DrTim's Aquarium Podcast

October Q & A part 1. Time Stamps: 0:00 Intro 1:10 - LFS questions about the Fishless cycle card 13:48 - In the midst of an ammonia spike have I killed off the nitrifying bacteria? 21:00 -I accident spiked my ammonia to 5 ppm on day one of the fishless cycle... 25:55 - Using a powder to mix my own Ammonia chloride solution. 32:12 -Did you change the formula of First Defense? 34:18 - Question on cycling and the science behind it. 36:51 - Question about fishless cycling in a 100g rubbermaid planted tank. 39:17 - Which version of the one and only do I use in brackish water? 40:20 - What's the difference between the one and only for reef and saltwater? 41:30 -I bought the freshwater eco balance by mistake. Can I still use the product in a reef tank? 42:58 - I accidentally got the freshwater BeneFISHal instead of the saltwater. Can I still use it? 46:45 - I’m wondering if I have an imbalance where my nitrates are too low? I have medium amounts of green hair algae on my sand and rock, green turf algae, and very small amounts of bryopsis.

Dr Tim answers your questions! Timestamps: 0:00 start 5:49 - Do I add the Beneficial Bacteria only on the First day... or throughout the entire cycling process? 10:38 -The bottle of bacteria delivered by Amazon was extremely hot. Do you think the bacteria was dead? What should I do? 19:16 - Cycling my new tank Redsea XL525 with One and Only but I’m not going to be able to add fish until day 25. Do I continue to dose ammonia? 21:31 - When using one and only do I still need to use a water conditioner? 25:30 - Issues cycling a 20g freshwater tank w/ 2 guppies 31:35 - Issues cycling advice on a 54 g tank on a fishless cycle 12 days ago. 36:02 - Issues cycling a 55g planted tank and ammonia readings that won't go down. 42:57 - Fish in cycle while using Ich-X 46:27 - I use the Waste-Away gel and want to know if I have to remove it for 24 hrs before dosing Re-Fresh? If you have any questions, please comment or send us a message- [email protected]

Have you heard about the new ASF products? This podcast will give you an overview of what you can expect to see this fall and next spring. Timestamp: 00:00 Intro 0:28 ASF 2:26 New Pumps 9:37 Pump thermal protection 10:27 Wavemakers 15:30 NJMx Pumps 17:22 Salt 23.:25 Reef Shots 30:11 Liquid Additives 30:33 Powder Additives 31:41 Proten LED's 40:31 ASF Test Kits

Dr. Tim answers your questions! Timestamps: 00:00 Start 1:15- 1"Is it better to add Waste Away to a reef setup once a week,or better to split and dose half twice a week? How long do I need to turn off the skimmer? 5:39-2 How to use Waste-Away and Re-Fresh on my 24 gallon tank. 7:32- 3 "I will be completing the cycle soon, but won't be able to get fish for another 2 weeks, do I continue to dose 2ppm ammonia and how often?" 8:49- 4 "Is it normal for the pH be low during fishless cycling?" 12:01- 5 54g tank on a fishless cycle with high nitrites and nitrates. 16:17-6 ReFresh and sea cucumbers. 17:31-7 "Do I need to remove the floss when cycling?" 18:01-8 "I treated my "milky" tank 24 hours ago with Clear Up, but there has been no change. Can you advise?" 21:43- 9 Fishless cycle and when to use a water conditioner. 23:12-10 "I just received a fishless cycle kit and it was really warm when I got it. Is it still ok?" 27:14- 11 I’m going to use your products to fight Dino, but I’m confused about the waste away and refresh product, there is two versions of them which you recommend? 30:33- 12 I’m on day 5 of a fishless cycle and was wondering if it would interrupt cycle if I added a small amount of dry rock to the tank at this point? 31:13- 13 A 3 week old, 210g tank, with cichlids and nitrites is about 1.0. Is your product still at work getting those nitrites converted into nitrates? 32:52- 14 "Am I able to use the one and only bacteria and nutri seawater?" 34:04- 15 Spike in numbers on Day 10 after adding live sand. Should I do a water change? 36:09- 16 Fishless cycle, with Dr.Tim's ammonia and nitrifying bacteria. After a few days my ammonia is 0 and I am not seeing any nitrates or nitrites. Am I supposed to dose with more ammonia or for nitrites to show up? I have a planted tank with gravel at the bottom. Very hard water, relatively alkaline. I've kept the temperature over 80."

Dr. Tim talks about some of the basics of Cyanos and Dinos Time Stamps: 1:52-Cyanobacteria; what are they? 3:13- Dinos; what are they? 5:34- How cyanos work 6:28- How to control nitrate 10:58- What to do if you have cyano 14:08- What consumes nitrate 15:27- Cyano Treatments 19:09- Cyano overload and issues it might cause 22:47- Dino growth 25:56- Dino treatment 31:37- How to balance your tank 33:00- Lighting Thank you so much for listening to our podcast! If you have something you'd like to hear about or a question you'd like to ask, send us a message at [email protected]

The second half of our July Question and Answer podcast Timestamp: 00:00 Intro 00:34 -1- Well water and AquaCleanse 05:36 -2- No change in Bio pellet consumption on a 280 gallon system. 09:54 -3- ReFresh and canister filters 11:02 -4- Green film on the glass. 16:34 -5- Safe to use ReFresh and WasteAway with Pistol and Cleaner Shrimp 19:25 -6- Cloudy water after using WasteAway and Refresh treatment 27:54 -7- Cycling with dry seeded purple rock and One and Only 31:53 -8- Aqueon Water Conditioner being used with ammonia and One and Only. 33:40 -9- Cycling using raw shrimp 36:40 -10- Take cycling issues when mixing product lines. 43:01 -11- ReFresh was brown colored when it arrived. Thank you so much for listening! If you have any questions, comment below, reach out via [email protected]

We had so many questions that this will be part 1 of 2 Question and Answer Podcasts this month! Thank you for all your questions. Time Stamps: 0:45 - Important announcement 1:45 -#1- Do you recommend removing filter socks and/or carbon when dosing First Defense? 3:34 -#2- Can I use nopox and waste away at the same time? Do I need to remove my carbon? 5:54 -#3- What do you do when you have a bacterial bloom? 6:39 -#4- Amazon order of Koi EcoBalance from the USA to Singapore. 7:26 -#5- Ingredients in First Defense. Is it okay for Axolotls? 8:22 -#6- How should I use Waste Away, ReFresh, and EcoBalance together in my reef tank? 14:46 -#7- Are you guys thinking about publishing a book? 16:50 -#8- Step-by-step video on exactly what you would do if you were doing a fish in cycle. 21:51 -#9- Cycling a new 20g tank.... My levels are .25ammonia...Is it necessary to add more ammonia? 25:42 -#10- Would you recommend ever using a siphon gravel/sand cleaner....? 30:33 -#11- Is it normal for the pH to be low during fishless cycling?.... 39:50 -#12- I didn’t read the directions and gave the full dosage of waste away...? If you have a question, send us a message at [email protected] or reach out to us on social media-@drtimsaquatics .

At the last trade shows we've gotten several questions about our medias, what they do, and when you should use them. This episode is a casual conversation about the DrTim's Aquatics medias. Time Stamps: 00:00 Intro 1:30 What is media? 4:35 Pores and surface area of media. 5:37 Filtration setup and order 7:13 Carbon 21:14 Phosphate 24:31 Phosphate Eliminator and Phosphate Eliminator Plus 28:20 Media bags 39:47 Zeolite 45:45 Review As always if you have any questions of if you would like more information on something, please send us a message through our social media channels or via our website.

Join us for our June question and answer episode. Timestamp 00:00 Start 3:42 - Maxima clam and brown algae treatment 5:58 - Aquarium cloudiness caused by rinsing bio-media 10:44 - How to remove substrate from a tank 16:20 - Is it better for the bacteria to cycle a tank using treated tap water or rodi? 19:20 - How long I should focus on nitrifiers before I seed the tank with coraline for my rocks? 20:56 - What point during a tank’s life should I worry about adding the organic consuming bacteria? 22:15 - How to get my pH up from the beginning, to help the bacteria? 27:30 - How long is Eco-Balance good for, how can I tell if it is expired? 30:37 - Nitrite, phosphate levels off balance 37:06 - What is the optimum reef tank pH range for Waste-Away and Eco-Balance? 41:23 Tank cycling, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates If you have a question for Dr Tim, leave a comment or send us a message at [email protected]

In this episode Dr Tim talks about the basics of fish nutrition as well as the benefits of using Bene-FISH-al Fish food. Timestamps: 2:00- Fish and Feeding 5:10 Fish and Wheat 11:00 Dr Jessie Sanders 11:30 HUFA's and PUFA's 13:57 What to look for when buying food 15:00 Herbivores, Omnivores, Carnivores 15:59 Goldfish and Oscars 18:06 Protein requirements 20:24 DrTim's Aquatics Bene-FISH-al Fish food 26:11 Bene-FISH-al benefits

Dr Tim answers your questions! Time stamps: 2:02 my cycle is stalled with Ammonia reading of 2ppm going on for 2 weeks. 6:20 Things to think of when moving. 11:57 Would you recommend leaving out all mechanical filtration while cycling with this bacteria? That way the only thing they can get stuck to is the substrate, rock, and biological filter media? 14:01 Just came out of my 3 day blackout. I’m dosing waste away now. The Dino’s are gone for now. But my alk is sky high and my corals are stressed. I don’t want to do a water change because it will spark the Dinos again. What should I do here? 18:45 I set my tank yesterday and followed everything you say but my ammonia reads between 0.50 and 1.0 is this okay or should I start over? 22:05 I’ve been using NP active pearl & waste away liquid form for half a year But now I am interested in Waste away gel. Do I need to remove NP Active pearl while introducing waste away? 25:20 I noticed that the protein skimmer has been overflowing with clear water in the collection cup right after I introduced waste away. As I don’t see cloudy water - how long should I remain turning off the protein skimmer? 29:00 I am on day 16 and nitrates are still high, and climbing, I'm getting ready to do a partial water change. Is it possible my bottle was dead? On your website that shows a chart where it shows constantly adding ammonium, but in the video Dr. Tim said never to add unless both Ammonium and Nitrite are low. Should I still be adding ammonium or not? 34:00 New BiOrb and One and Only... should I remove or turn off this air pump or remove the sponge? I just don't want all the helpful bacteria to end up in the cartridge that's going to be replaced at some point. 35:45 First Defense, Eco-Balance and Waste Away gels - can these products be used in the same tank? Once my aquarium is established, it seems the process should be - water change (using AquaCleanse), Then add First Defense, wait 7 days and add Eco-Balance, just replace the gels when needed, is this correct? 39:40 Would it be advisable to use Dr.Tim's One and Only on an established system to help fight off diatoms? 42:02 Which of the Eco Balance products-freshwater or saltwater- would be best suited for a brackish water system? 44:00 ASF lights- how much do they run, and would they be anemone grade? 48:59 I’ve used secondhand Marco rock. It’s leaching out some phosphate into the water. My Hanna checker is reading 0.248ppm. I would normally just use PhosphateRX to knock these back down to 0.03ppm. But I don’t have any filters on the system yet and I don’t know is PhosphateRX will affect the one&only?

This episode is all about the basics of microbiology. Dr Tim talks about what various microorganisms and what you can expect of them in your tank's ecosystem. Got questions? Contact us through social media or by sending an email to [email protected] Thank you so much for being a listener!

Our Q & A Podcast for April answers the following questions: Timestamps: Intro 1:35 #1 Can I use Waste-Away Gels if I don't have a skimmer on my 45g tank? 4:00 #2 My Eco-Balance arrived in a slushy state. Will it still work? 5:34 #3 Cycling problems with a 20g using ammonium chloride and stability. 8:08 #4 Cycling a tank using live rock and bacteria. 11:37 #5 Waste-Away gel usage in an all-in-one 20 gallon. 14:09 #6 Help! I overdosed First Defense by 10x the recommended dose! 15:36 #7 Why shouldn't I use a UV sterilizer? 22:06 #8 Re-Fresh and Waste-Away for Green Hair Algae (GHA) treatment. 25:51 #9 Is Re-Fresh safe to use with shrimp and snails? 27:54 #10 Not adding enough ammonium chloride when fishless cycling. 29:58 #11 Can the Phos-eliminator + be put in during the tank cycling process? 31:39 #12 What parts of the filter to leave in when cycling with a canister filter.

Our March Q&A episode answered 13 of your questions from dino treatment, to One and Only storage, and of course lots of cycling questions. As always, we love hearing from you and are happy to answer your questions. Send them to us on social media or via email at [email protected]

In this episode Dr Tim and Hilary answer your questions! If you have a question you would like for us to answer, please send us a message on social media or send an email to [email protected] Thanks for listening & happy fish keeping!

In this episode Dr Tim and Hilary talk about the right and wrong ways to acclimate fish and corals, and the science behind it.

Dr Tim and Hilary dig back into the mail bag for more listener questions!

In this episode, Dr Tim and Hilary talk about ammonia. We start off slowly, giving you the basics before going more in-depth as the episode progresses.

Dr Tim and Hilary answer your questions about cycling, vodka dosing, ammonia levels in a new tank, where to find our products in the US and abroad as well as talk about some fun upcoming content you can expect in 2022!

Dr Tim and Hilary discuss the range of DrTim's Aquatics media products - what they are, how and when to use them and how to get the most from each media - HINT: prepare your water to remove particulate organics that can clog the media! For more tips and hints start listening now!

Dr Tim and Hilary answer a variety of aquarium-related questions related to our different products, how they are impacted by the weather, where to find them, as well as several questions about dinos and more!

Dr. Tim and Hilary talk in-depth about our Waste-Away Gels. Dr. Tim explains how they work, the different sizes, types, and applications for them from Freshwater shrimp tanks to koi ponds and nano reefs to usage in local fish stores. They talk about the best placement, and how to use them for those new to the Waste-Away gels, and invite existing Waste-Away gel users to enter a contest.

DrTim and Hilary answer a variety of aquairum related questions related to what products to add when, what products you can add together and which you shouldn't, more about lightening, what equipment who should have running when first starting your tank and more!

DrTim and Hilary discuss what can cause algae and how to get rid of it naturally and for the long-term. Get control of algae by understand the various causes and remedies. Whether your tank has green algae, black beard algae, tuff algae or other forms fixes are available as described in this podcast.

Dr Tim and Hilary discuss ways to cycle your new aquarium faster and with less stress on you. Combining the science behind nitrifying bacteria with the practical experience of growing nitrifying bacteria on a large-scale they provide proven hints, tips and advice to get your tank's biofilter up and running quickly and easily. For both freshwater and marine aquarist, novice and experienced, this podcast has somehting for everyone.

The mailbox is full of questions about cycling - how to do it in small tanks ammonia - how to measure, how much add, when to add it nitrifiers - where do they live in the tank - in the water or surfaces or ?? test kits - how to correctly use them more and more more

Dr Tim and Hilary discuss new products and new brands that were introduced at SuperZoo Las Vegas. DrTim's Aquatics now has reptile products via the Reptile Systems brand and DC pumps, Test kits and LED lights via the ASF brand. Consumer shows are also back and we discuss Reef-A-Palooza and Aquashella.

Setting-up and maintaining an aquarium can seem confusing. Dr Tim and Hilary answer your aquarium related questions about cycling, storing products, how to correct apply our products to your aquarium and others.

Heat waves, hurricanes, fires, ice storms, floods, tornados and more - OH MY!! Dr Tim and Hilary discuss want you need to do to prepare your aquarium and its inhabitants to survive with these natural disasters hit resulting in power outages, extreme temperatures and more. Learn how to plan and be ready to maximum the chance of your tank making it through any of these events.

Dr Tim and Hilary go through the mailbox and answer questions on media, dosing One & Only, cycling tanks with fish, should you consider a UV sterilizer, how to position media blocks and more! Plus wonder how to cycle with live rock and live sand - they answer that too!.

Dr Tim and Hilary discuss our new line of filtration media. Explaining what they do, how to use them and where to place them in your system.

NOTE - sound does not start until about 1 minute 3 seconds. Dr Tim and Hilary open up the DrTIm's Aquatics Podcast channel to take your aquarium related questions about new tanks, old tanks, Eco-Balance and more.

Dr Tim and Hilary discuss the importance of quarantine tanks and what is need to set them up and maintain them. Quarantining your fish is vital to the long-term health of your aquarium. Following these suggestions will take the work out of your quarantine tank.

DrTim and Hilary answer questions that we have received via email and social media about cycling, Eco-Balance, how many products to add at the same time and dosing a quarantine tank to name a few.

You're taking off for a week or two - congrats you've earned it! Plus, you found someone to feed your fish and watch your aquarium. How do you prep the system so you and your friend both don't lose it during your time-off? This podcast gives you helpful hints and suggestions how on to get everything set-up ahead of time and have a worry-free vacation while your aquarium is looked after. #1 hint - don't listen to this podcast for the first time the night before you are leaving!!!!

This podcast explains the science behind our First Defense and EcoBalance and discusses how to use individually and together. First Defense is one of the few non-bacteria water conditioners DrTim's Aquatics has and contains vitamins, an immunostimulant and slime coat replacement. Eco-Balance is our own probiotic bacteria that works to keep the number of bad bacteria in the aquarium low. We discuss how to use them, when to use them and the benefits of using them.

Dr Tim and Hilary discuss our DrTim's Aquatics time release Waste-Away gels. An innovative and unique product that releases good bacteria into your tank 24/7 helping to keep the tank clean and the water sparkling. Learn why the gels were developed, when and how to use them and tips for troubleshooting in this podcast.

For this podcast we answer a lot of questions we had received about cycling and our One & Only (ONO) Live Nitrifying Bacteria. What to know: How much ammonia to dose When to test my water When to change my water Can I add ONO when fish are in the tank Can I use Prime Should I dose everyday What about plants and cycling and more ......

Water chemistry test kits are a necessary tool when setting-up and maintaining your aquarium. But they can be confusing and mis-used. This episode discusses the basics on how to use test kits, what they can and can't do, how to get the best readings, and the target values for the most common test kits.

Keeping an aquarium means water testing and being introduced to lots of new terms like pH, ammonia, alkalinity, salinity etc. For this session Dr Tim explains these terms and more in clear. concise, easy to follow language. Then we discuss how they are interrelated in your aquarium and the animals we keep.

Dr Tim discusses fish nutrition basics with Hilary, our social media coordinator. Join them as they talk about a variety of fish nutrition and fish food topics including: What are the important things to look for in a fish feed, How to select the right fish food for your fish, Not all foods are created equal, Do you about HUFA's and PUFA's What feed does Dr Tim recommend, and more!

Understanding organics and the role they play in water quality is key to achieving long-term stability in any aquarium. In this podcast Dr Tim and Hilary discuss organics - what they are, where they come from, how to control them and the role they play in your aquarium

Dr Tim and Hilary, our social media manager, discuss the top things you need to know about nitrifying bacteria and cycling your new aquarium.

Dr Tim explains what cycling is and why it is important to the success of your aquarium whether it is freshwater, saltwater, or reef. He also explains how to speed up the cycling process with fish in the tank or by fishless cycling; both using DrTim's Aquatics One & Only Live Nitrifying bacteria. Confused about cycling your aquarium - Dr Tim takes you through the process.

Dr Tim discussed what you need to consider when setting-up your aquarium: location, water, equipment, decorations to filling the tank