Short answer – yes, the One & Only Live Nitrifying bacteria is still good!
The temperature of nitrifying bacteria is a concern to many people who worry that their One & Only Live bacteria are not good anymore because they arrived warm. This concern is not necessary as our bacteria prefer warmer water temperatures where they grow and remove ammonia and nitrite faster.
If your One & Only Live nitrifying bacteria arrives warm it is still good. We grow the One & Only bacteria at around 85°F (29.4°C). Also the bacteria work better at warmer temperatures so don’t fret about the bacteria being dead. Only if the temperature of the One & Only solution gets above 120°F(49°) will the bacteria start to be harmed (or below 32°F (0°C).
We don’t ship the bacteria cold or pre-chill them, even if you order the cold/hot weather shipping package, because the colder the solution the slower the bacteria work. The goal is to get the cycle established as fast as possible so the bacteria need to be ready for your tank.
Some things not to do with the warm bacteria: don’t even put them in the freezer, don’t immediately put them in a refrigerator and don’t run cold water over the bottle.
Best to store at room temperature and away from direct sunlight. When your tank is ready shake the bottle of One & Only Live Nitrifying bacteria well and pour it in your tank! Of course, make sure the water had been dechlorinated and turn off your skimmer, UV and remove the filter sock for 48 hours. If you are fishless cycling please follow our directions which can be found here.
Remember fishless cycling takes a little longer than the traditional method of adding a few fish after you have added a bottle of One & Only to your tank. Either way is fine.
Good fishkeeping!
Yes, there really is a Dr. Tim. It all started with 2 goldfish won at a school fair at age 6 that didn’t survive their first night in his care. DrTim’s gotten better at fish keeping since then! Read Our Story.