Cycling

[mypapercuthurts]

what is it?

 

[rvm]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=10099

Read that. That will explain it all!!

 

[SPLiSH]

Cycling is the process of growing beneficial bacteria in a new aquarium. Fish poo decomposes and turns into ammonia, which builds up even with regular water changes. So you need to grow a 'clean up crew' of good bacteria, which feeds off the ammonia and converts it to less toxic forms. To grow this good bacteria, you need to start off with a small amount of ammonia to entice the bacteria to grow. Then you add more and more as time goes by. The good bacteria multiplies and strengthens, and soon it can handle converting the waste from a fully stocked tank.

To cycle a tank, there are two options:

a: Cycling with Fish

In this method, a small number of really hardy fish (feeders, white clouds, barbs etc.) are placed in the aquarium for several weeks. They produce ammonia, and cycle the tank. All you have to do is look after them. Sounds pretty good, huh? Well it's okay, but the fish used to cycle the tank have to endure soaring ammonia levels which burns their gills and has other side-effects. Some fish survive the process, but generally they don't live long, happy lives like they should.

Most people don't like the discomfort of the fish involved with this process and prefer the next method:

b: Fishless Cycling

To fishless cycle a tank, processed (bottled) ammonia is added in small doses to the new tank, and the doses are increased in amount as time passes. It works the same as the first method but no fish are involved.

This method doesn't include live fish, so in many ways it is easier and harmless.

Hope this helps.

 

[aquatic-Bizkut]

or just buy bio-spira, does all the work for you, not sure how, but it works as so i have heard, i have some shipping in, in a few days.... plan on using it on my 10 gallon