catalyst
Practical Guide — How to Use the Hydra Catalyst System - English
Complete Guide — Hydra Catalyst System - Español
Complete Guide — Hydra Catalyst System - English
Portuguese
🇬🇧 Practical guide — How to use Hydra Catalyst System
(Cycling without fauna — step by step)
⚠️ Important before starting
The Hydra Catalyst System should be used Only in aquariums without fauna during the cycling phase.
The introduction of fish should only occur after confirmation that the cycle is complete.
🟢 Step 1 — Prepare the aquarium
Before starting the dosage:
- ✔ Install the filter with biological media (ceramic, sponges, K1, etc.)
- ✔ Guarantee good oxygenation (good filter flow and, if possible, air stone)
- ✔ Adjust the pH, ideally between 7.2 and 8.0
- ✔ Guarantee stable kh To avoid pH drops
- ✔ Reduce lighting or start in dark start
👉 The better these conditions are, the faster and more stable the cycle will be.
🟢 Step 2 — Inoculation (strongly recommended)
Adding bacteria from day one significantly accelerates cycling.
Choose one of the options (or match):
✔ Aquarium media already cycled (best option)
Add ceramics or sponges to a mature aquarium to the filter.
✔ Squeeze a mature filter sponge
Squeeze the sponge in a container with aquarium water and pour this water directly into the new aquarium filter.
✔ Hydra Biocore
Add according to the recommended dosage of the product to introduce selected bacterial strains.
⚠️ Always ensure that the inoculated material is in areas of Good flow and oxygenation.
🟢 Step 3 — Lighting and Plants
During cycling:
- ✔ Keep light reduced or off
- ✔ Avoid dense planting at first
Plants consume ammonia and can:
- Delay bacterial growth
- make it difficult to read the tests correctly
If you prefer, plant after cycling or start with only a few plants.
🟢 Step 4 — Start dosing
Day 1
After preparing and inoculating the system, dosage is not required on this day.
from day 2 — daily dosage
Every day, add:
- 5 ml Catalyst One per 100 L
- 5 ml of Catalyst Two per 100 L
Apply always both parts And, if possible, at the same time every day.
During this phase:
- ❌ Do not change water
- ❌ Do not clean the filter
🟢 Step 5 — First Tests (day 8)
In the 8th day, test 24 hours after the last dose:
- Ammonia (NH₃/NH₄⁺)
- nitrite (NO₂⁻)
Possible results:
✅ Full cycle
- Ammonia ≈ 0 ppm
- nitrite ≈ 0 ppm
→ The aquarium can already process the biological charge.
⏳ Cycle still under development
- still detectable ammonia and/or nitrite
→ Continue the daily dosage and repeat the tests after 3 days.
Repeat this process until both are zero at 24 hours after the dose.
🟢 Step 6 — After the full cycle
When ammonia and nitrite reach 0 ppm in 24h:
- Perform a partial water exchange to reduce nitrates if necessary
- Adjust lighting to normal regimen
- Introduce plants (if not already present)
- introduce the fauna gradually
For biological reinforcement and greater long-term stability, it is recommended to use biocore hydra after cycling.
⚠️ Important recommendations
- ✔ Maintain high oxygenation throughout the process
- ✔ Avoid strong light in the early stages
- ✔ Monitor PH whenever possible
- ✔ Do not enter fauna before complete confirmation of the cycle
- ✔ Avoid deep filter cleaning during cycling
❓ If the process does not evolve as expected
If after several days the ammonia and nitrites do not go down:
- Check for sufficient oxygenation
- Confirm that the pH is not too low
- Ensuring that both parts of Catalyst are being used correctly
- Strengthen inoculation with mature media or Hydra Biocore
spanish
🇪🇸 Practical guide — how to use Hydra Catalyst System
(cycled Sin fauna — paso a paso)
⚠️ Important before embarking
Hydra Catalyst System should use soil in acuarios sin fauna during the cycle phase.
Los peces solo deben introducirse después to confirm that the cycle is complete.
🟢 Paso 1 — Prepare El Acuario
Before starting the dosificación:
- ✔ Install the biologic with biological media (ceramic, sponges, K1, etc.)
- ✔ Guarantee good oxygenation (Buen Caudal del Filter Y, Si Es Posible, Piedra Difusora)
- ✔ Adjust EL PH, ideally between 7.2 Y 8.0
- ✔ Guarantee kh stable To avoid pH drops
- ✔ Reducir La Iluminação o Start en dark start
👉 Cuanto Mejores Sean These conditions, but fast and stable will be el cyclado.
🟢 Paso 2 — Inoculation (recommended muy)
Introducing bacteria from the primer day significantly accelerates the process.
Elige una de las siguientes options (O Combinalas):
✔ Filtering Medios from Acuario Ya cyclado (Mejor Opción)
añadir al Filter Ceramicas o Sponges of a Maduro acuario.
✔ Express a mature filter sponge
express the sponge in a container with water del acuario y pouring this water directly in the filter of the acuario.
✔ Hydra Biocore
añadir after the recommended dosificación del producto to introduce selected bacterial strains.
⚠️ Assecure Siempre Que El Inocado Material Quede en Zones of Buen Flujo and Oxigenacion.
🟢 Paso 3 — Iluminação y Plantas
during the cycle:
- ✔ Maintain La Luz Reduced O Erased
- ✔ Avoid dense plantation in the beginning
las plants consuming ammonia y peden:
- retrace the bacterial crecimiento
- make it difficult to correct the correct lectura de los test
If you prefer, plant después del cyclado or start soil with plants.
🟢 Paso 4 — Start la dosificación
day 1
Después of preparing and inoculating the system, in the need of this day.
from del Día 2 — Daily Dosification
Every day Añadir:
- 5 ml of Catalyst One for every 100 L
- 5 ml of Catalyst Two for every 100 L
Apply always both parties y, si es posible, a la misma hour all the days.
During this phase:
- ❌ No water exchanges
- ❌ NO CLEANING THE FILTER
🟢 Paso 5 — Primeros Test (Día 8)
but day 8, test 24 hours after the last dosis:
- Ammonia (NH₃/NH₄⁺)
- nitrite (NO₂⁻)
Posible Results:
✅ Full cycle
- Ammonia ≈ 0 ppm
- nitrite ≈ 0 ppm
→ El acuario ya could process the biological load.
⏳ Aún en desarrollo cycle
- Ammonia Y/O nitrite detectables
→ Continue la dosificación diaria y repeat los test tras 3 days.
Repeat until both Lleguen at 0 ppm and 24 h after the dosis.
🟢 Paso 6 — Después del Ciclo Complete
when ammoniac y nitrite esten at 0 ppm en 24 h:
- Carry out a partial exchange of water to reduce nitrates if necessary
- Adjust La Iluminacion Al Régimen Normal
- introduce plants (Si aún no present)
- introduce the fauna gradually
For Refuerzo Biológico y Mayor Estabilidad Largo Plazo, it is recomended the use of biocore hydra tras ciclado.
⚠️ Important recommendations
- ✔ Maintaining high oxygenation throughout El Proceso
- ✔ Avoid intense light in the primeras phases
- ✔ Control the PH Siempre Que Sea Posible
- ✔ NO INTRODUCIR PECES BEFORE CONFIRMING EL COMPLETE CYCLE
- ✔ Avoid deep cleaning of the filter during the cycle
❓ Si el proceso does not evolve as expected
Si tras several days el ammonia y el nitrite in the disminuyen:
- check that enough oxygenation hay
- confirm that El ph is not too low
- ensure that both parts of the catalyst are using correctly
- reforzing la inoculation with mature hydra biocore
english
🇬🇧 Practical Guide — How to Use Hydra Catalyst System
(Fishless Cycling — Step by Step)
⚠️ Important Before You Start
Hydra Catalyst System Must Be Used only in aquariums without livestock during the cycling phase.
Fish should only be introduced after confirming that the cycle is complete.
🟢 Step 1 — Prepare The Aquarium
Before starting dosing:
- ✔ Install the Filter with Biological Media (Ceramics, Sponges, K1, etc.)
- ✔ Ensure good oxygenation (strong filter flow and, if possible, air stone)
- ✔ Adjust PH, Ideally Between 7.2 and 8.0
- ✔ Ensure stable kh to avoid ph drops
- ✔ Reduce Lighting or Start With dark start
👉 The Better These Conditions, The Faster and More Stable the Cycling Process.
🟢 Step 2 — Inoculation (Strongly Recommended)
Adding Bacteria from Day One Significantly Speeds Up Cycling.
Choose one of the following options (or match them):
✔ Filter Media from an Established Aquarium (best option)
add Ceramic Rings or Sponge from a mature aquarium to your filter.
✔ Squeezing Mature Filter Sponge
Squeeze the sponge into a container with aquarium water and pour that water directly into the new aquarium filter.
✔ Hydra Biocore
Dose according to product instructions to introduce selected bacterial strains.
⚠️ Always ensure inoculated material is placed in areas with strong flow and oxygenation.
🟢 Step 3 — Lighting and Plants
during cycling:
- ✔ Keep Lighting Low or Turned Off
- ✔ Avoid Heavy Planting at the Beginning
Plants consumes ammonia and may:
- Slow Bacterial Development
- interferes with accurate test readings
if preferred, plant after cycling or start with minimal planting.
🟢 Step 4 — Start dosing
day 1
After preparing and inoculating the system, no dosing is required on this day.
From Day 2 — Daily Dosing
every day add:
- 5 ml of Catalyst One Per 100 L
- 5 ml of Catalyst Two Per 100 L
always apply both parts, preferably at the same time each day.
during this phase:
- ❌ Do Not Perform Water Changes
- ❌ Do Not Clean the Filter
🟢 Step 5 — First Tests (Day 8)
on day 8, test 24 hours after the last dose:
- Ammonia (NH₃/NH₄⁺)
- nitrite (NO₂⁻)
possible results:
✅ Cycle Complete
- Ammonia ≈ 0 ppm
- nitrite ≈ 0 ppm
→ The Aquarium can now process biological waste.
⏳ Cycle still in progress
- detectable ammonia and/or nitrite
→ Continue Daily Dosing and Repeat Tests After 3 more days.
Repeat until Reach 0 ppm within 24 h after dosing.
🟢 Step 6 — After the Cycle Is Complete
once ammonia and nitrite are 0 ppm within 24 h:
- perform a partial water change to reduce nitrates if needed
- adjust lighting to normal schedule
- add plants (if not already present)
- Introduce Livestock gradually
for additional biological reinforcement and long-term stability, biocore hydra is recommended after cycling.
⚠️ Important Recommendations
- ✔ Maintain High Oxygen Levels Throughout the Process
- ✔ Avoid Strong Lighting during Early Stages
- ✔ PH Whenever possible monitor
- ✔ Do not add fish before full cycle
- ✔ AVOID DEEP FILTER CLEANING DURING CYCLING
❓ If progress is slower than expected
if ammonia and nitrite do not decree after several days:
- Check Oxygenation Levels
- Ensure ph is not too low
- confirm both catalyst parts are being dosed correctly
- Reinforce Inoculation with Mature Media or Hydra Biocore