Setting Up A New Aquarium

Written by Leon Huang

Saturday, 25 June 2005

Article Index 1. Location of your aquarium 2. Any gravel? 3. Preparing your water 4. Setting up your filter 5. What is cycling? 6. Starting the cycling process 7. The wait 8. Acclimatizing your new fishes 9. Observing your fishes 10. Conclusion Page 5 of 10 What is cycling? “Cycling” is the process where bacteria break down ammonia(NH3) into nitrite(NO2), and from nitrite to nitrate(NO3). Ammonia  and nitrite are both very toxic to fishes, and nitrate being the least toxic of the three. Therefore this process is the most important for any aquarium. The nitrosomonas species of bacteria starts forming when ammonia is present. They form all around our fish tank, the driftwoods, the substrate, and especially inside our filter. Slowly, they will form into a colony large enough to efficiently breakdown ammonia into nitrite. When nitrite in the water has reached a certain level, the Nitrobacter species of bacteria starts forming. Slowly, they will breakdown the nitrite into nitrate. And finally, nitrate in the water can be removed via the most common and cost-effective method, water changes. In a nutshell: Ammonia > Nitrite > Nitrate << Prev - Next >>