Cycling a New Tank

How to Cycle a New Aquarium

Before adding fish, a new aquarium needs beneficial bacteria capable of converting toxic ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate. A fishless cycle establishes this biological filter before livestock enters the aquarium.

1
Add Ammonia Feed the cycle
2
Add Bacteria Start the biofilter
3
Test the Water Watch the cycle progress
4
Add Fish After the cycle is complete
1

Add Ammonia

Start the cycle by adding Fritz Fishless Fuel. This provides the ammonia that beneficial bacteria need to establish themselves.

Dose Fishless Fuel according to the bottle directions for your aquarium volume. Do not add fish during a fishless cycle.

Product: Fritz Fishless Fuel
2

Add Nitrifying Bacteria

Next, add live nitrifying bacteria. These bacteria establish on your filter media, substrate, rock and other surfaces and begin processing the ammonia.

Standard Cycle Use FritzZyme 7 for freshwater or FritzZyme 9 for saltwater.
FritzZyme 7 · FritzZyme 9
Faster Cycle Use concentrated TurboStart 700 for freshwater or TurboStart 900 for saltwater.
TurboStart 700 · TurboStart 900
3

Test & Watch the Cycle

Use the API Freshwater Master Test Kit to watch ammonia move through the nitrogen cycle.

Ammonia
Green = Ammonia Present

Fishless Fuel provides the ammonia that starts the cycle.

→
Nitrite
Purple = Nitrite Present

Bacteria begin consuming ammonia and nitrite appears.

→
Nitrate
Orange = Nitrate Present

More bacteria consume nitrite and produce nitrate.

Beginning Ammonia is present after adding Fishless Fuel.
Middle Ammonia begins dropping while nitrite rises.
Later Ammonia approaches 0 ppm, nitrite begins dropping and nitrate rises.
Cycled Ammonia = 0 ppm, Nitrite = 0 ppm, and Nitrate is present.
Testing: API Freshwater Master Test Kit

Your Tank Is Cycled!

The biological filter is established when the ammonia you added has been processed completely through the nitrogen cycle.

Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: Present

At this point, perform an appropriate water change if nitrate is elevated and you are ready to begin adding fish.

Don't rush the cycle. Seeing nitrate does not automatically mean the aquarium is finished cycling. Wait until both ammonia and nitrite have returned to 0 ppm after the ammonia source has been processed.

Cycling time varies depending on temperature, water chemistry, filtration and the bacteria product used. TurboStart can establish biological filtration considerably faster than a traditional cycle, but always verify the aquarium with testing before adding livestock. When fish are added, begin with a reasonable stocking level rather than fully stocking the aquarium at once.