Cycling

[unknown]

What is a cycle and how do I know when one has started and one has ended. what is the whole purpose of cycling your tank?
:help: :needhelp:

 

[birdy]

Did you read my reply to this on your other post? If you didn't understand just type in cycling or cycle in the search feature and you will have enough reading to last you the night.

 

[unknown]

Thx

 

[exotickeeper]

Well cycle begins when there's a ammon. from waste, so you need something to decompose, it could be anything, raw shrimp or whatever. Then your tank should cloud, the cloudy water can vary from tank to tank. Furthermore, as the cycle process continues, your test kits should be high while bacteria is being bloomed. Then the substrate will have some brown/red algae on it. At that point, you can put 1 cheap fish in to see how it goes

 

[rolangunslinger]

Cycling?
The tank cycle begins with an ammonia spike, (from fish urine)the bacteria within the tank will grow to process the ammonia, then the 2nd generation bacteria will process the nitrogen in the tank. Once all the processes have reached stasis the tank will be stable.
Once this happens you are ready to add fish to the tank.