Fishless cycling is a form of "maturing" an aquarium. In this process, ammonia is provided to allow beneficial bacteria to colonize. Fishless cycling can reduce the chance of fish loss resulting from insufficient populations of these bacteria. The nitrogen cycle in an aquarium To start the fishless nitrogen cycling process, you need a fish tank, an aquarium filter system, a heater if you plan to get tropical fish, water conditioner, a liquid test kit (test strips are generally slightly less accurate),[1] and a source of ammonia. Set up the aquarium with all the equipment first. Make sure the filter is running properly. To speed up the process, raise the temperature to approximately 80 °F(27 °C.) Then, add enough ammonia to raise the ammonia concentration to 4~5ppm. Excessive amounts of ammonia will not speed up the cycling process. The source of ammonia can either be from fish food (which will generate ammonia after decaying) or pure ammonia (in the form of either ammonium hydroxide or ammonium chloride).

By using pure ammonia, the fishless cycle is faster and more controllable. After a couple of weeks, the first group of bacteria will grow in sufficient quantities to consume the ammonia and convert it to nitrite. In another couple of weeks, a second group of bacteria will be present in sufficient quantities to convert the nitrite into nitrate, which is much less toxic. During the entire fishless cycle process, It is extremely important to have a constant source of ammonia. Monitor both ammonia and nitrite levels in the aquarium on a daily basis. When both are at 0 ppm, carry out a very large water change (70–90%) to keep nitrate in check.[3][4] This will remove most of the nitrate buildup from cycling. The tank is now completely cycled and can be stocked with fish. The most significant advantage of fishless cycling is that it can reduce fish loss due to ammonia and nitrite spikes. Fish loss can be very discouraging for beginners of fish keeping, so indirectly, fishless cycling can also help beginners get a good start.

Cycling aquariums using feeder fish is risky because it infects the aquarium with any disease or parasite they happen to have. Fish raised as feeders do not get the same degree of care as non feeders. Fishless cycling avoids this potential problem. Fishless cycling also allows the aquarium to be partially stocked from the moment it is cycled, if the nitrogen cycle is completed with high concentration of pure ammonia added daily. fish tanks for sale in massachusettsThis makes for faster stocking than having to wait several weeks between each new group of additions to the tank. fish tank for sale in newcastle upon tyneIt can also be extremely useful when the fish keeper plan to stock a tank full of territorial aggressive fish such as African cichlids, where the later added fish can be at a disadvantage.fish tanks for sale in gwynedd

Note that these are not problems when ammonium hydroxide or ammonium chloride is used as the source of ammonia. ^ Aquarium Test Kits ^ Aquarium Nitrogen CycleAmmonia: Ammonia is formed from the metabolism of protein and is the major waste product of fish. The majority of ammonia from fish is excreted through the gills, with relatively little being lost through urine and feces. Ammonia is also formed as uneaten feed or other organic matter in an aquarium decomposes. High concentrations of ammonia in the water make it difficult for fish to eliminate ammonia from their bodies. This buildup of ammonia can cause stress, gill and internal organ damage and eventually death.Total ammonia is comprised of two components: un-ionized ammonia (NH3) and ionized ammonia (NH4+). Un-ionized ammonia is extremely toxic to fish whereas ionized ammonia is not. The proportion of un-ionized to ionized ammonia shifts in relation to pH and water temperature. As pH or temperature increases, more of the ammonia shifts to the un-ionized, toxic form.

Un-ionized ammonia begins causing gill damage at approximately 0.05 mg/L and death at approximately 2.0 mg/L. Keep in mind that most test kits measure total ammonia and not un-ionized ammonia but may make no reference to the difference. A table is used to calculate the portion of un-ionized ammonia from total ammonia.Ammonia is removed from an aquarium system through the use of a biofilter. The biofilter provides a substrate on which nitrifying bacteria grow. These nitrifying bacteria consume ammonia and produce nitrite, which is also toxic to fish. Other nitrifying bacteria in the biofilter consume nitrite and produce nitrate. Nitrate is not toxic to most freshwater fish, except in high levels, and can be reduced sufficiently through periodic water changes. Some nitrate will also be utilized by plants. In natural systems and some aquarium systems, nitrate is converted to nitrogen gas by denitrifying bacteria. This conversion from ammonia to nitrite to nitrate to nitrogen gas is known as the nitrogen cycle (see Figure 2).

Nitrifying bacteria, although naturally present in the environment, will take time to accumulate on biofilter media before they can efficiently remove all of the wastes produced by the fish. Setting up a tank and stocking it full of fish the same day, or even within a week or two, is a sure recipe for disaster. The bacteria in the biofilter can require three to eight weeks to cycle (i.e., become established) at 77-80 degrees F; even more time may be required at cooler temperatures. Aquarists can begin this cycling process by utilizing one or more of the following methods:-- Adding clear, non-sudsy household ammonia directly to the system to a level of 2 3 mg/L adding a few individuals of a species of fish that can handle the initial high ammonia and nitrite levels before adding the final species to be held-- Seeding the system/biofilter with water- or substrate-containing bacteria from a "healthy" established system-- Seeding the system with bacteria from a As a biofilter cycles, ammonia will rise until sufficient nitrifying bacteria are present to consume the ammonia and convert it to nitrite.

Ammonia levels will then begin to decrease while nitrite levels increase. Nitrite levels will continue to increase until sufficient bacteria are present to consume the nitrite and convert it to nitrate. Unless many plants are present, nitrate levels will rise slowly until a water change is performed. Ammonia and nitrite tests should be conducted every few days until the ammonia level and then nitrite level spike and lower (i.e., cycle) (see Figure 3). Tanks that are stocked before the biofilter is functioning properly will often become cloudy because of heavy non-nitrifying bacterial blooms.After the cycling period, ammonia should be tested once per week. Once established, a well-managed aquarium should have no detectable levels of ammonia. If ammonia is present, management of the aquarium should be evaluated to ensure:-- the biofilter is large enough-- the biofilter does not need cleaning-- the aquarist is not overfeeding (based on what the biofilter can handle, not what the fish will consume)-- the tank is not overstocked-- the tank is not excessively dirty-- the biofilter is not too clean (vigorous cleaning of the biofilter will remove nitrifying bacteria)-- the alkalinity or pH have not dropped and negatively affected the biofilter--

no chemicals have been used that have killed the bacteria in the biofilter.Nitrite: Nitrite is formed by the conversion of ammonia by nitrifying bacteria. Nitrite is toxic to fish because it binds with the hemoglobin in fish's blood to form methemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen through the body while methemoglobin does not, so fish in high nitrite waters may suffocate even if sufficient oxygen is present. If enough methemoglobin is present in a fish's blood, it will cause the blood to appear brown instead of red. Consequently, nitrite toxicity is often called "brown blood disease."If nitrite is present, a water change should be performed. If the fish species in the tank will tolerate increased salinity, salt can be added to the aquarium to increase the level of chloride in the water. Chloride levels should be at least six times greater than nitrite levels. Chloride prevents the uptake of nitrite by the fish's blood thus eliminating the effects of brown blood disease. However, the addition of salt/chloride does not remove nitrite from the system, and the source of the nitrite must be controlled.

After the cycling period, nitrite should be tested once per week. Once established, a well-managed aquarium should have no detectable levels of nitrite. If nitrite is present, management of the aquarium should be evaluated to ensure:-- the biofilter is large enough-- the biofilter does not need cleaning-- the aquarist is not overfeeding (based on what the biofilter can handle, not what the fish will consume)-- the tank is not overstocked-- the tank is not excessively dirty-- the biofilter is not too clean (vigorous cleaning of the biofilter will remove nitrifying bacteria) the alkalinity or pH have not dropped and negatively affected the biofilter Nitrate: Nitrate is formed from the breakdown of nitrite by nitrifying bacteria. Except in very high concentrations, nitrate is not toxic to most freshwater fish. Nitrate can be absorbed by plants or removed from the water through periodic water changes. In natural systems and some aquarium systems, nitrate is converted to nitrogen gas by denitrifying bacteria.

Nitrogen Gas: Nitrogen gas can be produced in the aquarium from the conversion of nitrate. However, it is often of more concern in some underground source waters, particularly water from wells and springs, where nitrogen may be at supersaturated levels. As with oxygen and carbon dioxide, the solubility of nitrogen increases with decreasing temperature and salinity and increasing pressure. The pressure reduces as water from a well or spring reaches the surface, and less nitrogen gas can be held. If this water is put directly on fish, bubbles can form in the gills, skin and fins as the nitrogen begins to vent off in an attempt to equalize with the nitrogen in the atmosphere. This problem, known as Gas Bubble Disease, is similar to the bends in divers and can cause death if the condition is severe. Well or spring water should be degassed before coming into contact with fish. Vigorously aerate the water with an air pump and airstone for approximately 24 hours before the water is added to the tank to ensure excess nitrogen gas has been removed.