Use One & Only when setting up a new tank, after a water change, cleaning your filter, when adding new fish and after a disease treatment to control ammonia and nitrite.The key to setting up a successful aquarium is to quickly convert the fish waste to a non-toxic form. This is done by nitrifying bacteria.
Under normal conditions it can take 30 to 45 days for these bacteria to become naturally established in a newly set-up aquarium.
Unfortunately, during this time period, ammonia and nitrite can increase to levels toxic to fish – a process called New Tank Syndrome.
For years, it was assumed that two particular species of nitrifying bacteria were responsible for this process but original scientific research by Dr. Timothy Hovanec showed this not to be the case.
This is one reason why nitrification products have failed to work in the past.
Our nitrifying bacteria are the result of the latest scientific research and are used by public aquariums and professionals around the world.
Cannot be overdosed.
Reef Safe.
FAQs about Dr Tim’s One & Only Nitrifying Bacteria
What is One & Only Nitrifying Bacteria?
One & Only Nitrifying Bacteria is the latest mixture of nitrifying bacteria by Dr Timothy Hovanec. There are formulations available for freshwater aquaria, saltwater aquaria, reef, nano, and seahorse aquaria, and koi ponds and water gardens. One & Only will quickly establish a functioning biological filter in your aquarium, allowing you to immediately add fish to your tank.
What will One & Only do for me?
One & Only is designed for one job – to quickly establish a biofilter in your newly set-up aquarium so that your fish do not experience New Tank Syndrome (NTS), which is when the water contains such high levels of ammonia and/or nitrite that your fish die. One & Only does this by containing species of ammonia- and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria that prefer to live in the fish tank environment. One & Only is not a sludge buster nor will One & Only remove nitrate. One & Only will maintain ammonia and nitrite below toxic concentrations and establish a fully functioning biological filter in less than half the time of a similar but non-dosed aquarium.
How should One & Only be added to the aquaria?
Before adding One & Only to your tank, make sure the water has been dechlorinated. Research has shown that One & Only can be safely used with DrTim’s Aquatics’ AquaCleanse tapwater detoxifier. Other dechlorinators can be used but some are actually harmful to One & Only: do not use any product that contains aldehydes in its formula. UV-sterilizers and protein skimmers should be turned off before adding One & Only and remain off for 36-48 hours after dosing.
It is important to shake the bottle well before adding One & Only. If you see only a clear liquid you have not shaken One & Only well enough. Pour the One & Only over the biological filter media in your biofilter. If you do not have dedicated filter media it is fine to pour the liquid into the fish tank water.
When should One & Only be added?
One & Only should be added after the tank has been set up. At this point the water should have reached the proper temperature and have been dechlorinated. Start the filter and make sure it is functioning and then add One & Only. Fish should be added within 24 hours of adding One & Only nitrifying bacteria. An alternative to adding fish is to add some ammonia to the water.
How many fish can I add to the aquarium after dosing with One & Only?
This is the hardest question to answer because every situation is different. One & Only will dramatically reduce the time it takes to establish a biofilter in your newly set-up aquarium. However, even One & Only has limits.
For instance, if you set up a saltwater tank and use uncured live rock, One & Only may not be able to initially control the ammonia concentration in the water because there will be too much decay of organic matter from the uncured live rock.
Or if you let every friend of your kids feed the new fish tank such that you are grossly overfeeding the tank, One & Only will not be able to maintain low levels of ammonia and nitrite.
Also, some fish species are very sensitive to any amount of ammonia in the water so these fish should be added to the tank in the first 20 or so days after set-up.
In general, you can add one giant danio-sized fish per gallon when initially dosing with One & Only. Feed normally and monitor ammonia and nitrite levels in the water. You might see a little ammonia or nitrite for a day or so but this will quickly disappear. You can then add more fish to the aquarium.
How is One & Only different from other bacterial additives?
One & Only Nitrifying Bacteria is different than other bacterial mixes on the market today for a variety of reasons: