Cycling the Tropical Aquarium - A Guide to Setting Up Tropical Aquariums
When we talk about cycling the tropical aquarium it may sound quite daunting, but the procedure is actually very straightforward.
All that is needed is a basic understanding of the nitrogen cycle, and ph, nitrite and nitrate testing kits.
If you don't want to go to the expense of buying these kits, don't worry.
Local fish stockists will often test samples of aquarium water for free.
Don't be afraid to ask! Animal waste and decaying food create nitrogen, which turns into ammonia.
Ammonia is deadly to fish.
Good bacteria turns ammonia into nitrites, and then into nitrates.
Nitrates can also be harmful to fish, but are absorbed by live plants, completing the cycle.
Good bacteria are present in the filter media of an established tropical fish tank.
When you start out from scratch, the amounts of good bacteria in your tank will be negligible.
Fish added at this point will produce ammonia and, as there is insufficient beneficial bacteria to process it, ammonia will build up and your fish's health may suffer.
Ultimately, they may die.
You can get the good bacteria off to a flying start by adding a cupful of gravel from an established tank.
Take care to make sure that the fish in the source tank are healthy, otherwise you might also be introducing disease.
Media from the filter of a healthy cycled tank will be the quickest way to build up good bacteria in your new aquarium, but if neither the gravel nor filter media are an option, it is perfectly OK to start from scratch - it will just take a little bit longer.
Beneficial bacteria are everywhere; once you have a source of ammonia in your tank, good bacteria will establish a colony in your filter.
To begin, fill your tank up with water (be sure to add a dechlorinator first) and switch on the equipment, including the filter, and any air pump and setting the temperature to 80 degrees.
You now need to start off the ammonia cycle.
This can be achieved by dropping a few flakes of fish food into the aquarium every twelve hours.
When the tank is cycling, ammonia levels will rise, ultimately quite sharply.
Once they have 'spiked', they will fall again.
Then nitrites will begin to rise.
Again these spike, and trail off.
Finally, nitrates then begin to rise.
Once these are being produced, you have established a bed of good bacteria.
Your tank has cycled and you're ready for everyone's favourite part - choosing the fish!
All that is needed is a basic understanding of the nitrogen cycle, and ph, nitrite and nitrate testing kits.
If you don't want to go to the expense of buying these kits, don't worry.
Local fish stockists will often test samples of aquarium water for free.
Don't be afraid to ask! Animal waste and decaying food create nitrogen, which turns into ammonia.
Ammonia is deadly to fish.
Good bacteria turns ammonia into nitrites, and then into nitrates.
Nitrates can also be harmful to fish, but are absorbed by live plants, completing the cycle.
Good bacteria are present in the filter media of an established tropical fish tank.
When you start out from scratch, the amounts of good bacteria in your tank will be negligible.
Fish added at this point will produce ammonia and, as there is insufficient beneficial bacteria to process it, ammonia will build up and your fish's health may suffer.
Ultimately, they may die.
You can get the good bacteria off to a flying start by adding a cupful of gravel from an established tank.
Take care to make sure that the fish in the source tank are healthy, otherwise you might also be introducing disease.
Media from the filter of a healthy cycled tank will be the quickest way to build up good bacteria in your new aquarium, but if neither the gravel nor filter media are an option, it is perfectly OK to start from scratch - it will just take a little bit longer.
Beneficial bacteria are everywhere; once you have a source of ammonia in your tank, good bacteria will establish a colony in your filter.
To begin, fill your tank up with water (be sure to add a dechlorinator first) and switch on the equipment, including the filter, and any air pump and setting the temperature to 80 degrees.
You now need to start off the ammonia cycle.
This can be achieved by dropping a few flakes of fish food into the aquarium every twelve hours.
When the tank is cycling, ammonia levels will rise, ultimately quite sharply.
Once they have 'spiked', they will fall again.
Then nitrites will begin to rise.
Again these spike, and trail off.
Finally, nitrates then begin to rise.
Once these are being produced, you have established a bed of good bacteria.
Your tank has cycled and you're ready for everyone's favourite part - choosing the fish!