There are millions, if not billions of people that enjoy fish keeping as a hobby. Many of them mastered the art and can tell you that owning and maintaining an aquarium is cake.. What is there to know right?
Fill the tank, run a filter, and throw the fish in.. Sounds right, right? WRONG!
The key to running an awesome aquarium boils down to a few things that you must understand. Failure to do so will be the main contributing factor of your fish becoming ill or in most cases, dying.
Remember i am learning just as must as you are as i am writing this thread, so read up as i write on.
THE NITROGEN CYCLE
Many call it nitrification, startup cycle, break-in cycle, biological cycle, or cycling.
Whatever you call it, there are some key elements that you must know-
Why must you cycle the tank?
-When you cycle your aquarium you allow colonies of bacteria to form in the filter, whether it be bio-wheels, bio-balls, ceramic rings, dish scrubbers, etc..
Bacteria!? Who wants bacteria!? I thought bacteria was bad!
-There are certain types of bacteria that are benificial to the aquarium. They are called benificial bacteria and are comprised of different types of nitrofers. They help break down harmful elements into less harmful elements.
So how do you start this cycle?
-In order to start this cycling process you must have fish in the aquarium, or you must artificially add ammonia.
-Fish feces, urine, as well as any uneaten food, are quickly broken down into either ionized or unionized ammonia.
-Ionized Ammonium, Ammonium (NH4), pH below 7 (ok)
-Unionized Ammonia, Ammonia (NH3), pH above 7 (not ok, TOXIC!!)
-Ammonia usually starts rising after the 3rd day of adding fish
So how do i get rid of ammonia!?
They do it for you!
-Nitrosomonas bacteria oxidize the ammonia and break it down into nitrite.
-Good news- the ammonia is eliminated
-Bad news- you now hove nitrite in your aquarium
-Nitrite levels as low as 1 mg/l can be lethal to some fish.
-Nitrite usually begins rising by the end of the first week after introducing fish.
So how do i get rid of Nitrites?
They do it for you!
-Nitrobacter bacteria convert the nitrites into nitrates.
-Nitrates arent as harmful in moderate amounts.
Now you must do your part!
*Check your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels on a weekly basis.
*Do partial water changes to keep the harmful elements in check.
*There are other ways to manage your nitrigen cycle with out losing your beloved fish.
<all information was retrieved from about.com "Freshaqaurium:The nitrogen cycle"
<Thankyou bderick67, and JakeH for the tough love.. i did some research.
Feel free to add or specify...
Fill the tank, run a filter, and throw the fish in.. Sounds right, right? WRONG!
The key to running an awesome aquarium boils down to a few things that you must understand. Failure to do so will be the main contributing factor of your fish becoming ill or in most cases, dying.
Remember i am learning just as must as you are as i am writing this thread, so read up as i write on.
THE NITROGEN CYCLE
Many call it nitrification, startup cycle, break-in cycle, biological cycle, or cycling.
Whatever you call it, there are some key elements that you must know-
Why must you cycle the tank?
-When you cycle your aquarium you allow colonies of bacteria to form in the filter, whether it be bio-wheels, bio-balls, ceramic rings, dish scrubbers, etc..
Bacteria!? Who wants bacteria!? I thought bacteria was bad!
-There are certain types of bacteria that are benificial to the aquarium. They are called benificial bacteria and are comprised of different types of nitrofers. They help break down harmful elements into less harmful elements.
So how do you start this cycle?
-In order to start this cycling process you must have fish in the aquarium, or you must artificially add ammonia.
-Fish feces, urine, as well as any uneaten food, are quickly broken down into either ionized or unionized ammonia.
-Ionized Ammonium, Ammonium (NH4), pH below 7 (ok)
-Unionized Ammonia, Ammonia (NH3), pH above 7 (not ok, TOXIC!!)
-Ammonia usually starts rising after the 3rd day of adding fish
So how do i get rid of ammonia!?
They do it for you!
-Nitrosomonas bacteria oxidize the ammonia and break it down into nitrite.
-Good news- the ammonia is eliminated
-Bad news- you now hove nitrite in your aquarium
-Nitrite levels as low as 1 mg/l can be lethal to some fish.
-Nitrite usually begins rising by the end of the first week after introducing fish.
So how do i get rid of Nitrites?
They do it for you!
-Nitrobacter bacteria convert the nitrites into nitrates.
-Nitrates arent as harmful in moderate amounts.
Now you must do your part!
*Check your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels on a weekly basis.
*Do partial water changes to keep the harmful elements in check.
*There are other ways to manage your nitrigen cycle with out losing your beloved fish.
<all information was retrieved from about.com "Freshaqaurium:The nitrogen cycle"
<Thankyou bderick67, and JakeH for the tough love.. i did some research.
Feel free to add or specify...
