and make it take much longer.

[@JenniferMartinez-pi3yh]

@@TrafishAquatics thank you so so much !

[@TrafishAquatics]

@@JenniferMartinez-pi3yh your very welcome

[@AxTenTen]

@@TrafishAquatics hes question was "how often should he ghost feed?" I felt like you missed that part? And even in the video it wasnt explained properly.

[@Kaitlyn_B97]

@@AxTenTen I feed my tank twice a day for 6 to 8 weeks with my fishless cycle. That's what works for me. On average it takes my tank 6 weeks to completely cycle. On week 7 I do a 50% water change. And on week 8 another 50% water change. And I clean the substrate. I personally clean the front panel and one of the side panels. I leave the other two panels and other surface areas covered without you for the shrimp and plecos. My tanks are good to go after that.

[@alizcool1]

Hi. You didn't talk about using filter media from a cycled tank. Do you not believ that?

[@TrafishAquatics]

I absolutely believe in that, I have another video entirely dedicated to it, which is why I didn't really mention it here as this video is more for a traditional fishless cycle

[@alizcool1]

@@TrafishAquatics awesome would that method work if a friend posted me some of his filter media in a zippy bag?

[@TrafishAquatics]

It should as long as there is enough oxygen and food in the bag to sustain them until they arrive to you

[@carson4632]

this might be a stupid question, but how do the beneficial bacteria get in the tank. Do i have to use a bottled product or will they just appear.

[@TrafishAquatics]

They will appear naturally, or you can use a bacterial starter like Fritz 700

[@carson4632]

@@TrafishAquatics ok. thank you!

[@shhh...6943]

I heard of getting bacteria from the fish store from their filters. How would that work?

[@TrafishAquatics]

That would work great! If you can get it from your LFS that's about the best way to do it

[@MatildaBaker-kw7hc]

I think I’ll try the fish food method. How long do I have to repeat the process before I can add fish though?

[@viemor]

I'm putting fish food everyday for the past 4 days. I still have 0 ammonia, 0 NO3 & NO2.. The only difference is that the water is extremely blurry. (It's a 40 Litre tank and I have some plants in it like anubias and one lava stone) I have put water prime for NH3 and bacteria. What am I doing wrong? Shouldn't the ammonia increase by now ?

[@TrafishAquatics]

The blurry water is the bacteria starting to form, it can take up to 2 weeks for ammonia to become present in testable levels

[@viemor]

@@TrafishAquatics Thank you so much for replying you're very helpful! One more thing, should I add bacteria regularly or it's not necessary at this point?

[@Friendlyfire97]

Can I just drop a shrimp in there and wait 6-8 weeks? With some testing? Is that it?

[@TrafishAquatics]

For the most part yes

[@southerngrown]

So is seachem stability not a good one? That’s what I’ve been using.

[@TrafishAquatics]

It works for some people but it's definitely not the best, In my personal experience I'm not a huge fan of it

[@eternalcucumber9699]

Sorry If you already mentioned it. About how often do you have test the levels, and about how long does the natural cycling take?

[@TrafishAquatics]

For fishless I like to test every 2-3 days, and a natural cycle takes anywhere from 6-8 weeks normally if you don't use bottled bacteria.

[@lulaphillips9225]

Hi! Just a quick question- would you suggest a small or large sponge filter for a 10 gallon?

[@TrafishAquatics]

The smaller one will be good!

[@lulaphillips9225]

Okay, thanks!

[@tiffanihall1042]

When you say a water change after a cycle what exactly do you mean?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Remove some of the water from the tank and put fresh water in after the tank is able to break ammonia all the way down into nitrate

[@lexiyo2359]

so with the API kit, you’re not using the chemicals that come with it? we just the test strips and fish food?

[@lexiyo2359]

and with water change, do you mean put all brand new water completely?

[@TrafishAquatics]

So how this is going to work is you're going to ghost feed or add fish food to the tank, You would use the API master test kit to test your water every few days looking for ammonia to show up. Once ammonia shows up then you're going to start testing for nitrite and nitrate, eventually there will be no ammonia present no nitrite present and only nitrate and at that point the tank is cycled. You do a water change normally weekly about 25% of the amount of water in the tank.

[@j4m717]

Great video put across very clearly. Cheers

[@TrafishAquatics]

Thank you

[@otc8329]

Best video I’ve found on cycling 👍🏼 is fritzzyme 7 the same thing as turbo start? Claims to do the same

[@TrafishAquatics]

Basically yes but its not as concentrated, some people have trouble cycling with that one, Amazon and chewy have the turbostart 700

[@almostaghost2192]

I dont know if this is an effective way, but after a week of cycling I put in some live plants from an established tank and a few rocks and it seemed to speed things up a bit. I couldn't tell you how long because I didn't think about tracking the time. But it didn't feel as long as what I've done before. I'm about to start a new betta tank AND a guppy tank for my son. Maybe I'll test both ways and see which is faster? My wife wants a betta sorority tank so maybe ill try my way with the plants and rocks from an established tank, the regular way with fish food or a piece of shrimp, and then the turbo bacterial culture. Idk

[@TrafishAquatics]

Absolutley, any item from an established tank will greatly boost the biological capabilities of a cycling aquarium!

[@ok-mb5ul]

Hi. I might be late but can someone help me? I started a new 10g fish tank but I’m overwhelmed by different ways people add ammonia in their tanks to start the cycle. Can someone recommend me an easy and effective way to put ammonia in my tank?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Dr Tim sells a product called ammonium chloride and is probably one of the easiest ways to get ammonia in the aquarium for a fishless cycle.

[@ok-mb5ul]

| Trafish Aquatics | Thanks a lot!

[@matsteel2292]

are the levels ect process the sane for saltwater?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yes

[@Cashcash08]

Do i need to have a filter to do a fishless cycle?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Dont need one but it deffinately helps for bacterial colinization

[@MR-dt5sy]

a full water change or just 20%?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Just 20%

[@eb4676]

I doing a saltwater tank I added live sand ammonia and live bacteria 4 days later zero nitrites and ammonia and little nitrate do I do a water change if so how much and do I need to add more bacteria again?

[@TrafishAquatics]

If you are adding live sand and live bacteria and your converting 1-2ppm ammonia all the way to nitrate the the tank is ready. Generally live sand already has the bacterial colonies available to convert ammonia to nitrate so if you started with that you could do a light stocking to start

[@eb4676]

Trafish Aquatics so no water change ? I want to add a pair of clowns but now that I’m looking at my tank it looks a bit boring just sand and a long dry rock. Lmao might add more dry rock then stock

[@TrafishAquatics]

Water change all depends on how high the nitrate actually is, if it's higher than 40ppm then I would do a water change and try to always keep it under 40. But if you're already set up with live bacteria that's converting ammonia you're pretty much good to go

[@blisful09]

How much fritz turbo start do you put into an 2 to 5 gal fish tank

[@TrafishAquatics]

You wouldn't need alot, but luckily you can't overdose it either since it's just beneficial bacteria

[@blisful09]

@@TrafishAquatics thank you, that helps a lot.

[@1dayatAtimeking]

Great video Presented well I like your style Keep it up

[@shifaskm842]

Is we need to add fish food everyday day throughout the cycling period

[@windowblotter]

Could I just add bacteria from a bottle and then add my fish? or would i still need to ghost feed?

[@TrafishAquatics]

The only bottled bacteria that I would trust to do this would be the Fritz turbo start

[@carson4632]

if i am using tap water, at what stage of the ghost feeding process would i add tap water conditioner (to get rid of the chlorine and stuff)?

[@TrafishAquatics]

You would want to add the dechlorinator as soon as you add water to the aquarium

[@carson4632]

and what about products like stability that add bacteria in to the tank? will those be needed?

[@TrafishAquatics]

They do help some so you could add them if you wanted to

[@carson4632]

just got a fish tank for Christmas. Thanks for all the help!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome

[@n.k.4481]

do you have a tutorial for the turbo start? how much turbo start do i need? do i condition the water before adding the turbo start? once i get it going, do i just leave it or do i change the water and start over ? Im a super beginner obviously! any help is appreciated.

[@TrafishAquatics]

I don't have a tutorial but how it works is you would fill the tank and then condition the water, then you would ghost feed for a week or two or add an ammonia source, then add the Fritz for the dosing instructions on the bottle because it's going to very depending on how large your tank is. Once dosed the bacteria will break down the ammonia to nitrite then nitrate. Once the bacteria has colonized and is able to process 1-2 ppm ammonia to nitrate in 24-48 hours the tank is ready.

[@n.k.4481]

@@TrafishAquatics thank you for your response!! can I do this without ghost feeding? So hypothetically I can get a tank a few days before I add he fish to it assuming I prep and cycle it?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Hypothetically yes if you had the Fritz product and added fish you should technically be able to add the Fritz bacteria and do a fish in cycle that way, but you would want to keep some seachem prime on hand in case you see any spikes in ammonia or nitrite

[@Sandra-qf4or]

How long does it take with the shrimp cycling?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Pretty much any method of fishless cycling unless you're using bottled bacteria like the Fritz turbo start is going to take anywheres from 6-8 weeks

[@lindsaybelton2521]

how much food do you feed to these ghost fish? do you put as much as you’d usually do for actual fish

[@TrafishAquatics]

Small pinch daily is good

[@ConstDinoC]

Thank for your the helpful video. ☺️ A question that i have is let’s say you fill up your aquarium then you use your dechlorinator. If i decide to add live bacteria from a bottle when is the time to do that? 1 day after using my dechlorinator? And also if i use live bacteria from a bottle do i have to use fish food in order to produce ammonia and start my cycle? Thanks

[@TrafishAquatics]

Dechlorinator usually works pretty quickly and usually has all chlorine and chloramines removed within 2 minutes, You can add your bottled bacteria anytime after that, and yes you would need an ammonia source of some kind to be able to help the bacteria survive

[@rampagemuscle]

How long does this cycle take before I can add fish? I’m so impatient lol

[@TrafishAquatics]

If you do a natural cycle with ammonia dosing/ghost feeding it takes 6-8 weeks, or you can get a bottle of fritz turbo start 700 and it will cycle nuch faster in about a weeks time

[@hayabusa1219]

What if you use live foods ? Like mosquito larvae ? I have betta fish .planning to aquascape my tank

[@Andyyy444]

Most helpful video out there. Thanks so much!

[@NickAlvaro1]

Hi. I will be using ADA aquasoil that contains high ammonia. Is that enough? Do I still need to add some fish food to create ammonia? Thanks

[@TrafishAquatics]

It would likely be enough to start it but it depends on how long it releases ammonia for, If it's not enough to sustain the full 6-8 weeks of the cycle you would have to add an additional ammonia source

[@NickAlvaro1]

@@TrafishAquatics understood. Thanks!

[@NeedMoreJuice.]

How about Seachem Stabilizer ?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Do you mean stability? I've heard other have success but not in my experience which is why I reccomend the fritz or Dr Tim's

[@NeedMoreJuice.]

@@TrafishAquatics Thanks !

[@timadams306]

Been a little over a week cycling a 80 gallon tank. Used the fritz ammonia and fluval cycle. Within a week ammonia is gone and last few days have not seen the nitrites go lower. Stuck at about 1 ppm and nitrates around 40ppm. Wondering if this is normal?

[@wjs042684]

I watched this last night and think I finally got it, but I'm getting even more new info now. Day 1 of cycling, I added water and set it all up, added conditioner and some fish food. Day 2, nitrites and ammonia 0, added API Quick Start as I was told to get that, Day 3, nitrites, ammonia and nitrates all still 0. I ordered Fritz but it doesn't come til Sunday. What do I do in the meantime? I really would like my tank to cycle as soon as possible.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Keep adding food daily it's go take time to see any ammonia, normally takes 6-8 weeks to be cycled naturally, if you add the Fritz bacteria with no ammonia source the bacteria will starve out and it won't work.

[@wjs042684]

@@TrafishAquatics is fritz bacteria and API Quick Start the same thing, just fritz is way better? Also, I guess that's one of the many things I didn't understand- that I have to add food/ammonia AND bacteria like fritz. So add food daily then Fritz on Sunday when I get it, yes?

[@TrafishAquatics]

API is a bacterial starter, basicly a starter food source for bacteria to get a jump start in the growing process, Fritz contains live bacterial colonies. So they're technically different.

[@wjs042684]

@@TrafishAquatics I guess my question is - do I need both of them?

[@TrafishAquatics]

As long as you have ammonia the fritz will be enough

[@vickylim3669]

Hi! Thank you for an informative video. I am a newbie when it comes to this hobby. Bought an aquarium already and planning to have it aquascape with live plants. My newbie question is:During the fishless nitrogen cycle process, should we clean the tank and change water?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Nope if there's no fish there's nothing to get harmed by the ammonia or nitrite levels, therefore changing water or cleaning the tank will only show down the cycling process

[@vickylim3669]

@@TrafishAquatics thank you. i just clean the tank after the cycle is finished and before adding in the fish right?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yep that's it

[@vickylim3669]

@@TrafishAquatics thank you! I have started cycling the tank (without fish, adding fish pellets). I read somewhere that we need to maintain the ammonia at 3ppm for several days. When the ammonia becomes 0, do i continue to add fish pellets until the ammonia and nitrite are both 0? Thanks.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yep that's about it, You don't want to get the ammonia too high generally I like to keep it between 1 and 2 PPM too high and it can stall the cycle

[@Updabumnobabies]

whats your thoughts on the Dr Tims products?

[@TrafishAquatics]

I like them I believe they're good quality!

[@Gangwhereareyou]

Uh oh trading imma need your help again so I told mum that the tank was cycled before and than when you told me it wasn’t I forgot to tell her that as well and she got me a betta fish!!! Like I’m happy but worried at the same time! And when I tested water it was 0.25 ammonia 0.0 nitrite and 0.0 nitrate also I purchased some Stress Zyme+ and out that in there to help please tell me what to do

[@TrafishAquatics]

You'll have to just dose prime daily, that will detoxify the ammonia for 24-48 hours and keep your fish safe

[@Gangwhereareyou]

@@TrafishAquatics ok thank you!

[@zachcook2641]

Some guy told me just ammonia, I bout pure ammonia at Walmart and added 1 teaspoon for 30 gallons. I think it definitely stalled the cycling process. Stuck at like 20ppm of ammonia for 4 days now.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yea that's way too much, you don't want to go over 4-5ppm or it will kill off bacteria

[@bethanyytheresa9341]

Would it be the same thing with setting up a turtle tank?

[@TrafishAquatics]

If you want to pre cycle the tank for your turtle it can be done the same way, turtles are much more tolerant of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate than fish are but can still be affected by high levels.

[@bethanyytheresa9341]

@@TrafishAquatics okay, thank you!

[@MassachusettsBlows74]

when i do my 20 percent water change, should i de-chlorinate and or treat the water i replace into the tank? or is it ok just to fill the tank back up and leave it? thank you!

[@TrafishAquatics]

If you have chlorinated water add your dechlorinator before adding your new water and youll be good to go

[@MassachusettsBlows74]

@@TrafishAquatics thank you so much

[@aaronvega540]

Hello, I have a question. Is it okay if I use any type of shrimp uncooked? Thank you. Have a great day.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yep cooked or uncooked is fine

[@aaronvega540]

Last question, I have notice my fish tank is unlevel for half of an inch. Would my aquarium explode or leak in the near future. I have a 20 gallon tank. Thanks for the help.

[@TrafishAquatics]

@@aaronvega540 it would be in your best interest to level the stand if your able to, if not as long as it's only uneven in one direction it would likley be ok, however if its unlevel in both directions that puts alot of twist on the tanks seams and it could lead to failure

[@aaronvega540]

@@TrafishAquatics Hello, I was just wondering if I can use a rock called (Dolomite) for an aquarium? I hope you're having a great day. Take care.

[@TrafishAquatics]

You can use it however it will release calcium carbonate into the water which will raise pH and increase overall hardness of the water so make sure that is compatible with the fish you wan to keep.

[@rockonmyfriend]

*sees video is well under 10 minutes* Fine I’ll watch this one.

[@5DNRG]

Great indepth info on this critical process, thanks so much. Also, assume the timeframes are shorter with small tanks (5 gal.)

[@TrafishAquatics]

Time frames are the same for any size aquarium as the bacteria processes at the same rate

[@bat356]

Do you stop putting the fish food in once ammonia registers on the test kit or do you continue?

[@wheresperry1488]

I don't have any test kit, is there a way to know if my tank is cycled that I can add any fish? Thank you. I'm planning to buy a tank soon so I'm planning everything early and thank you for you vids, it's very informative.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Not really, there is only one visual indicator which is cloudy water but you can have elevated ammonia and nitrite and have clear water also, a test kit is the easiest and best way

[@kylew8579]

If I have a heater added does it make a difference or should I take it out?

[@TrafishAquatics]

The bacterial colonies are able to reproduce faster with warmer water so I would leave the heater in.

[@kylew8579]

@@TrafishAquatics I have seen a few people saying that you can add a shrimp into your tank to help with the cycle. Is the shrimp supposed to be a live shrimp, or a frozen one like the one you would cook?

[@kylew8579]

@@TrafishAquatics My waters tempature is at 81 degrees F. Say I wanted to add a shrimp to my tank to help with the cycle, would my temp be to high?

[@TrafishAquatics]

You wouldn't be adding a live shrimp so it wouldn't matter.

[@TrafishAquatics]

It would be a frozen one

[@jaygoodwin6287]

Easiest explanation to understand by far