Dr Tim answers questions that we get from hobbyists via social media, email and other sources.  Questions about cycling your tank, setting-up a new tank, fishless cycling with shrimp not ammonia, high ammonia and/or nitrite and more are covered in this Q & A session. If you have questions please contact us and we will answer them in another session.  

In this episodes Dr Tim talks with Thomas Bertschy from ASF about the ASF cichlid salt which is great for getting your aquarium water to match the water quality characteristics of many cichlid habitats.  Next, we talk with Dale Lewis from Reptile Systems about their all black ceramic Clamp Lamps.  Finally, Dr Tim discusses the DrTim's Aquatics Bene-FISH-al® DIY frozen fish food - easy and quick to prepare without waste this is a wonderful fish and invertebrate food.

Dr Tim talks with Thomas from ASF about MX circulation pumps and then Dale with Reptile Systems talk about new Eco Halogens heat and light systems and Dr Tim ends with a discussion on ReFresh.

Dr Tim talks with Dale Lewis of Reptile Systems about Infrared Heating for reptiles.  Then Dr Tim discusses the ASF MX Pump range with Thomas Bertschy of ASF France.  Finishing, Dr Tims talking about why you get DInoflagellates versus Cyanobacteria and how to get rid of them with better knowledge of water chemistry and using DrTim's Aquatics Re-Fresh and Waste-Away.

Dr Tim is joined by Thomas Bertschy of @ASF about the ASF test kits and the importance of using test kits to maintain water quality and fish health.  Then Dr Tim speaks with Dale Lewis of @Reptile Systems who talks out the New Dawn light systems for growing plants.  Finishing Dr Tim talks about AquaCleanse our product to eliminate chlorine, chloramines and ammonia for your water and First Defense which is a great overall water conditioner and stress relief agent.

Dr Tim talks with Thomas from ASF about Reef Shots and Dale from Reptile Systems about the Ferguson Zone.  Then Dr Tim explains the thinking behind the Waste-Away® Gels.

Dr Tim talks salt production with Thomas from ASF and Ferguson Zone for Reptiles with Dale from reptile systems

Besides our Flagship DrTim's Aquatics Product we also help develop and then import and distribute products for Aquarium Systems France (ASF) and Reptile Systems.  Who are these brands and what values do they represent ?  Find out in the podcast.

Do you have a question? Send us an email at info@drtimsaquatics.com   Timestamps: 00:00 Start 05:46 - 1 - Does the Ammonium Chloride have a shelf life ? Stored how ? 07:34 - 2 - Does the AquaClense have a shelf life ? Stored how ? 10:17 - 3 - Biopellets and the waste away. 14:00 - 4 - One & Only Nitrifying storage at room temperature and in a 35 degree fridge  16:37 - 5 - Should I stop using carbon during treatment with your re-fresh and waste-away? 17:05 - 6 -  Why hasn't my ammonia changed?  21:27 - 7 - How long does it take for the PhosEliminator to work?  27:13 - 8 - Your fishless method says to use detoxified or non ro/di water, are you referring to just plain ole tap water? 33:04- 9 - For the first defense and eco balance recipe, is it normal if the solution isn't cloudy after 24 hours?  33:49 - 10 - I don’t have a UV light, skimmer or filter sock. What happens if my tank gets cloudy after using Re-Fresh and Waste-Away?  39:41 - 11 - My ammonia is not dropping and I have not seen any nitrites or nitrates. I’m on day 14. What’s going on?

Do you have a question? Send us an email at info@drtimsaquatics.com Timestamps: 00:00 Start 03:42 Intro 04:53 Acute vs chronic toxicity    06:12 Measuring toxicity   08:40 Freshwater vs Saltwater 12:05 Lisa Steiner Work Loss of Ammonia oxidase 15:56 Why do you experience a stall during cycling? 21:16 When to test  25:41 Nitrate is toxic 27:00 Chronic nitrate 38:09 Phosphate and the redfield ratio

Do you have a question? Send us an email at info@drtimsaquatics.com   Timestamps: 00:00 Start 04:39 - 1 - Age of fish 06:05 - 2 - Can I use bio media from another tank and One and Only at the same time to start a tank? Can I add the whole bottle of One and Only? 09:27 - 3 - Are mollies jumpers? Are they hardy fish? 11:50 - 4 - Help getting rid of algae in a tank with HIGH nitrates and phosphates 18:25 - 5 - Can I add a fish at maybe 5 days in even If I am not cycled? 20:54 - 6 -  How long before I can turn the lights on? I don’t want to get the uglies!  23:53 - 7 - When is it safe to add corals to a new tank? 27:06 - 8 - Would it be beneficial, after cycling & adding fish to just start using Waste Away gel? 29:24- 9 - How long do I leave the filters and lights off? Also do I not put live sand in when I cycle it? 32:03 - 10 - What products are good for after the cycle to prevent ugly stage and when do I add it? 35:40 - 11 - During the Waste Away/Refresh treatment for dinos, is it ok to run the skimmer with the cup off to overflow back into the tank to maintain oxygenation? While the skimmer is off, would it hurt anything to run an air stone in its place to ensure good oxygenation? 39:14 - 12 - After not having any since day 9, on day 15 my nitrite is 2.0. What should I do? Should I add One and Only again?

Do you have a question? Send us an email at info@drtimsaquatics.com   Timestamps: 00:00 Start 01:40 - 1 - I accidentally added too much Waste Away Gel to my tank. What steps do I need to take next? 04:10 - 2 - I have a Seachem Tidal 55 filter. This filter has a built in skimmer. Should I tape off the filter or leave as is? 05:08 - 3 - If the Prime is converting ammonia to ammonium, isn't ammonium less than ideal for beneficial bacteria to utilize? 10:16 - 4 - Will your tank still go through the ugly brown stage when using nitrifying bacteria in a saltwater fish only tank? 11:31 - 5 - I am not quite ready to add fish since they are not out of quarantine, should I continue to dose ammonia to feed bacteria until I can add fish? If so how much? 15:34 - 6 - How long can bacteria go without food? 18:36 - 7 - Is it ok to put plants in a tank before fishless cycling? 19:43 - 8 - Somewhere on your site I read that after subtracting 20% for substrate and decorations, the dosage for a 30 gallon tank would be 1 teaspoon. Is this correct ?  22:01 - 9 - Do I add all the products you recommend to the aquarium or the sump or both? 23:33 - 10 - I just restarted my tank, new CaribSea Reef Rock, Arag Alive new sand, but same ole fish and one hermit crab that survived the move. Do I need to add One and Only? 25:09 - 11 - I added 2 caps of  One and Only to my 10 Gallon on the day it got wet (last Wednesday) then on  Monday, I  added the rest of the entire bottle. Is it safe to add my fish now? 28:47 - 12 - Cycling a bare bottom TMC 60 32:42 - 13 - I used freshwater bacteria in my saltwater tank. Should I do a 100% water change and used saltwater version?   35:43 - 14 - The instructions say to wait 30 minutes after adding First Defence before adding One and Only. My question is, can I wait longer, say, 24 hours or so?

Timestamps:00:00 Start00:53 Introduction1:41 Define Biome5:45 Microbiome of good vs bad13:37 Invasive species18:55 Is more diverse better20:01 What does a microbiome analysis allow us to see

Do you have a question? Send us an email at info@drtimsaquatics.com Timestamps: 00:00 Start 05:31 - 1 - 40 gallon tank,I seeded with live sand and live rock that came from another tank  13:16 - 2 - Day 8 ammonia is almost gone. My nitrite is now reading 5ppm+ and my nitrates are hovering at around 80ppm. Is this a normal stage of the process and I need to be patient or should I do a water change? 14:34 - 3 -How does Waste Away work to remove the nutrients in Freshwater? 20:16 - 4 -My tank has some sludge looking stuff on the surface- dinos maybe, it scrubs right off and is kinda flaky if that makes sense, it's not attached at all. The tank is an all in one with no skimmer. Would you recommend just refresh or waste way? 23:22 - 5 -Is it possible to just convert over to saltwater by adding the saltwater bacteria? 24:41 - 6 - The Red Sea test kit for my reef tank cycling. The test kit provides ammonia results in NH3/NH4 format. However, the quick guide I'm following on your website indicates a NH3-n/NO2-N measurement? Is there some type of conversion I need to do?? 25:57 - 7 -Can I use First Defense in a QT tank that is dosed with copper? 29:36 - 8 -  We have also done 3 cycles of the recipe for success of Re-Fresh and Waste-away. The algae gets a little better but then bounces right back. We have struggled with Algae for years!

Do you have a question? Send us an email at info@drtimsaquatics.com Timestamps: 00:00 Start 05:31 - 1 - How do you lower nitrates quickly besides doing a water change?  13:16 - 2 - When I added One and Only, there was no "cloudiness". Is this ok/normal? 14:34 - 3 - My numbers stalled out on day 9 of my fishless cycle. Is this normal? 20:16 - 4 - How much One & Only do I use for these water changes? 23:22 - 5 - Accidentally added ammonia to 8ppm. Have I stalled my cycle or killed the bacteria? 24:41 - 6 - Which of your products, if any, benefit from being refrigerated for longer storage life? 25:57 - 7 - What is the approximate length of time before I’d need to add ammonium chloride to maintain the bacteria that developed during the cycling? If there is an extended delay before we can get the fish we are seeking, I don't want the aquarium to have been fallow for long enough that we lose the nitrifying bacteria. 29:36 - 8 -  Do I need to turn the skimmer on for any period of time, during the treatment for dinos? If so, how long should I run it? 31:35 - 9 - I recently used ReFresh to treat cyano and my water turned green. 35:44 - 10 - When and would you treat with waste away and then use the gel pack as maintenance? Would you use the aqua cleanse initially?

Do you have a question? Send us an email at info@drtimsaquatics.com Timestamps: 00:00 Start 01:33 History of ASF   6:23 Clownfish  6:55 Turning a passion into business  7:33 Our reason why  9:55 Product Testing 19:32 ASF and Reptile Systems warranties  21:35 Italian made pumps  25:19 Reef Shots  29:25 Where to find Reptile Systems and ASF products  33:43 New Reptile Systems products for the US market in 2024   ReptileSystems.com AquariumSystems.com DrTimsAquatics.com   US Socials:  @reptile_systems_us @asf_usa  @drtimsaquatics    European Socials @reptile_systems @asf_aquariumsystems 

Do you have a question? Send us an email at info@drtimsaquatics.com Timestamps: 00:00 Start 10:43 - 1 - Is it ok to use Dr Tim’s First Defense when treating salt water fish with copper?  11:27 - 2 - Can I use eco balance and waste away at the same time to treat sludge? 16:41 - 3 - Is it ok to use ozone with your products? 20:21 - 4 - Are the menhaden, salmon, river shrimp and Gammarus in your Benefishal fish food farm-raised or wild caught? 21:02 - 5 - What is your reasoning behind not keeping Red Tails? 26:41 - 6 - How do I clear algae from my tank without using so many chemicals? 34:18 - 7 - What species of fish successfully use the mop heads to lay eggs? 36:18 - 8 - Can I use the waste away gel in my planted tank if I’m running CO2? 37:00 - 9 - Fish facts  39:16 - 10 Is there a probability for the sturgeon to get an infection on the wound from caviar removal?

Do you have a story to share about your pond or aquarium and extreme weather? Send us an email at info@drtimsaquatics.com Timestamps: 00:00 Start 00:53 Intro   1:12  Things you should know about bacteria in aquariums  09:38 What products need the winter shipping kit 10:58 My product arrived and it’s slushy. Is it still good? 11:20 What to do with a frozen or slushy product 17:16 My tank is cycled, but my livestock hasn’t arrived 22:09 Waste Away Gels and the cold 25:45 Aquarium equipment and the cold 31:13 Koi ponds and the cold 32:31 Winter preparedness

Do you have a question? Send us an email at info@drtimsaquatics.com   Timestamps: 00:00 Start 1:14 - 1 -  During the cycling process, do I run my return pump and keep it running?  02:42 - 2 -  What size Waste-Away gel should I use in my Fluval 13.5? 05:51 - 3 - Day 25 of a fishless cycle. Am I cycled and do I need to do a 90% water change? 08:23 - 4 -  Do I turn off my return pump when I add one and only? When do I turn it back on? 09:20 - 5 - Day 8 of cycling with no changes, what’s wrong? 12:54 - 6 - How much Waste-Away should I use and how often in my mixed reef? 17:24 - 7 - Can I use One and Only to soak the rocks and establish nitrifying bacteria culture after a crash?  18:44 - 8 - Tank is 6 mos old. 0 nitrate and phosphate, rapid increase in cyano and algae lately. Can I use EcoBalance and Waste-Away instead of Re-Fresh?  23:55 - 9 - Can I use one and only freshwater for a saltwater tank?

Timestamps: 00:00 Start 00:35 Introduction 01:27 Basic Coral Morphology 02:11 Different Feeding Strategies 04:15 Autotrophy 06:30 Photosynthesis 15:25 Heterotrophy 17:27 Direct uptake of seawater 24:10 Corals and amino acids 24:36 Coral nitrogen budget 29:11 Feeding Brine Shrimp 31:50 Bacteria, its what corals want 35:26 External feeding