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The cycling process establishes the ecosystem of your aquarium. Because the aquarium is a closed system with higher demands on its limited environment, it requires your intervention to re-create conditions as close to a natural aquatic setting as you can get. You provide the filtration system and add fish, plants, and food to begin the living process known as the nitrogen cycle. Here's how it works: Food provides fish with energy, which is burned off with the help of oxygen in the water. Waste, consisting of carbon dioxide and nitrogen compounds like ammonia, is expelled through the fish's gills. The waste must then be removed or it will turn into toxic ammonia that irritates the fish's gills and cuts off its oxygen supply. A pH level at about 7.0 or under will keep ammonia from forming in the tank. Carbon dioxide is removed by aerating the tank, as well as through plant photosynthesis. Beneficial bacteria consume ammonia, thereby creating a less lethal byproduct called nitrite. Other good bacteria consume nitrite, which in turn creates an even less harmful compound called nitrate. The nitrogen compounds are converted into nitrites and nitrates via aerobic bacteria that use oxidation through the nitrogen cycle. The bacteria grow on aquarium surfaces: walls, gravel, decor, and filter materials. To get good bacteria to grow, the water must be well aerated and there must be plenty of space. If plants in the aquarium do not use up all the nitrates produced, they accumulate in the tank, which requires you to maintain the levels within acceptable limits. Weekly partial water changes are crucial to diluting nitrate. This whole nitrification process can take up to a few weeks, or in rare cases, a few months to complete, so be patient before adding your fish.

Once the tank is established, it will need monitoring for high nitrate levels, which can be controlled by partial water changes, as needed. Changes in the number of fish and plants affect the amount of bacteria, which in turn affects the breakdown of bacteria through nitrification. The presence of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate production in your tank causes the growth of algae, which chokes the life out of your living ecosystem. This is especially prevalent in new tanks. Avoid this phenomenon whenever possible! It is necessary to create an environment in which nitrates are absorbed, creating a safe haven for all life forms in your aquarium and one that is inhospitable to the dreaded formation of algae. Use a freshwater test kit or saltwater test kit to test for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, and pH levels every other day. First ammonia levels will rise. A few weeks later the nitrite levels rise and the ammonia levels fall. A few weeks after that, the nitrate levels rise as the nitrite levels fall. When ammonia and nitrite are no longer detectable, and there is only nitrate, you can add your fish safely to the aquarium.

It is highly recommended that you start the cycling process without fish. You have several options to test for ammonia. You can drop in a few flakes of fish food twice a day to start the process of waste and ammonia buildup. Or, you can use gravel or filter media from a cycled tank. Then use your ammonia test kit and adjust the levels accordingly. Once the cycle has started, add only one or two fish at a time. Wait a few days before adding more, so the tank can adjust to the extra bio-load. To speed up the process, increase the temperature of the water. Add beneficial bacteria colonies from an established aquarium, or try products on the market that can add them for you. All of these steps will help to prepare your fish for a comfortable, already cycled home.

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