Brightwell Aquatics MicrōBacter QuikCycl

Instructions & Guidelines
Instructions to quickly cycle new aquarium without fish:
On Day 1:

Note: DO NOT USE CARBON, GFO or other phosphate removers until cycling is complete and 30 more days has passed! If you do, you will slow the cycle!
a) Turn off skimmer, UV and remove fine filtration such as socks, make sure aquarium has sufficient filtration surface area, such as provided by Brightwell XportTM world class bacterial filtration medium or Micrōbacter LatticeTM.
b) You must use a good dechlorinator first, such as Brightwell Erāse to remove chloramine and chlorine!
c) Prepare water and adjust pH, alkalinity, and temperature
d) Add full dose of QuikCyclTM at 4 drops per gallon or 1 ml per 5 gallons of tank capacity
e) Measure Ammonia which should be between 1 and 2 ppm total ammonia, which is ammonia plus ammonium (NH3 and NH4+). Do not add more to get the proper reading either today or throughout the days that follow. This is because the bacteria will quickly begin to use up the ammonia, and even though added, it will may not show up on your tests.
f) Add MicrōBacter Start XLM, or MicrōBacter Start XLF as appropriate for your aquarium, as directed.

On Day 2: Measure pH, Ammonia and Nitrite and record values.

On Day 3: Measure pH, Ammonia and Nitrite and record values.

On Day 4: Measure pH, Ammonia and Nitrite. If either Ammonia or Nitrite are over .25 ppm, then you can add more bacteria, if desired.

On Day 5: Measure pH, Ammonia and Nitrite and record values

On Day 6: Measure pH, Ammonia and Nitrite. If either Ammonia or Nitrite are over .25 ppm, then you can add more bacteria, if desired.

On Day 7: Measure pH, Ammonia and Nitrite. If using MicrōBacter Start XLM, MicrōBacter Start XLF and your Ammonia and Nitrite show zero, then measure Nitrate. If Nitrate is showing .25 ppm or higher, then your aquarium is cycled. If using any other bacteria, then go to Day 8.

On Day 8: Measure pH, Ammonia and Nitrite and record values.

On Day 9 and subsequent days: Measure pH, Ammonia and Nitrite. If Ammonia + Nitrite value is zero, then measure nitrate and if there is a reading of Nitrate at .25 ppm or higher, then the aquarium is cycled.

At conclusion of cycling, perform a 25% water change and begin adding hardy animals, SLOWLY. Restart UV, skimmer and filtration. Go Slow!