Cycling You Tank
Doesn't matter on what type of aquatic life you are keeping its defiantly a good idea to cycle your tank. Cycling your tank can be a scary thing for some people because they have no idea what it means or how to cycle their tank. Hopefully this will help you out.
Why Cycle Your tank? What Does It Mean?
Cycling your tank is very important. When your tank is cycled it means that there is a established filtration system that contains the good bacteria the water needs to turn toxic natural occurring chemicals such as nitrate and ammonia, which come from left over food and poop, into a non toxic forms. If you do not cycle your new tank these toxic levels will increase and will poison your fish.
How To cycle your tank
With Aquatic Life
Some people find that cycling with aquatic life is cruel but if done properly will not harm your pet at all. After you put your water in your tank you want to let it sit for about a week. This is to let any chemicals in your tap water to evaporate. Time will be less or more than a week depending on the source your water comes from in your area. Once you have let your water set you can now add your pet into the tank. Since the tank in not cycles its very important to under populate your tank to avoid a jump in bacteria. When feeding your fish make sure you do not over feed and take out any uneaten food immediately. Immediately take out any poop out of the tank. Make sure you do water testing every day. If the reading are way out of wack you may need to preform a large water change. Adding live plants to your tank will help absorb harmful chemicals.
Speed Cycling
Speed cycling is a great way to save your self time and possible avoid problems down the line. In order to speed cycle you will already need to have a tank set up or a friend with a fish tank that is already cycled of course. First if you are using a filter you may want to add your filter to the existing tank so it is exposed to those beneficial bacteria and can start culturing in the new filter. You would want to add water from the already cycled into the new tank along with some decor that's been in the cycled tank for a while. fill about half the tank with water from the tap (that has already been sitting) in the tank, then add about 25% of cycled water from the other tank and the following 25% the next day. This is done because the water already contains the bacteria needed in it and the rocks and decor already has the beneficial bacteria growing on it. The same day you add the first portion of the water also add the filter that has been running in the cycled tank. When preforming water changes put 75% tap water and 25% cycled water. For example if you take out 4 gallons of water replace it will 3 gallons of dechlorinated and 1 gallon of cycled water. Test your water ever single day and make sure your readings are normal.
Chemically Cycling
Chemically Cycling your tank is when you add chemicals to your tank to cycle it. These chemicals are specifically made to cycle your tank, they are not house hold materials that you just pour into your tank and it magically cycles it. These chemicals are known as biochemicals which contain many beneficial bacteria and nutrients. Most pet stores that stock aquatic supplies will stock biochemicals. Iv personally used these biochemicals to cycle my original tank. The biochemicals iv used is the Big Al's biochemicals ( yellow, blue and red bottle), it worked great for me and didn't have a problem or crash.
Cycling your tank is very important. When your tank is cycled it means that there is a established filtration system that contains the good bacteria the water needs to turn toxic natural occurring chemicals such as nitrate and ammonia, which come from left over food and poop, into a non toxic forms. If you do not cycle your new tank these toxic levels will increase and will poison your fish.
How To cycle your tank
With Aquatic Life
Some people find that cycling with aquatic life is cruel but if done properly will not harm your pet at all. After you put your water in your tank you want to let it sit for about a week. This is to let any chemicals in your tap water to evaporate. Time will be less or more than a week depending on the source your water comes from in your area. Once you have let your water set you can now add your pet into the tank. Since the tank in not cycles its very important to under populate your tank to avoid a jump in bacteria. When feeding your fish make sure you do not over feed and take out any uneaten food immediately. Immediately take out any poop out of the tank. Make sure you do water testing every day. If the reading are way out of wack you may need to preform a large water change. Adding live plants to your tank will help absorb harmful chemicals.
Speed Cycling
Speed cycling is a great way to save your self time and possible avoid problems down the line. In order to speed cycle you will already need to have a tank set up or a friend with a fish tank that is already cycled of course. First if you are using a filter you may want to add your filter to the existing tank so it is exposed to those beneficial bacteria and can start culturing in the new filter. You would want to add water from the already cycled into the new tank along with some decor that's been in the cycled tank for a while. fill about half the tank with water from the tap (that has already been sitting) in the tank, then add about 25% of cycled water from the other tank and the following 25% the next day. This is done because the water already contains the bacteria needed in it and the rocks and decor already has the beneficial bacteria growing on it. The same day you add the first portion of the water also add the filter that has been running in the cycled tank. When preforming water changes put 75% tap water and 25% cycled water. For example if you take out 4 gallons of water replace it will 3 gallons of dechlorinated and 1 gallon of cycled water. Test your water ever single day and make sure your readings are normal.
Chemically Cycling
Chemically Cycling your tank is when you add chemicals to your tank to cycle it. These chemicals are specifically made to cycle your tank, they are not house hold materials that you just pour into your tank and it magically cycles it. These chemicals are known as biochemicals which contain many beneficial bacteria and nutrients. Most pet stores that stock aquatic supplies will stock biochemicals. Iv personally used these biochemicals to cycle my original tank. The biochemicals iv used is the Big Al's biochemicals ( yellow, blue and red bottle), it worked great for me and didn't have a problem or crash.
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