what is all the cycling about!!!!!!!!!

bethie_dawn

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 30, 2006
120
0
0
AR
Everyone keeps talking to me about cycling and I have read past post and look all over websites and books but I still do not get it. I thought cycling was to let your water go through the filter for a few days and I did that then added my fancy guppies. I am totally new at this, I put the fish in the tank over 2 weeks ago and figured everything was find this past week I did lose a female and a fry and started to think I must be doing something wrong.
I did about a 60 to 70% change.
I have figured that I feed to much because when I tried to clean the gravel stuff went everywere.
I do not know what to do or how to start.
What does cycling mean and how do you know when it has started and when it is done.
Thanks and sorry about the totally newbie question I know you all get tried of getting the cycling questions again and again but I could not make head or tails out of the old post.
 

rallysman

Polypterus
MFK Member
Aug 7, 2005
17,533
32
89
42
indiana
Cycling means you're trying to establish the benficial bacteria needed to convert amoina (fish piss) into nitrites, and nitrites into nitrates (end product)
Water changes will slow this process down. buy a test kit and check your paramaters every few days. Once you see the amonia and nitrites at 0 and your nitrates going up, then you're cycled. After that, you start doing water changes to control the nitrates.


The bacteria will grow in your filter mainly, but will also be present on rocks and decoration.
 

Carg R

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 7, 2006
270
1
0
Texas
I have figured that I feed to much because when I tried to clean the gravel stuff went everywere.
Most people do over feed. As you already have fish in the water try reducing the amount and frequency you feed. It's not a bad thing to skip a few days every week, either.
 

Lil_Stinker

Fire Eel
MFK Member
May 30, 2006
1,296
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State of Emergency
Basically a fish gives off Ammonia (NH3,NH4)from fecal matter which is broken down by nitrifying bacteria into Nitrite (NO2) which in turn is broken down to Nitrate(NO3).
Ammonia and Nitrite can be harmful and more often enough lethal to fish at any level and in a fully cycled tank both should read 0. Nitrate is not as lethal and "some" fish can live in high levels but its best to keep it under 20ppm(parts per million) once the tank is fully cycled.
Once the tank is fully cycled the nitrates can be kept to a safe level with regular weekly water changes.

credit: worldcichlids.com

**************

Cycling builds the nitrifying bacteria with either real fish or a chemical agent such as bio spyra.
 

rkc772

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jan 2, 2006
1,846
1
68
Southern California 91744
tank cycling is one basic concept of having ENOUGH beneficial/good bacteria that will convert your lethal amonia and nitrites to nitrate (which is more acceptable at low levels). Nitrates are reduced from water change and plants will help also. If you don't cycle your tank it is as if living in a house without a garbage can and a garbage collector. Having all trash inside will make you sick and die.:)
 

DeLgAdO

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 1, 2005
9,573
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Chula Vista, CA (San Diego)
www.myspace.com
Basically a fish gives off Ammonia (NH3,NH4)from fecal matter which is broken down by nitrifying bacteria into Nitrite (NO2) which in turn is broken down to Nitrate(NO3).
Ammonia and Nitrite can be harmful and more often enough lethal to fish at any level and in a fully cycled tank both should read 0. Nitrate is not as lethal and "some" fish can live in high levels but its best to keep it under 20ppm(parts per million) once the tank is fully cycled.
Once the tank is fully cycled the nitrates can be kept to a safe level with regular weekly water changes.

credit: worldcichlids.com

**************

Cycling builds the nitrifying bacteria with either real fish or a chemical agent such as bio spyra.
biological additives arent chemical agents, they are biological agents ;)

and for crying out loud people its ammonia :ROFL:
 

Lil_Stinker

Fire Eel
MFK Member
May 30, 2006
1,296
0
66
State of Emergency
biological additives arent chemical agents, they are biological agents ;)

and for crying out loud people its ammonia :ROFL:

Chemistry = the science of matter at or near the atomic scale. This includes bit is not limited to atoms and the collections of atoms such as molecules, crystals, and metals

Ammonia is a chemical compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula NH3, which can occur naturally or man made. this is chemistry.

Conclusion; ammonia is a chemical agent.

Biology = the science that deals with living things

Just because Ammonia is produced by living things does not make it alive.

Biological additives would include something alive; bacteria perhaps.

Nitrosomonas europaea, for example, is a living thing that lives off the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite. This is biology.

Due to my respect for you as a fish keeper; I will refrain from putting any sarcastic icons or comments here.
 

JAK

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 13, 2006
127
1
0
56
mn
Everyone keeps talking to me about cycling and I have read past post and look all over websites and books but I still do not get it. I thought cycling was to let your water go through the filter for a few days and I did that then added my fancy guppies. I am totally new at this, I put the fish in the tank over 2 weeks ago and figured everything was find this past week I did lose a female and a fry and started to think I must be doing something wrong.
I did about a 60 to 70% change.
I have figured that I feed to much because when I tried to clean the gravel stuff went everywere.
I do not know what to do or how to start.
What does cycling mean and how do you know when it has started and when it is done.
Thanks and sorry about the totally newbie question I know you all get tried of getting the cycling questions again and again but I could not make head or tails out of the old post.
yep just what lil-stinker said.there is a lots of fish smart folks here that can help you thru this.less feeding,daily water tests,and water changes,is how you do it,there is products out there that help but my experance is only one helps..... go get some bio-spira...
 

cbfreder

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 24, 2006
337
0
0
39
USA
Chemistry = the science of matter at or near the atomic scale. This includes bit is not limited to atoms and the collections of atoms such as molecules, crystals, and metals

Biology = the science that deals with living things
politics is really sociology is really psychology is really biology is really chemistry is really physics is really math is really logic is really philosophy and philosophy isn't anything at all.
 

Dominuslive

Gambusia
MFK Member
May 26, 2006
420
3
16
Iowa
I will make this easy, cycling is bacteria growing to meet the needs of the aquarium waste producers. Until the tsnk is cycled you will lose life. After about 1 month it should be cycled enough for most fish, after 3 months almost all fish will do good. In the marine enviroment, some species need a tank established for about 6 months to a year. Plants in both environments help reduce the nitrates, but stll require water changes for nutrient import. Or food for the plants. Guppies will love a planted tank.
 
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