ok... still confused. sorry guys, i must be really thick.
ive had my tank set up since friday, with the filter set up and filled up with normal tap water. whats the next step. i think i need one of them step by step instruction things, like 1. get amonia 2. get test kit 3. get thermometer 4. put in amonia etc. lol.
Ok
1 Get water conditioner / de-chlorinator - add to your water. (Chlorine & chloramines will kill your beneficial bacteria)
2 Get ammonia - try boots if you're in the UK - Household ammonia
3 Get test kit - liquid master test kit
4 Get thermometer - get water up to about 25-27 degreesC.
5 Try to get some used filter media to help introduce bacteria to your tank and/or second best add 2 or 3 hardy live plants but leave them in their pots with the rockwool wrapped around their roots - echinodorus bleheri is a good choice.
6 Add ammonia a bit at a time until you get a reading of 4-5ppm on your test kit - make a note of how much ammonia is needed. Its best to do this using a small syringe to make measuring easier in the next weeks.
7 Test water everyday for ammonia (can skip the odd day early on).
8 When ammonia gets down to about 1ppm (will probably take at least 4-5 days - maybe longer) add more ammonia to get level to 4-5ppm - do this each time your ammonia level drops to about 1ppm.
9 When tha ammonia level starts dropping between adding more, start testing your nitrite levels. They will steadily climb until they are off the chart. Dont panic - just keep testing the ammonia as well and adding more as before.
10 Keep testing ammonia and nitrite daily.
11 Eventually you will find that your nitrite levels start to fall too - this will take a good bit longer - probably twice as long as it did for your ammonia. When this happens test for your nitrate - it should be high!
12 When your tank can process 4-5ppm ammonia into 0ppm ammonia and 0ppm nitrite in less than 12 hours your tank is fully cycled.
13 Turn your temperature down to the required temperature for your fish.
14 Keep adding ammonia for a day or so just to make sure the temperature change hasn't caused a bit of a die off in your bacteria - it should all be fine.
15 Do a big water change - about 80% of your water. Make sure that you match your water temperature fairly closely (by hand is fine) and add your de-chlorinator to the water in the buckets before adding to the tank.
16 Go to fish shop and buy fish - acclimatise correctly and add to your tank.
17 Sit back and enjoy - you have just become a fish keeper. Now the whole thing starts in earnest.
The cycling process can be over in a week or two, most seem to take about 3-4 weeks but some may take 9 or more weeks. Stay patient - take your time to read loads on the forum and research your fish - thats the fun part.
