Thanks for providing a very informative interview. I’m glad he pointed out that you didn’t ask for anything other than information. A somewhat popular youtuber that I follow recently put out a video on his fishroom project & was basically asking for funding because of the costs involved. Definitely not cool. Thanks again & keep up the great work!
Chino S I fully agree with your not cool statement.. Joey from DIY first started this growing trend of help me fund my fish room and crying about no money.. don’t get me wrong if some company like Fluval or Seachem want to sponsor your room with filters or other equipment then that’s great but to ask for handouts to fund your hobby I’m against it as if you can’t afford to look after what you have or plans with what you desire later then simple you shouldn’t have it.. the only free stuff I get is my local fish store gifts me snails for my MBU, I’d gladly pay but they give them to me for the loyalty I show the store..
@@mattphillips6714 Yeah that guy at DIY I assumed was filthy rich looking at his fish room (which is in a separate building from his house) and then he made that huge pond in his back yard. He also acts like he's either manic or on crack.
@@mattphillips6714 Unfortunately, it's the give me society! At 52, I never figured it would get this bad! What's worse is this Go Fund Me nonsense. Atleast 80% of it!😇 Who needs life insurance with go fund me around!🤯🧐😉😇
I actually love fritz products!! I've used Turbo start 700 upon start up on 3 of my new tanks and within 5-7 days I had low Nitrates,0 ammonia,0 nitrites..
Love my Turbostart 700! Cycled two of my new tanks within a week via fishless cycle. Build and sustained the beneficial bacteria colony with pure ammonia until I was ready for new fish. Within 24 hours, I had 0ppm nitrites, 5ppm nitrates and 0.25ppm ammonia. Went 0 - 0 - 5 within 72 hours and added 2.0ppm of pure ammonia same day. Processed 2.0ppm of ammonia in 36 hours. Added more ammonia and 24 hours later, it processed all 2.0ppm ammonia. This stuff works! I do want to note that I used a 10 gallon tank, it’s heavily planted + has driftwood and Activflora
I used refrigerated Fritz and added some ammonia drops daily to start. Waited till I saw no ammonia and a little Nitrate ( a few days) Added fish and no issues. I probably went slower than needed, but if I have learned anything in fish keeping is don't get in a hurry.
Hi Ben, I have used these products for quite some time and I know first hand so long as you use it sensibly and slowly for a fish in cycle. I have never lost a single fish. Thanks for sharing this video. It was very reassuring.
Hi, If you don’t mind is it possible you tell us your steps of using turbo start. How much you use a day and do on. I’m a little confused cause the bottle says use 4 oz per 50g, I’m not sure if that’s per day or a span of a few days or just a 4 oz bottle one time. I have a new tank going through cycling now.
Adding mature filter media from another aquarium is the best option in my experience. Always have an extra sponge or HOB (preferably with a sponge) running. As a biologist I can attest to the fact that nitrifying bacteria are most effective when they are active and reside within an active biofilm (which they produce) on an established media surface. Moving a filter from an active aquarium to a new aquarium, you are moving a viable bacteria ecosystem, bacteria and the biofilm matrix. Adding bacteria from a bottle might help, but the liquified bacteria have to find a home (surface), have to form an active biofilm before they can effectively process ammonia and nitrite. Another good media to transfer over to a new tank are pot scrubbies. I am amazed at the quantity of almost "gel" like biofilm that develops with pot scrubbies, and their ability to give a large, IMMEDIATELY active biological system to a new aquarium. Also, the bacteria you move from an existing aquarium from your home are bacteria that are thriving in your water chemistry (pH, etc). For me, this helps save money, gets the aquarium going a lot faster, and leaves more room in my aquarium medicine chest. As you know Ben, I am a believer in KIS, Keep It Simple. Using the Fritz product is an alternative, I have never needed to use, that could be considered for a 1st aquarium where the aquarist has no other options. Using this technique I have never had to wait and "cycle" at tank, but I do start with a lower population of fish.
Yes but the problem is a lit of newbies to the hobby do not have access to anyone who can give them mature filter media. When you have no one and you're starting a new tank you can't get your hands on that. I've tried to hit up people in local Facebook fish groups. Local fish stores etc. Lol and people usually aren't keen on sharing any filter media. The few times I was able to get some substrate and some rocks that have been in established tanks for years. It did NOTHING for me.
Good information. I've never used any of these bacteria products. I just start slow, big water changes at first, try not to over feed even though they beg every time you get near the tank. Started with a 55 and hang on backs, transitioned to a 90 with canisters now a 275 with a sump. its been a fun journey learning all the intricacies of fish behavior and nitrogen cycle and I'm super thankful for channels like this to help me so I didn't have to learn every lesson the hard way. I remember the first hard lesson like it was yesterday. "these fish look amazing here by this window with the natural sunlight shining on them... next day tank is green"
Ive been in the hobby 40 plus years and embarrassingly i didn't know the higher the ph the more toxic ammonia is. Like you day ben never stop learning. Again thanks ben this is why to me you're podcasts are number one to me my absolute favorite. Fact!!
Good interview. Noticed he kinda stumbled on the nitrogen cycle at the 10:01-10:10 time stamp where water changes complete the cycle. It helps reduce nitrates, but that's not a complete cycle.
I used Fritz Turbo Start 700 for all 5 of my tanks. All planted tanks - often plants taken from my own seasoned tanks or purchased from seasoned tanks at my LFS (he keeps fish in the plant tanks) & I soak my driftwood for a long time before setting up a new tank so there's already a good bit of biofilm. I have had fish in every one of the tanks the day after setup with no issues. I use it when I do a really big water change, tho that's extremely rare. I'll also dump in a capful or so when adding more fish. I personally love the stuff because, tho I understand how important the nitrogen cycle is, I'm not the most patient person. I still monitor my water parameters very closely, do smaller water changes more frequently & I will add a bit more Fritz each day for a few days. I've known people who cycled their tanks using fish, who didn't want to take the extra precaution, and who's fish have died in the process. Whelp...just leave the corpse(s) in there then I guess...cuz that will help with cycling too, then you won't have to go out & buy raw shrimp or pee in your aquarium either so, good luck lol!
Turbo Start, Stability and other bacteria in a bottle absolutely work and will cycle your tank quickly if used properly...I've started up tanks with fish like this many times. Just keep Prime handy as you will need that as well to keep the fish safe during the cycle.
So question are you using prime or complete when the ammonia and nitrite are up to keep it bond and not doing wc? I’ve done that in the past and it worked fine. This is the first time using turbo 700 using same filters some new and old substrate and lots of plants (live) just moving to bigger tank but took a few fish over to new one with turbo but there is .5 ammonia and .25-.5 in the middle nitrite this is first day of course I’m going to check in the morning to see where it’s at just want to know I won’t mess it up by just dosing prime or complete to bind it.
I am absolutely so happy for you doing this video. I hope that it will help someone out there that needs a little help or boost. Again thank you for this video.
I know some of the older fish keepers seem to poo poo bacterial starts. But I swear with regular testing and dosing really lazily actually imo, I cycled in three weeks my first tank, and maybe even sooner, but that was the point that I felt comfortable saying I was cycled. I am sure that the plants made a big difference too.
Amazing video my friend! With pet smart advice I got 10 tetras and a 20 gallon and set it up. I got water testing kit and strips so I was testing all along the way and had to learn about the cycle the hard way. When I got home with my damn fish lol. So forced to fish in cycle and I’m on week 7ish now and have been testing daily almost and watching tank like a hawk. I noticed nitrites started to creep up then a few days ago BAM purple as hell on the test reading. Big spike. I treated with water changes daily multiple till I got it down to 0 with prime as well but I ordered fritz to boost it all. Holy crap I added the fritz today and my fish seem relieved almost 😭 I have learned so much thank you. I am dedicated to not losing any fish in this process and thankfully I’m home to be able to mother hen over my tank. Thanks again for the info really helped me get thru this spike and undertake the bacteria more 🦠
Awesome video again, I like what I hear here,... I have 8 tanks and used stability and imagitarium bio booster, and added fish at the same time., Still going strong, babies in all tanks, .
Just picked up a 75 gallon tank 2 days ago. I was gonna wait for it to cycle. Went to my LFS to ask for some used media. The owner said instead I should throw 4-5 cichlids in the tank and use the turbo start 700. Put the fish in this morning and fed them to get the ammonia level up a bit for the bacteria to feed. Just dumped half the bottle in. My LFS is a firm believer so I’m taking the leap.
I’ve used a lot of Fritz products, mainly Turbo Start...and it works IMO. Granted I usually take a small bit of media from an existing aquarium to help in the start up of a new tank. But all in all, I have nothing negative to say about the product and it’s helped me quite a few times when getting an aquarium started👌🏼
Very nice that you updated this topic this way! Very interesting indeed. What i’m still curious about, what does the dosage per gallon mean? I think you should still be very patient in building up stock. But if you can add the first few fish way faster, that’s awesome 👍
Superb interview lots of good information and a good discussion around the Products which was very interesting learn something every time as will use live nitrifying bacteria after cleaning my filter and away when setting up new tank. But will be Fritz from now on.
Let me know how it works for you. Don't forget to treat your water with conditioner before adding the bacteria (and don't use a UV light for a few weeks after starting).
glad you made this video! helped a lot with fully understanding the product. Seems like a great idea, My only problem is why does it cost so much for 1 tiny bottle ? That fritz turbo start stuff is unbelievably overpriced.
It IS expensive. No question. But I have tried all the other products. Fritz turbo start is the best. You get what you pay for. I added 20 fish on the 4th day. From a fishedless cycle. I had added ammonia to 3ppm. Or, you could just put some fish food in an empty tank. It will take 6 weeks to do what turbo start does in 3 days. I'll pay the money and save 5 weeks!! Choice is yours. Fish keeping is not a cheap hobby..
The product works.. i used fritz complete on my 36 followed up with the fritzyme7 also did it in my 75 gallon my 150 and just set up my 180 using the complete and fritzzyme7 products..
I put it in 5 tanks put fish in instantly no problems. The only thing i would say i wouldn't overstock take it a little slow otherwise i swear by it. Also because it has a expiration date about 4 months i like to add it to my tanks after large water changes after i use prime first that's important. Thanks ben good stuff as usual.
Sorry what i meant by the expiration date is it would go bad after 4 months so i might as well use it up also i used the turbo the one you have to refrigerate.
I discovered after one cycle of a tank that any tank can be seeded and cycled quickly. And I’m a newbie. I haven’t used the product not to say I wouldn’t I keep readily cycled bacteria out of enough aquariums to start tanks. And die off to me is to be expected regardless to me some fish just can’t handle the shift. You can get folks that won’t KNOW their parameters and ways to correct when need be
Nice video Ben. Sounds like the heterotrophic bacteria is the same used for septic systems in products like Rid-X and Bio-Clean. I'll definitely give Fritz bacteria a try if I get the okay to set up another tank. Not bad having a job where the bosses tell you to set up a fish tank in your office!
Well we will find out soon enough, I am setting up a new 90 gallon tank. I just ordered Fritz Fishless Fuel and Fritzzyme 7 to cycle my tank. This will be my first time using Fritz products, we will see how it goes. If the cycle goes well I will definitely look into more Fritz products. Thanx for bring us the info Ben, Cheers! Edit: I will update on how it went.
@@CurieBohr It actually went great. I did exactly what I said I was going to do and it worked perfectly, my tank was cycled in like 4 days. I started adding fish as soon as the tank was cycled. There are about 70 fish in the tank now and I didn't loose a single one. The Fritzzyme 7 is great stuff I add some every time I added new fish, I love the stuff. It works as advertised and the Fritz fishless fuel worked perfectly too, an instant ammonia spike. So far I'm two thumbs up when it comes to fritz products.
The way I’ve allways done it use used sponge from another seeded tank just add 2 fish to start the cycle and add bottled bacteria and let the cycle begin
That's great if you have access to a used sponge-I have not been able to find anyone that has an aquarium and stores won't let you have one or let you buy one-looking forward to trying this out
Only one of my local aquatic stores sells this and it works perfectly (No Petco's or PetSmart's ect). Quick start and that garbage is such a joke. The only next best thing, is spare filter media if you got it.
I had pet store owner telling me and showing me that most these products are for marketing purpose and is for us consumers to waste money the old school way is best including those chlorine chlorime products waste of money i have kept discus in my tank with air stone and not removing chlorine from tap my fish thrive and grow
If I dump the whole contents out of the turbostart 700, can I quickly add the fish, live aquatic plants, and dwarf shrimp into the tank right away? Also I’m going to use controsoil planted tank substrate that buffers the ph of the water down to 6.8, is that ok and safe for the turbostart bacteria?
Your welcome Ben. Thanks for the videos think I'm going to get a bottle of the turbo to have on hand..if you speak to Mike again ask him if the turbo is good after being frozen .. see it on Amazon for sale and it says it was frozen...
I am wondering if this the same fritz company that used to make the fritz mighty 3 air pumps. This is what I used on my under gravel filters years ago and they where a great product. Great video Ben and yes I have used fritz turbo start and fritzzyme 7 and they have done what they said they would do.
@@fritzaquaticsvideo I appreciate the response, I still have one of those air pumps and a rebuild kit for it. I still use it when I set up my quarantine/ hospital tank.
@@fritzaquaticsvideo I was probably one of those calls, I will search eBay once in a while and sometimes find a pump or parts but they’re getting fewer and farther between. They where the most powerful and only adjustable pumps at that time. I’m glad I can still do business with a company that built such good products then and now. I also didn’t know y’all where a Texas based company. I’m in north Texas around Wichita Falls area I tend to go to the metroplex about twice a year fish shopping there isn’t many good fish stores here anymore. You folks keep up the good work. Thanks to Ben I’m a lot more aware now.
Hi Ben, love your channel. Would there be any chance of asking Mike if Fritz have any plans to make their products available overseas. Very frustrating watching all these great products being produced mainly for the American market, doesn't help me in Australia. Thanks again, keep up the great work.
Hello, great interview, as a newbie collecting information, this was very informative. I'm gathering info to be able to set up a fish tank in the next 2-3 weeks. My question is: Do we have Fritz Turbo start AND Fishless Fuel, or do we only use one of them? In case of using only one of them, which one is the more complete option? Thanks for the help and best wishes to all.
I’ve since gone with FritzZyme7 and had great results. The best, of course, is getting your hands on some filter media from a healthy established tank. Be sure to follow the directions exactly especially making sure water is conditioned (dechlorinated) prior to adding Fritz. Good luck😀👍🏻
I wonder how the fritz 700 start up compares to stability. When starting a 75g using stability all my fish got popyee. After I treated them they were fine but it was a little scary. If fritz is massively concentrated I hope it won't hurt the fish. And even using stability it still took like 2 mths to cycle. If this can cycle in 1 to 2 weeks using fritz 700 start up that would be amazing.
I want to set up a hospital tank and buy my fish next week. Do you suggest I use the turbo start? Or would fritzzyme 7 work? Obviously I'll just have it set up for a couple of weeks and will be prophylactically medicating them before adding them to my 20 gallon tank.
Both are great products. Just follow directions exactly and you’ll get a good outcome. Be sure the bottle has not expired and that it’s added to pre-conditioned water.
So I bought the fishless fuel and the Fritzzyme 7 to start up a 10 gallon aquarium. I follow the instructions for the ammonia and my PPMs are above four! I've already dosed for time twice and it hasn't budged. I remember now that someone said to use half of what they say to use and wish I would have done that. Should I do a 50% water change and then add more fruit slime? Or will that be removing beneficial bacteria too? I don't want to have to use the entire bottle of fritzzyme to get the ammonia under control if doing a water change will help.
I wish our local Pet Smart carried Fritz products, but our draconian Canadian laws prevent many products from being available here, especially medications, like Maracyn. We can get Maracyn Two, but it isn't erythromycin. I have been so frustrated, and have had the first year in the hobby to be the worst. I sure hope things improve, because I like what I have for fishy friends and want more, but am scared because of all the issues I have dealt with, including death, euthanasia and attack fish that killed many. BUT my biggest issue is getting all my tanks to be ideal at least some of the time.
If it works I will come back with the results. So far nothing has worked for ammonia! The only solution seems to be dilution with water changes! Check out the fish doctor on utube folks!
Thanks for the video Ben just one question Fritz 7 we know the bacteria cannot survive freezing temperatures but what point of high temperature can it survive especially at this time of year ship
I use Amazonia aqua soil and I keep getting ammonia and it’s been 5 weeks ! I used two bottles of Fritz 700 , I use de chlorinator , but the darn soil has my ph at 5.5-6.5 . I’m also using c02 . How much longer will this take and how much more produce do I need? I haven’t put in fish yet and I do have it heavily planted . Doing 60% water changes every 2-3 days . It’s exhausting .
I’m currently doing both a fish in cycle and a fish less cycle. I’m looking to speed up the process. Which product do you recommend I use for both? The Fritz Zyme 7 or the Turbostart 700? Do I have to use two different products in each tank since I’m doing two different cycling methods?
I was just wondering at what ideal temperature does Fritz turbostart 700 need to be stored at in my fridge? Also when initially purchased it didn't come packed in a cool box so was wondering if it is still okay considering it took nearly 1 week to arrive at my house? Also was wondering if it is okay if there is a possibility that the live bacteria would be usless/ dead considering that I live in the UK where currently the average temperature during the day is around 20-23 Degrees Celsius but sometimes much lower especially during the night; as it took quite a while for the product/ item to arrive at my address??? Why I ask is because I am completely new to fish keeping hobby. Any kind of advice regarding this matter would be very useful and helpful and very greatful. Thank you. Tom.
It’s supposed to stay refrigerated. I suggest you email Fritz and get their thoughts on the matter. I’ve been using the Fritz 7 product which doesn’t require refrigeration but is probably not as strong.
I don't believe in any of these bottled quick start products. As others have said, take some media from an established filter (replace it with new) transplant the old media to a new filter mixed with new media. Add a few fish at first for a few days before totally stocking the tank. I've done this many times never had a problem. The very first tank I had many years ago I cycled the tank with a couple of gold fish and water changes.
I have used fritz zime 7 on several tanks and I think it has helped, but I never really saw the nitrates, due to planted tanks. However, I recently ordered a bottle from Amazon and it arrived smelling like dead fish and didn't want to use it, so I had amazon replace the bottle with a new one and it also smelled like dead fish. It's hot hear in Florida, so maybe it sat on Amazon docks for too long. I'm not sure I'm going to order any more until it's more controlled or from a local store maybe within the period time the bacteria is still alive.
ok, so let me get it straight in my head. If i put the stuff in i can add fish straight away, or do i wait 24 hours? And if i dont add fish or slightly nervous add some ammonia and if gone in 24 hours then i can add fish?
Be sure tank water is treated (de-chlorinated), add the Fritz product and you’re good to go. Stock and feed lightly at first, test your water, and it should work flawlessly.
I can't seem to keep my nitrites and nitrates...I don't even clean my tank I just do a top up...I poured a hole bottle of fritz zyme 7 in ....it boosted for a day I could actually see it...then it disappeared.....I have a hint of nitrates but still have ammonia...25.ppm...no nitrites....should I just pour the hole turbo start in...I do declorinate my water before I add water...to my tank
I always suggest that you use the product exactly as recommended in the label. I assume that you have fish in the tank? The bacteria needs a food source (ammonia) to keep it alive and that is provided by fish producing waste or by using the ammonia drops Mike mentioned in the video.
@@fritzaquaticsvideo no I take about two gallons of water out of it and fill it back up with clean water so the ammonia don't kill my fish I'm having the hardest time keeping nitrates in my tank 🤔 I do dose prime but about two days ago I poured a hole bottle in my tank and on my canister filter and it spiked for a day then boom gone 😨 idk what to do I ordered the turbo start in hopes it'll some how boost my tank maybe actually keep it this time I have a sponge and media for my filter as well...I have plants to but idk if that effects anything I'm really struggling over here lol
@@BenOchart I do have fish in my tank I poured the hole bottle in cuz I was fallowing detections and it wasn't working 😥 I should have zero chlorine in my water I also use tetra to remove it....I don't even derectly ad it to my tank I let it sit in a jug over night to make sure it's all gone 😨 I'm literally stumped
Not insane, just fast. A “cycled” tank has arrived at enough BB to consume ammonia and nitrite, yielding some nitrate. This gets you there pronto. You still keep an eye on things, do tests, etc, but it just jump starts the process. Insane? No, I think it’s genius🤣
@@BenOchart lol, fair enough! Great interview although a little over my head at times. Always learning! Thanks for all the information you provide on a regular basis. It is always very helpful!
Blah, Blah, Blah, a lot of talking but in my opinion not much " CONVINCING " a few scientific mumbo jumbo sentences but in my opinion nothing beats the natural way, you can't rush nature. There is a lot of people on the internet that use this BS product like Joey Mullen from the king of DIY that guy is a total stud and knows the Hobby in and out and I still wouldn't take his advice on that product. Total bs product, that I personally would never ever trust especially with the expensive fish that I keep
These products don't replace the "natural" way...they just add more bacteria to your tank to help the natural process go faster...I haven't used Fritz but have been using Seachem Stability for years and it absolutely works. There's no magic or anything crazy involved here. It's just bacterial spores that become activated once in the water column. If you have natural waste accumulating in the tank from food and fish waste the bacteria will replicate and grow. Same exact thing that happens naturally.
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Thanks for providing a very informative interview. I’m glad he pointed out that you didn’t ask for anything other than information. A somewhat popular youtuber that I follow recently put out a video on his fishroom project & was basically asking for funding because of the costs involved. Definitely not cool. Thanks again & keep up the great work!
Chino S I fully agree with your not cool statement.. Joey from DIY first started this growing trend of help me fund my fish room and crying about no money.. don’t get me wrong if some company like Fluval or Seachem want to sponsor your room with filters or other equipment then that’s great but to ask for handouts to fund your hobby I’m against it as if you can’t afford to look after what you have or plans with what you desire later then simple you shouldn’t have it.. the only free stuff I get is my local fish store gifts me snails for my MBU, I’d gladly pay but they give them to me for the loyalty I show the store..
@@mattphillips6714 Yeah that guy at DIY I assumed was filthy rich looking at his fish room (which is in a separate building from his house) and then he made that huge pond in his back yard. He also acts like he's either manic or on crack.
@@mattphillips6714
Unfortunately, it's the give me society! At 52, I never figured it would get this bad! What's worse is this Go Fund Me nonsense. Atleast 80% of it!😇 Who needs life insurance with go fund me around!🤯🧐😉😇
@@bigjay1970 very true fella..
I actually love fritz products!! I've used
Turbo start 700 upon start up on 3 of my new tanks and within 5-7 days I had low Nitrates,0 ammonia,0 nitrites..
Many years ago I became a fan of Fritz when their product, a Fritz Mardel Maracyn Plus product stopped the spread of columnaris in my tanks.
Love my Turbostart 700! Cycled two of my new tanks within a week via fishless cycle. Build and sustained the beneficial bacteria colony with pure ammonia until I was ready for new fish.
Within 24 hours, I had 0ppm nitrites, 5ppm nitrates and 0.25ppm ammonia. Went 0 - 0 - 5 within 72 hours and added 2.0ppm of pure ammonia same day. Processed 2.0ppm of ammonia in 36 hours. Added more ammonia and 24 hours later, it processed all 2.0ppm ammonia. This stuff works!
I do want to note that I used a 10 gallon tank, it’s heavily planted + has driftwood and Activflora
I used refrigerated Fritz and added some ammonia drops daily to start. Waited till I saw no ammonia and a little Nitrate ( a few days) Added fish and no issues. I probably went slower than needed, but if I have learned anything in fish keeping is don't get in a hurry.
Hi Ben, I have used these products for quite some time and I know first hand so long as you use it sensibly and slowly for a fish in cycle. I have never lost a single fish. Thanks for sharing this video. It was very reassuring.
Hi, If you don’t mind is it possible you tell us your steps of using turbo start. How much you use a day and do on. I’m a little confused cause the bottle says use 4 oz per 50g, I’m not sure if that’s per day or a span of a few days or just a 4 oz bottle one time. I have a new tank going through cycling now.
i don't think iv'e ever seen a more calm cichlid tank. beautiful!!!
Adding mature filter media from another aquarium is the best option in my experience. Always have an extra sponge or HOB (preferably with a sponge) running. As a biologist I can attest to the fact that nitrifying bacteria are most effective when they are active and reside within an active biofilm (which they produce) on an established media surface. Moving a filter from an active aquarium to a new aquarium, you are moving a viable bacteria ecosystem, bacteria and the biofilm matrix. Adding bacteria from a bottle might help, but the liquified bacteria have to find a home (surface), have to form an active biofilm before they can effectively process ammonia and nitrite. Another good media to transfer over to a new tank are pot scrubbies. I am amazed at the quantity of almost "gel" like biofilm that develops with pot scrubbies, and their ability to give a large, IMMEDIATELY active biological system to a new aquarium. Also, the bacteria you move from an existing aquarium from your home are bacteria that are thriving in your water chemistry (pH, etc). For me, this helps save money, gets the aquarium going a lot faster, and leaves more room in my aquarium medicine chest. As you know Ben, I am a believer in KIS, Keep It Simple. Using the Fritz product is an alternative, I have never needed to use, that could be considered for a 1st aquarium where the aquarist has no other options. Using this technique I have never had to wait and "cycle" at tank, but I do start with a lower population of fish.
Pot scrubbies?? Lol please explain
@@trinajean92 buy at dollar store. Spun polyethylene. Thousands of youtubers using them for aquariums
And you just throw it in your tank?
@@trinajean92 i use them in my sump and HOB filters
Yes but the problem is a lit of newbies to the hobby do not have access to anyone who can give them mature filter media. When you have no one and you're starting a new tank you can't get your hands on that. I've tried to hit up people in local Facebook fish groups. Local fish stores etc. Lol and people usually aren't keen on sharing any filter media. The few times I was able to get some substrate and some rocks that have been in established tanks for years. It did NOTHING for me.
Good information. I've never used any of these bacteria products. I just start slow, big water changes at first, try not to over feed even though they beg every time you get near the tank. Started with a 55 and hang on backs, transitioned to a 90 with canisters now a 275 with a sump. its been a fun journey learning all the intricacies of fish behavior and nitrogen cycle and I'm super thankful for channels like this to help me so I didn't have to learn every lesson the hard way. I remember the first hard lesson like it was yesterday. "these fish look amazing here by this window with the natural sunlight shining on them... next day tank is green"
Ive been in the hobby 40 plus years and embarrassingly i didn't know the higher the ph the more toxic ammonia is. Like you day ben never stop learning. Again thanks ben this is why to me you're podcasts are number one to me my absolute favorite. Fact!!
Thank you Michael, it means a lot to hear that 😀
Good interview. Noticed he kinda stumbled on the nitrogen cycle at the 10:01-10:10 time stamp where water changes complete the cycle. It helps reduce nitrates, but that's not a complete cycle.
I used Fritz Turbo Start 700 for all 5 of my tanks. All planted tanks - often plants taken from my own seasoned tanks or purchased from seasoned tanks at my LFS (he keeps fish in the plant tanks) & I soak my driftwood for a long time before setting up a new tank so there's already a good bit of biofilm. I have had fish in every one of the tanks the day after setup with no issues. I use it when I do a really big water change, tho that's extremely rare. I'll also dump in a capful or so when adding more fish. I personally love the stuff because, tho I understand how important the nitrogen cycle is, I'm not the most patient person. I still monitor my water parameters very closely, do smaller water changes more frequently & I will add a bit more Fritz each day for a few days. I've known people who cycled their tanks using fish, who didn't want to take the extra precaution, and who's fish have died in the process. Whelp...just leave the corpse(s) in there then I guess...cuz that will help with cycling too, then you won't have to go out & buy raw shrimp or pee in your aquarium either so, good luck lol!
I put 1 bottle of API Quick start in my 60 gallon tank and added fish the next day.. all are still alive and well. My last tank i waited 8 weeks for.
Turbo Start, Stability and other bacteria in a bottle absolutely work and will cycle your tank quickly if used properly...I've started up tanks with fish like this many times. Just keep Prime handy as you will need that as well to keep the fish safe during the cycle.
You can use complete too!
So question are you using prime or complete when the ammonia and nitrite are up to keep it bond and not doing wc? I’ve done that in the past and it worked fine. This is the first time using turbo 700 using same filters some new and old substrate and lots of plants (live) just moving to bigger tank but took a few fish over to new one with turbo but there is .5 ammonia and .25-.5 in the middle nitrite this is first day of course I’m going to check in the morning to see where it’s at just want to know I won’t mess it up by just dosing prime or complete to bind it.
I am absolutely so happy for you doing this video. I hope that it will help someone out there that needs a little help or boost. Again thank you for this video.
I know some of the older fish keepers seem to poo poo bacterial starts. But I swear with regular testing and dosing really lazily actually imo, I cycled in three weeks my first tank, and maybe even sooner, but that was the point that I felt comfortable saying I was cycled. I am sure that the plants made a big difference too.
Used fritzyme 7 in my 125. Worked perfect. Put fish in after three days. Worked great
How much did you use per day? I’m still kinda confused on hot to use fritzyme 7
Amazing video my friend!
With pet smart advice I got 10 tetras and a 20 gallon and set it up.
I got water testing kit and strips so I was testing all along the way and had to learn about the cycle the hard way. When I got home with my damn fish lol.
So forced to fish in cycle and I’m on week 7ish now and have been testing daily almost and watching tank like a hawk.
I noticed nitrites started to creep up then a few days ago BAM purple as hell on the test reading. Big spike.
I treated with water changes daily multiple till I got it down to 0 with prime as well but I ordered fritz to boost it all.
Holy crap I added the fritz today and my fish seem relieved almost 😭 I have learned so much thank you.
I am dedicated to not losing any fish in this process and thankfully I’m home to be able to mother hen over my tank.
Thanks again for the info really helped me get thru this spike and undertake the bacteria more 🦠
Awesome video again, I like what I hear here,... I have 8 tanks and used stability and imagitarium bio booster, and added fish at the same time., Still going strong, babies in all tanks, .
Babies are natures way of saying that you’re doing great job
Just picked up a 75 gallon tank 2 days ago. I was gonna wait for it to cycle. Went to my LFS to ask for some used media. The owner said instead I should throw 4-5 cichlids in the tank and use the turbo start 700. Put the fish in this morning and fed them to get the ammonia level up a bit for the bacteria to feed. Just dumped half the bottle in. My LFS is a firm believer so I’m taking the leap.
So how did it go for you?
How did it go because this is dead ass me right now
I have a 75 gal i set up yesterday and i want to try this today
I’ve used a lot of Fritz products, mainly Turbo Start...and it works IMO. Granted I usually take a small bit of media from an existing aquarium to help in the start up of a new tank. But all in all, I have nothing negative to say about the product and it’s helped me quite a few times when getting an aquarium started👌🏼
I love adding media from an established tank and if you’re doing that and adding Turbo, that tank is off to a rock solid start!
Yesss! I've been waiting for this video!
But I just got to work so I'll have to catch it on my lunch break. Thanks Ben!
Very nice that you updated this topic this way! Very interesting indeed. What i’m still curious about, what does the dosage per gallon mean? I think you should still be very patient in building up stock. But if you can add the first few fish way faster, that’s awesome 👍
Superb interview lots of good information and a good discussion around the Products which was very interesting learn something every time as will use live nitrifying bacteria after cleaning my filter and away when setting up new tank. But will be Fritz from now on.
Thanks for conducting this interview Ben! After listing and reading some reviews I ordered two bottles for some new tanks I'm setting up next week.
Let me know how it works for you. Don't forget to treat your water with conditioner before adding the bacteria (and don't use a UV light for a few weeks after starting).
@@BenOchart, I'm expecting delivery of a UV light tomorrow. Glad I read this. 🤜🤛
glad you made this video! helped a lot with fully understanding the product. Seems like a great idea, My only problem is why does it cost so much for 1 tiny bottle ? That fritz turbo start stuff is unbelievably overpriced.
It IS expensive. No question. But I have tried all the other products. Fritz turbo start is the best. You get what you pay for. I added 20 fish on the 4th day. From a fishedless cycle. I had added ammonia to 3ppm. Or, you could just put some fish food in an empty tank. It will take 6 weeks to do what turbo start does in 3 days. I'll pay the money and save 5 weeks!! Choice is yours. Fish keeping is not a cheap hobby..
The product works.. i used fritz complete on my 36 followed up with the fritzyme7 also did it in my 75 gallon my 150 and just set up my 180 using the complete and fritzzyme7 products..
Good to hear Jason, thanks!
I put it in 5 tanks put fish in instantly no problems. The only thing i would say i wouldn't overstock take it a little slow otherwise i swear by it. Also because it has a expiration date about 4 months i like to add it to my tanks after large water changes after i use prime first that's important. Thanks ben good stuff as usual.
Sorry what i meant by the expiration date is it would go bad after 4 months so i might as well use it up also i used the turbo the one you have to refrigerate.
Good video Ben. Never used anything like that, but probably will when we follow you to Tennessee in bout a year or so.
Let me know when you get here 😉😀👍🏻
I discovered after one cycle of a tank that any tank can be seeded and cycled quickly. And I’m a newbie. I haven’t used the product not to say I wouldn’t I keep readily cycled bacteria out of enough aquariums to start tanks. And die off to me is to be expected regardless to me some fish just can’t handle the shift. You can get folks that won’t KNOW their parameters and ways to correct when need be
Good video, will be giving this product a go on my next tank start up.
Nice video Ben. Sounds like the heterotrophic bacteria is the same used for septic systems in products like Rid-X and Bio-Clean. I'll definitely give Fritz bacteria a try if I get the okay to set up another tank.
Not bad having a job where the bosses tell you to set up a fish tank in your office!
Ordered to buy fish, 🤣🤣🤣 the perfect job for a fish keeper.
Well we will find out soon enough, I am setting up a new 90 gallon tank. I just ordered Fritz Fishless Fuel and Fritzzyme 7 to cycle my tank. This will be my first time using Fritz products, we will see how it goes. If the cycle goes well I will definitely look into more Fritz products. Thanx for bring us the info Ben, Cheers!
Edit: I will update on how it went.
How did it go?
@@CurieBohr
It actually went great. I did exactly what I said I was going to do and it worked perfectly, my tank was cycled in like 4 days. I started adding fish as soon as the tank was cycled. There are about 70 fish in the tank now and I didn't loose a single one. The Fritzzyme 7 is great stuff I add some every time I added new fish, I love the stuff. It works as advertised and the Fritz fishless fuel worked perfectly too, an instant ammonia spike. So far I'm two thumbs up when it comes to fritz products.
@@CurieBohr
thanx for reminding me, I forgot to update lol.
The way I’ve allways done it use used sponge from another seeded tank just add 2 fish to start the cycle and add bottled bacteria and let the cycle begin
Can’t beat a seeded sponge (essentially what Fritz products are like)
That's great if you have access to a used sponge-I have not been able to find anyone that has an aquarium and stores won't let you have one or let you buy one-looking forward to trying this out
I am surprised this interview didn't talk about bacteria that break down nitrates!!
Only one of my local aquatic stores sells this and it works perfectly (No Petco's or PetSmart's ect). Quick start and that garbage is such a joke. The only next best thing, is spare filter media if you got it.
Media from an established tank is the best. I keep some in my sump and pull when needed.
Love this! It's soooooo helpful when starting a tank.
Glad it was helpful!
I had pet store owner telling me and showing me that most these products are for marketing purpose and is for us consumers to waste money the old school way is best including those chlorine chlorime products waste of money i have kept discus in my tank with air stone and not removing chlorine from tap my fish thrive and grow
Very informative, Thank you Ben and Mike!
I used stability it works well
If I dump the whole contents out of the turbostart 700, can I quickly add the fish, live aquatic plants, and dwarf shrimp into the tank right away? Also I’m going to use controsoil planted tank substrate that buffers the ph of the water down to 6.8, is that ok and safe for the turbostart bacteria?
Your welcome Ben. Thanks for the videos think I'm going to get a bottle of the turbo to have on hand..if you speak to Mike again ask him if the turbo is good after being frozen .. see it on Amazon for sale and it says it was frozen...
I think you need to get it from a provider that has kept it within the ranges suggested by Fritz
Ok thanks... I'll keep looking ..
Excellent Video. Thank You.
I am wondering if this the same fritz company that used to make the fritz mighty 3 air pumps. This is what I used on my under gravel filters years ago and they where a great product. Great video Ben and yes I have used fritz turbo start and fritzzyme 7 and they have done what they said they would do.
@@fritzaquaticsvideo I appreciate the response, I still have one of those air pumps and a rebuild kit for it. I still use it when I set up my quarantine/ hospital tank.
@@fritzaquaticsvideo I was probably one of those calls, I will search eBay once in a while and sometimes find a pump or parts but they’re getting fewer and farther between. They where the most powerful and only adjustable pumps at that time. I’m glad I can still do business with a company that built such good products then and now. I also didn’t know y’all where a Texas based company. I’m in north Texas around Wichita Falls area I tend to go to the metroplex about twice a year fish shopping there isn’t many good fish stores here anymore. You folks keep up the good work. Thanks to Ben I’m a lot more aware now.
Hi Ben, love your channel. Would there be any chance of asking Mike if Fritz have any plans to make their products available overseas. Very frustrating watching all these great products being produced mainly for the American market, doesn't help me in Australia.
Thanks again, keep up the great work.
Are you able to find this in Australia?
Hello, great interview, as a newbie collecting information, this was very informative. I'm gathering info to be able to set up a fish tank in the next 2-3 weeks. My question is: Do we have Fritz Turbo start AND Fishless Fuel, or do we only use one of them? In case of using only one of them, which one is the more complete option? Thanks for the help and best wishes to all.
I’ve since gone with FritzZyme7 and had great results. The best, of course, is getting your hands on some filter media from a healthy established tank.
Be sure to follow the directions exactly especially making sure water is conditioned (dechlorinated) prior to adding Fritz. Good luck😀👍🏻
Dr Times period. The Best,
I wonder how the fritz 700 start up compares to stability. When starting a 75g using stability all my fish got popyee. After I treated them they were fine but it was a little scary. If fritz is massively concentrated I hope it won't hurt the fish. And even using stability it still took like 2 mths to cycle. If this can cycle in 1 to 2 weeks using fritz 700 start up that would be amazing.
You can also use API Quick start I have used it on tanks in my fish room
Great video. Thanks
Loved the video lots of good information
Thanks for the reply ..there was only a few bottles when I looked and I think they were the 16 oz. Bottles and in the description it said frozen.
Odd, I’ll ask Mike
Mike at Fritz says “frozen” is a no-no.
Love it works so good thank you so much❤
I will be trying that next time thinks buddy
I want to set up a hospital tank and buy my fish next week. Do you suggest I use the turbo start? Or would fritzzyme 7 work? Obviously I'll just have it set up for a couple of weeks and will be prophylactically medicating them before adding them to my 20 gallon tank.
Both are great products. Just follow directions exactly and you’ll get a good outcome.
Be sure the bottle has not expired and that it’s added to pre-conditioned water.
So I bought the fishless fuel and the Fritzzyme 7 to start up a 10 gallon aquarium. I follow the instructions for the ammonia and my PPMs are above four! I've already dosed for time twice and it hasn't budged. I remember now that someone said to use half of what they say to use and wish I would have done that. Should I do a 50% water change and then add more fruit slime? Or will that be removing beneficial bacteria too? I don't want to have to use the entire bottle of fritzzyme to get the ammonia under control if doing a water change will help.
Very informative
I wish our local Pet Smart carried Fritz products, but our draconian Canadian laws prevent many products from being available here, especially medications, like Maracyn. We can get Maracyn Two, but it isn't erythromycin. I have been so frustrated, and have had the first year in the hobby to be the worst. I sure hope things improve, because I like what I have for fishy friends and want more, but am scared because of all the issues I have dealt with, including death, euthanasia and attack fish that killed many. BUT my biggest issue is getting all my tanks to be ideal at least some of the time.
Just cycled a 75 with fishless fuel and 2 bottles of turbo start in 5 days!
How much turbo start did you use per day? Or did you put the whole bottle
Sure no problem.. I saw it on Amazon
If it works I will come back with the results. So far nothing has worked for ammonia! The only solution seems to be dilution with water changes! Check out the fish doctor on utube folks!
Thanks for the video Ben just one question Fritz 7 we know the bacteria cannot survive freezing temperatures but what point of high temperature can it survive especially at this time of year ship
Good question. I certainly would keep it at room temp and not let it get too hot. I don’t think they mention high temps on the label.
Hey Ben I took a screenshot of it but I can't put it up on my channel..
Should I use aquarium salt every once in a while instead of cichlid lake salt every time with my african cichlids ?
I use Amazonia aqua soil and I keep getting ammonia and it’s been 5 weeks ! I used two bottles of Fritz 700 , I use de chlorinator , but the darn soil has my ph at 5.5-6.5 . I’m also using c02 . How much longer will this take and how much more produce do I need? I haven’t put in fish yet and I do have it heavily planted . Doing 60% water changes every 2-3 days . It’s exhausting .
new tank, if my water is treated. and then added fritz 7, is it okay to add my fish in right away from what i heard?
I’m currently doing both a fish in cycle and a fish less cycle. I’m looking to speed up the process. Which product do you recommend I use for both? The Fritz Zyme 7 or the Turbostart 700? Do I have to use two different products in each tank since I’m doing two different cycling methods?
Can you run your filter when using this product
Absolutely.
I just can’t get fish to live in my tank. I’ve watched every video and read articles and still having no luck. Maybe I will try this
What's happens exactly???
One question I have is if you leave your lights on too long would your lights kill the bacteria
@@fritzaquaticsvideo Awesome I have just ordered a 32 ounce bottle on Amazon $13
Are there any bacteria that break down nitrates?
Never heard of Frits...
So if your tap water is 1ppm ammonia could you just go straight in with Fritz Turbo?
I was just wondering at what ideal temperature does Fritz turbostart 700 need to be stored at in my fridge? Also when initially purchased it didn't come packed in a cool box so was wondering if it is still okay considering it took nearly 1 week to arrive at my house? Also was wondering if it is okay if there is a possibility that the live bacteria would be usless/ dead considering that I live in the UK where currently the average temperature during the day is around 20-23 Degrees Celsius but sometimes much lower especially during the night; as it took quite a while for the product/ item to arrive at my address??? Why I ask is because I am completely new to fish keeping hobby.
Any kind of advice regarding this matter would be very useful and helpful and very greatful.
Thank you.
Tom.
It’s supposed to stay refrigerated. I suggest you email Fritz and get their thoughts on the matter. I’ve been using the Fritz 7 product which doesn’t require refrigeration but is probably not as strong.
I don't believe in any of these bottled quick start products. As others have said, take some media from an established filter (replace it with new) transplant the old media to a new filter mixed with new media. Add a few fish at first for a few days before totally stocking the tank. I've done this many times never had a problem. The very first tank I had many years ago I cycled the tank with a couple of gold fish and water changes.
What does he mean when he says people who have fresh water tanks may have problems if they don't "buffer" first before using the product?
“buffer?” You do need to treat tap water before adding the product since chlorine will kill the beneficial bacteria
Turbo start or zyme 7? What’s the difference?
I think you have to refrigerate Turbo. Both work well.
Is there any chance the unrefrigerated fritz products will be available in Australia 🇦🇺 in the future?
@@fritzaquaticsvideo yes I know they don’t they are a tad OTT
I have used fritz zime 7 on several tanks and I think it has helped, but I never really saw the nitrates, due to planted tanks. However, I recently ordered a bottle from Amazon and it arrived smelling like dead fish and didn't want to use it, so I had amazon replace the bottle with a new one and it also smelled like dead fish. It's hot hear in Florida, so maybe it sat on Amazon docks for too long. I'm not sure I'm going to order any more until it's more controlled or from a local store maybe within the period time the bacteria is still alive.
Do you keep adding it every day for 5 days or only one dose
I only add one dose. I might add more if I add a bunch of fish.
What’s the difference between Fritz Turbo and Seachem Stability?
Stability just aides in helping good bacteria thats starting to build up in your tank
So it doesn’t have any good bacteria in its bottle ?
ok, so let me get it straight in my head. If i put the stuff in i can add fish straight away, or do i wait 24 hours? And if i dont add fish or slightly nervous add some ammonia and if gone in 24 hours then i can add fish?
Be sure tank water is treated (de-chlorinated), add the Fritz product and you’re good to go. Stock and feed lightly at first, test your water, and it should work flawlessly.
@@BenOchart Do you have to add Prime as well or just Fritz 7?
I can't seem to keep my nitrites and nitrates...I don't even clean my tank I just do a top up...I poured a hole bottle of fritz zyme 7 in ....it boosted for a day I could actually see it...then it disappeared.....I have a hint of nitrates but still have ammonia...25.ppm...no nitrites....should I just pour the hole turbo start in...I do declorinate my water before I add water...to my tank
I always suggest that you use the product exactly as recommended in the label. I assume that you have fish in the tank? The bacteria needs a food source (ammonia) to keep it alive and that is provided by fish producing waste or by using the ammonia drops Mike mentioned in the video.
@@fritzaquaticsvideo no I take about two gallons of water out of it and fill it back up with clean water so the ammonia don't kill my fish I'm having the hardest time keeping nitrates in my tank 🤔 I do dose prime but about two days ago I poured a hole bottle in my tank and on my canister filter and it spiked for a day then boom gone 😨 idk what to do I ordered the turbo start in hopes it'll some how boost my tank maybe actually keep it this time I have a sponge and media for my filter as well...I have plants to but idk if that effects anything I'm really struggling over here lol
@@BenOchart I do have fish in my tank I poured the hole bottle in cuz I was fallowing detections and it wasn't working 😥 I should have zero chlorine in my water I also use tetra to remove it....I don't even derectly ad it to my tank I let it sit in a jug over night to make sure it's all gone 😨 I'm literally stumped
How will you add this product with 2 remaining fish from a new aquarium?
Tell me a little more about what you’re asking me. I want to be sure I understand your question.
Is turbo start 700 safe if fish are already in tank?
Yes, just beneficial bacteria
@@BenOchart 10-4 thank you sir
this cycled my tank in 24 hours, insane
Not insane, just fast. A “cycled” tank has arrived at enough BB to consume ammonia and nitrite, yielding some nitrate. This gets you there pronto. You still keep an eye on things, do tests, etc, but it just jump starts the process. Insane? No, I think it’s genius🤣
Ben did I hear you say, you're in Houston?
Nope. I was in Los Angeles until 2020 and now we live in Nashville
@@BenOchart I thought I heard Houston somehow lol. Oh well, cheers!
I bought an older 75gal oceanic aquarium today! So yay new project
Right from the sea horse :0
🤣🤣🤣
why are you guys talking about me?
🤣🤣🤣
It seems like you add the product and wait 24 hours. Test and if ok add fish. Fish are not added right away.
Think that's for the bottled ammonia
Two intros?
One Intro and one start-of-zoom recording. No extra charge for the extra intro🤣🤣🤣 What did you think of the rest of the video?
@@BenOchart lol, fair enough! Great interview although a little over my head at times. Always learning! Thanks for all the information you provide on a regular basis. It is always very helpful!
Blah, Blah, Blah, a lot of talking but in my opinion not much " CONVINCING " a few scientific mumbo jumbo sentences but in my opinion nothing beats the natural way, you can't rush nature. There is a lot of people on the internet that use this BS product like Joey Mullen from the king of DIY that guy is a total stud and knows the Hobby in and out and I still wouldn't take his advice on that product. Total bs product, that I personally would never ever trust especially with the expensive fish that I keep
These products don't replace the "natural" way...they just add more bacteria to your tank to help the natural process go faster...I haven't used Fritz but have been using Seachem Stability for years and it absolutely works. There's no magic or anything crazy involved here. It's just bacterial spores that become activated once in the water column. If you have natural waste accumulating in the tank from food and fish waste the bacteria will replicate and grow. Same exact thing that happens naturally.
A natural clean short cut. But to each their own and that’s okay.
I agree with you Ben 100%
There are no Shortcuts To replicating Nature
@@badger3044 Sure there are...your fish tank isn't nature or natural to begin with but your able to do that aren't you?