I spiked AMMONIA On Purpose In My Aquarium! 

🛒*Check out our brand new website and shop for all of your aquarium supplies and fun merch!* keepfishkeeping.com

As a newbie, I really wish you had done the second half of the video by introducing the bacteria and showing us what happens. You kinda left us hangin'!

How about the next video being about testing various bacteria products to see how effective they actually are. Perform a fishless cycle with the products and show the water tests, see which work and how fast. I say this because I had used two different brands of bacteria for over a month and always just jad ammonia spikes. Then switched to a fluval filter (which I know helps) and used "Microbe Lift Special Blend Water Care" bacteria and within 1.5 weeks I had a cycle. Please test the products as a fishless cycle so this way we know if there is a change it is the product only and not the natural cycle from the fish-in tanks.

A small syringe is a good addition to the API Master Test Kit so you can quickly get the vial filled right to the line.

There can never be enough videos on cycling your aquarium, it’s ok 😎

Would be an AMAZING video if you could put the Fritz in there after you put the ammonia in there. Then time lapse the test results so we can watch the cycle happen all the way to Nitrate. It would be a good way to show how long it takes, also.

I swear I've watched 20+ videos on tank cycling and this is the first one thats clicked. I appreciate the effort you put into your videos

Aquarium cycling is everything in this hobbies.

New fish keeper here! I had purchased a 10 gallon tank and set it up, put water conditioner in it as per instruction, and added beneficial bacteria. Before coming across your channel, I was depending on the expert advice from my big chain local pet store (we all know it lol)….I had different staff telling me different things that were very contradicting and confusing. Long story short, I was told I could add fish right away. Within 24 hours I came home with a total of 10 little guys (and inch or less) and acclimated them and everything was awesome at first! I fed them, seen some pooping, and then the problem started. Air hunger and death after a few hours. Within the first 6 I lost 6, by the morning all had passed. I was devastated and felt like a fish killer. I started to look up on RU-vid and came across your channel and have learned a lot. I didn’t have enough good bacteria to eat the ammonia buildup and should have let the tank cycle correctly and NOT introduced too many fish at one time. Now I’ve let the tank cycle, had the water tested, and have had three adorable platys for over a week. They are doing great. The only issue is that I had a bacteria bloom occur a day or so after I added the fish. I let it be and monitored it wasn’t getting worse and tested the water and everything looks good. There is a slime I feel but can’t see any buildup on the tank. Filter is clean (in tank water removed of course) and I did a 25% water change two days ago and still the water is cloudy. Any idea what it could be from? I tried to get the substrate cleaned the most and only feed in small amounts usually twice a day ( a little pinch and usually one is enough for them). Fish are not in any distress. Love your channel! So much info!

Back in 1971 when I started , we always established a tank by setting it up , waiting a few days , and then added a couple fish per week until the population was where it should be. Never had any issues. I still do it that way.

I am new to the hobby and I just want to say thank you guys so much for your videos! You make things so easy to understand. I have been obsessively watching your channel for the last week everyday after work to get as much info as I can absorb. You guys are great!

I just referred someone buying their first tank to your videos at my local fish store today, that's awesome you put up this video lol You've got a very easy going way of teaching people this stuff that makes information easy to digest. Keep the great videos coming!

Seachem prime and stability works wonders. Prime neutralizes amonia and removes chlorine and chloramine so your fish can be introduced the first day. Stability introduces good bacteria. Amazing products and have peace of mind being a new aquarium owner

Great video on establishing the initial parameters of a successfully balanced tank! So helpful!!!

The cycle is such a difficult thing to make a video about. I think back to when I was learning about it and it was so frustrating and confusing no matter how many videos I watched. Now that I know, I often wonder about how to explain it effectively to a new fish keeper. Good job John

Seachem Stability is the best "bacteria in a bottle" product because it's the only one that has aerobic and anaerobic bacteria spores. If your tank is setup right, you could have anaerobic bacteria grow and reduce nitrates.

Oooo you finally tried the pure ammonia?! Nice

Jon loved this video, for the first time understood more about cycle. Will get this product. Thank you

Hold the reagent bottle vertical. Drop size is 20-30% smaller when held at 45 degrees.

Phew! I honestly thought for a second that you were gonna dump ammonia into a fish's current home.... Yeah, you got me with the title this time around. 😂

Hey John! Can you make a video about the types of algae in aquariums and how to deal with them? Would help a lot of people get to know more about how to treat certain algae’s and in depth info. Thanks! -from a Canadian subscriber

Yep... what’s what I’m doing right now. I didn’t know about that product, so I used Dr. Tim’s Aquatics Ammonium Chloride. I’ve started 8 days ago. Ammonia is going down, nitrite still a bit on the higher side, nitrite showing up. It’s also important to learn to don’t stall the cycle by adding too much ammonia.

The powder is ammonium chloride which Fritz sells lol. I get it from work and cycled multiple tanks with it. It's the same as the liquid bottle you have but without water added to it.

Here's a tip for ya John, I use pipets to put the water from the tank into those vials... much more precise, and no need to worry about test chemical residue getting in the tank.

I recently started my first aquarium in over 20 years and the one really thing NOBODY mentioned in cycle videos was Surface Disruption. I went three weeks with zero cycle until I redirected my filter to disrupt the surface. BOOM cycled in two days.

I regularly peed in my tank. Worked great!! It cycled the tank in 15 days. Now it’s filled with discus. Lol.

Weird question, I absolutely love your fish they are so beautiful. You also always have really good water clarity, If it's possible could you maybe take some pictures of some of your favorite? I would love to paint them. TMI but I just got back into the hobby after a long time due to my autoimmune disease. Painting just makes me feel better and I love painting fish/Aquatics.

Also it's best to first start with Dechlorinated water(chlorine kills bacteria), aeration(Bacteria loves air),filtration, substrate(bacteria lives on surface area). The way I seeded bacteria, I took top soil from a potted house plant and added a thin even layer to bottom before i added the substrate, (there is bacteria there) unless of course you go dirted tank then your good to go With John's instructions. Great video Bud!

knowing how to cycle an aquarium is essential, especially for those who are new to this hobby, I myself was treated like a bad person by my LFS because I didn't understand at first what I did wrong when I added my fish and they all died...they told me it wasn't cycled yet but didn't know how to help me cycle it...I thank John for doing these videos because he taught me what my LFS couldn't.

Lol, I found that high pitched voice far funnier than it should have been. Great video. I will have to look at that product, especially for inert substrate tanks as an ammonia source.

Love your work brother keep it up. KG and prime time aquatics are my favourite channels hands down

Now Fritz has someone peeing in bottles!...lol Great video. Keep teaching fish keepers how to keep fish keeping.

One in this Hobby of Fishkeeping can’t post enough about cycling an Aquarium!! Keep it coming KG Tropicals and anyone else wether it is a video on Fishtube or on Instagram or Facebook etc!! We all have a responsibility to inform those who aren’t informed on the Nitrogen cycle and it’s importance!! 🤗👍🏼🐟🌱🐌👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🤗🤗

What's happened when you added the fritz did it work instant. How long does it take what did the 1st dose take the ammonia level too

Fritz also sells powdered ammonium chloride for fish less cycling.

doesnt' instruction say shake bottle 2 for 30 second before putting 8 drops in and then shake the tube for one minute before starting the 5 min timer???

I did exactly the same as you and got the same results. Even looks like the same green color. Thanks for this helpful product.

Started my tank up 4 days ago I put fluval flourish and apibquick start and every morning I put a few servings (like 4 fish worth) of micro fish pellets in. Iv already tested for amonia and I now have nitrites and nitrates ( low amount) but it's a 15gal tank so it reacts faster than a large tank.

Howdy! Thanks for all of the great content over the years. Interesting Ammonia challenge here and was curious what the KGT community would advise if anyone sees this. Not new to keeping (4years) but new-ish to formal testing via the master kit (less than 1 year). I returned today from a 3 day trip to find 2 blue mystery snails i received from an online vendor about 3 months ago had passed. Took a water reading and was interested in the potential responses. Readings and stats to follow : 20 gallon Filter: Shark Adv 400 running at about 70%, 1-extremely small sponge filter (for bubbles) Temp : unheated at 75degrees Stock: 3 adult platys and 5 fry/juveniles , 11 mystery snails. Tank is about 50 % planted. Ph: 6.4 (always ran slightly sub 7) Ammonia = 8ppm (immediately dosed with prime) Nitrite = 0ppm (this seems insane considering the ammonia reading though i think most of the ammonia is ionized. Rest of the tank seems happy) Nitrate = 30ppm Thoughts? Thanks to anyone who responds in advance

Thank YOU this is the first video that has made so much sense to me. I needed to see this...I am at a 5th week starting up a new tank...and I have some inexpensive fish in there helping me....cycle...and so far things are ok...but I am monitoring closely...now I know more thanks to you

John!! I just ordered these products from you. We had an urgent need for a quarantine/sick fishy tank. We didn’t have time for a full cycle etc. the fishless fuel / bacteria was great and a super easy way to put a rush on those kids getting the rest they needed!

Man, there could be never enough cycling videos. It’s so important

There nitrate cycle is the foundation of fish keeping. You can never talk about it enough. However removal of chlorine seems to be left out of the discussion more often than not. That chlorine will destroy your cycle is the first hard lesson I had to learn in the hobby.

I put fish in the tank and then add a double dose of live Bacteria and tetra easy balance which has vitamins and regulates the ph and aquarium salt. Never had an issue doing it that way. Feed them once every other day and in two days I check ph and ammonia always tested 7.0 ph and zero ammonia and then I keep testing twice a week for a month and a half and it’s still the same levels. This is all done in a tank that’s less than 10 gallons.

Beginner here and just wanted to say your videos are very helpful. Also....GO NATS! Die hard Nats fan here.

You can never have too much aquarium cycling content.. everyone should be well versed in it as like you said it is the foundation of keeping an aquarium.

Always cycle with filter material from an established tank. You can fully populate a tank from day one. Just check the ammonia and feed sparingly. I have done this successfully four times.

Hi - I have a terrible habit of adding too much bacteria , and what happened this time ( advised by my lovely award winning local fish shop ) is that they did not have enough to eat , basically dies ; turned to this horrible brown sludge which blocked the filter , and started another ammonia spike . Microbelift ( I used special blend ) say that you can't overdose , but I think that this shows that you sort of can . Hve left the tank another week ( no water changes ) - & now the vile is lovely and yellow . So I guess you can have too much of a good thing ! Would so love a betta from you guys , but live in the UK . Such great video's though - I've learned so much :)

I have new 230 gallon and new media + add prime and bacteria I run water 2 week and I added new fishes but the ammonia is so high 8.0 ppm what should I do for next the step? Thank you have a good day!

Hi just finished doing fishless cycle after having to shut tanks down temporarily , finally quarantine tank is ready , now have 10 demon eartheaters , I used ammonia on mine , brilliant video , explains everything, loving you from uk

Been cycling 17 tanks....not easy but as long as you KEEP TESTING....and fixing with Prime, and adding Stability, tanks will cycle SAFELY!

I take a glass of water and taste it, that's how I know if my tanks ok

This topic is worth talking about again and again

Once again another great informative Video. I always save dirty old filters. When I start a new tank. I start to filter it Then I take other water from another tank add it and after 3 weeks tanks ready for fish. Tank has ammonia, good bacteria, the parameters are good. And I always put a few shiners in first. Like coal miners and canaries, the shiners will let you know if your tank is not right. We kept a brook trout in our spring house. Live fish. Water was great. If trout died. Water was bad.

You can easily get ammonia NH3 liquid from any chemical supplier. Or you can use rotting dead fish as ammonia source too

When doing this, if you buy this product in your fish shop, ask if you can have a nice piece of filter medium, usually a pad that has been in their filter for a while. Put it in your filter. It will have both types of beneficial bacteria on it already and the amonia will cause the bacteria on the used pad to multiply and spread. It helps quicken the cycle a bit more. Please correct this if im mistaken as a new aquarium keeper.

Good vid. Very informative. I usually use a sponge filter or hob from an established tank but this great if someone doesn’t have that handy. 👍

You should do a video on how to test water and what the results mean and how to get desired results it may sound self explanatory but I know it would’ve helped me starting off and I know it’ll help new tank owners

I just use the plants and add some value water of black tea. After weak just added one snail and that is all. And fishless start could be full, after adding fish should be some grows of ammonia.

Lotta good info. Unfortunately "No peeing in the aquarium !" is what I will remember most. LOL Foreign matter in the aquarium is a good reason to never put your aquarium in the area where you entertain guests for parties. "Gee...I wonder if fish like Cheetos? Guess not...oh well. " Great video again.

I used this recently alongside using a spongefilter from a pre-established tank (and keeping it there), and using about 40% water from that same tank. Ammonia has gone down to 0 now, but the nitrites are at 0.25 and the nitrate's at 5. Isn't ready for fish yet anyway. Got more plants I want to add, just gotta wait for a few more days before I can order them.

Maybe a gelatin type of powder would work as a binder for the moss/water mix.

Congratulations Fritz, you successfully gave new fish keepers the impression that you can cycle an aquarium to get it ready for fish without having a filter, heater, or oxygenation.

Throwing a raw shrimp and bacteria starter in the tank has worked well for me in the past.

CVS earwax removal kit has a nice rubber bulb that holds enough water to do all the tests. Very precise too. Can't believe you're dipping the test tubes.

Here's a different way of explaining it: You can't raise a fish without fish food. The fish doesn't have food, so the fish is unable to grow, and function and survive. Well, this is the exact same with beneficial bacteria. Beneficial bacteria "eat" ammonia and nitrite. If there's no ammonia, then the bacteria won't have any food. If it doesn't have any food, it can't grow, function or survive.

I increased ammonia instantly with fish food, and without it rotting in the tank too. I put some fish food in a glass mug with old dechlorinated water, then placed the mug in a pan of water on the hob (not too hot). It's basically 'double boiling', a bit like how you would melt chocolate. Once it's been 5-10 minutes, I take the mug out and let the fish food sink while cooling. Then pour it into a seperate cup once cooled, but don't let any of the fish food get in (which is not hard tbh). Tank went cloudy for 2 days then cleared. Ammonia went from 0 to 2.5ppm in a few days.

The fish are like ohhh new friends

Always 90° on reagent bottle. Your test might be compromised the way you hold it

I used some of the common small snails you see in freshwater aquariums as an ammonia source and cycled my tank for over a month. It worked pretty well and all my fish have been doing great! Those snails were going to start appearing because of the live plants anyway.

I'm extremely gentle with the cycle in my tank, to the point when I need to change my filter cartridges, I cut off the filter fuzz from the old cartridge and put it in with the new one for a month. I've never had the ammonia spike after a filter change.

I am cycling a new tank and ghost feeding for my ammonia source. I have spiked at 5 with Ammonia levels and I have been stuck there for 2 weeks without any nitrites. Why am I stalled? I have stopped feeding. Do I need to do a water change to bring the ammonia down? Are the levels high & not allowing the good bacteria? I am also adding Seachum Stability daily .

I get 6 feeder goldfish at 34 cents a piece. Add prime add stability, then weekly water change good to go in 30 daysish.

I have an established aquarium but added sick fish and thus, had to medicate and do multiple water changes. I now have an ammonia spike. How do I drop it safely?? Still have 3 occupants!!

I'm confused about reading the API test. Do you hold the vial directly against the white of the API test card, or a distance away from it. The color changes drastically between holding it direct against the card and a finger or two away from the card.

The only way to truly learn is to deal with the cycle with live animals in it.....especially for thise just diving in. You need to have a sense of urgency in the first weeks of having your tank.....If youre inexperienced, its essential you opt to do it while adding small numbers and paying attention to what goes on in the tank...otherwise you dont really learn anything. What you will learn is patience in the pursuit of balance. Small numbers added + minimal feeding (2x per day) = keeping things under control. Remember if you put in 2 fish initially, let the tank adjust to those 2 fish for a couple of weeks, check levels and maintain via water changes. Ive always found it fun and challenging, with periods of being anxious as an interactive part of the entire experience.

This has been the most helpful video yet... but I also watched the others ;)

Its the only way I will cycle an aquarium but I use pure cleaning ammonia and know its fully cycled when it will get rid of at least 2 ppm ammonia over 24 hrs leaving no nitrite either. I do however use a dechlorinator to new tap water before adding the beneficial bacteria. one of the main benefits I find is that I can fully stock the tank immediately . Well done on another good video.

People think ammonia is only produced from poop and food. The truth is that ammonia is excreted through a fishes gills. If you have many fish, that will be the number 1 contributor to the production of ammonia in your aquarium.

I just use SeaChem Stability and Dr. Tims Ammonia. The tank is ready in about a week and a half.

I added fritz 7 when i started cycle my tank. and it's been 2 weeks. Now can i add Fuel into my tank ??? The Ammonia in my tank is not high currently

That's actually what I did in my latest fish tank! Thank you for the video! Now I can watch this if I do it again and forgot something instead of reading a couple articles first.

I generally keep some sort of safe start product in my fish cabinet at all times watching the date on it because if something crashes I want something on hand to just go... o... big water change... throw in a helper culture...

So what about the water conditioner do I use that after I used Fritz liquid ammonia solution and 7 live Bacteria or before?

Somehow when I set up one of my aquariums there was already ammonia in the water, I set it up and I tested the water the day after with that same kit and it was at around 2 ppm

Quick question. Im currently doing a fishless cycle in a 55g. Adding ammonium chloride to keep the ammonia up between 3-5ppm. Would it be safe to add plants? Or does ammonia hurt plants? Im dying to order some beautiful plants but a little gun shy as I dont want them dying and wasting money. Id truly appreciate your opinion. Ty

Do I have to keep adding Amonia to the tank during a fishless cycle? I have low to none Amonia and high Nitrites. Showing 10-20ppm nitrates also

Will using a cycled filter , substrate from a established tank introduce enough ammonia to start your cycle? Thus eliminating having to use ammonia additives ?

After you add the ammonia and then the bacteria you add cycles to Nitrate, do you proceed with water changes until you get to 0ppm on your nitrate?

great vid john thank you

This is unrelated but pancakes that look like discus would be AWESOMEEE (I swear I'm obsessed with chiclids)

What about putting decorations in the new tank? I have a big decoration that I'm wanting to switch tanks. Would it be good to put that decoration in the new tank to help boost the bacteria

After doing this and using the Fritz bacteria or API quickstart to start the cycle, do you need to use quickstart again or an amonia remover with subsequent water changes?

Hi John. I am in dire need for an answer. QUESTION: Currently I have an ammonia spike 8.0 Ammonia but 0 Nitrites and 0 Nitrates. I am at my week 3 of fishless cycling. I only have a 2 gallon tank with HOB filter intended for a single betta. (I know it’s very small please don’t get mad. It was a gift.) I have Anubias Nana, few marimo moss balls and floaters (frogbits). Anyways I am weirded out by the current reading and I don’t know what to do. At the end of my week 2 cycling I thought my ammonia is already going down because from 2.0 it went down to 0.50, nitirites to 0.25 when after two days it spiked to 8.0 with 0 nitirites and nitrates same as what I am having still and this is after a couple of 50% water changes and removal of dead plant leaves and excess food on the gravel. I have API Quickstart which I applied a few times already starting from the beginning of the cycle. I have experienced bacterial blooms a couple of times too. I was looking for answers online but can’t really find a definite answer to my concern. Why am I having 0 nitrites and 0 nitrates. My test kit is API which expiry is still 2025. I sincerely hope you can help me🙏🏼 What do you think exactly is happening? What shall I do? PS: Thanks to you and Lisa for the videos. I am learning alot as I am very new to this hobby.

I remember cycling my first tank, I felt like a chemist lol! Now these days when I want to start a new tank, I use bacteria 🦠 from my tanks I’ve already got started. Whether it’s in the form of substrate, a decoration that’s been sitting in my tank for awhile, or a dirty filter or multiple of these depending on the size of my new tank. I’ll do a water change and fill a bucket up with some tank water, clean out my filter in it, and then tank my new filter cartridge or sponge and have it soak a bit in that water. Then just place inside the new tank and carefully add fish. API water testing kit is a MUST for new and veteran fish keepers. I will still test my water every month in a finished tank. Will check water every DAY for new tanks.

My Ammonia gets converted down to zero within 48h, but my Nitrite still stays high at 2ppm, even after 2 weeks of using Fritz fishless fuel and Fritz turbo start 700. I tested my tap water and noticed 2ppm levels of Nitrite in my tap water. How do I deal with that before adding it to the tank?

Looking for some advice. From what I understand the cycle process takes 2-6 weeks. I setup my first aquarium, a 7 gallon cube tank(planted and no fish). Used a bio starter and some minerals for the plants. Had cloudy "milky" water the first day, brown algae the second. Third day the "milky" water cleared up and I noticed some white fungus on my driftwood. I had test strips that I found weren't really cutting the mustard on testing. There was bleeding of the pads (Nitrites and Nitrates, couldn't tell exactly which was bleeding) onto the others and messing with the colors. So day 4 I picked up the API master kit (also adding pinch of fish food from that day forward as well). So first and second days testing all params, I saw ammonia and nitrites at 0, nitrates at 5 ppm. The third and fourth(today) day I measured 0 across the board. I find it hard to believe that my tank has cycled in a week. So I have not added any living animals yet. I want to give it at least another week and continue monitoring. I think my ultimate question is might it be a good idea to add something like this Fishless Fuel to test the cycle? To see the ammonia spike and see if the nitrites then nitrates follow shortly after.

Like your video. Your explanation easy to understand. Learn a lot from your video. You simplified it to make it understandable. Thank you

Can you do a part two for this video on what too do next after using those two products?

Thank you for this video very helpful 👍