12 Steps to Cycle a Fish Tank

Nobody wants to have unhappy, unhealthy fish in their aquariums. To ensure your fish are as relaxed and disease-free as can be, you will have to cycle your fish tank. Follow these steps to create the best environment possible for your fish.

Steps

Part One: Purchasing Your Cycling Fish

1. Understand the nitrogen cycle of a new fish tank. The nitrogen cycle, also known as the nitration cycle, is the process that breaks toxic nitrogen waste products into less harmful components. During the cycle, your aquarium will develop beneficial bacteria that are necessary for your fish to live healthy, happy lives.
   • To go more in depth, your fish produce ammonia that can be harmful if it reaches high levels. Your aquarium will produce Nitrosomonas bacteria that will process ammonia and turn it into nitrite, another harmful substance. Luckily, cycling your aquarium causes Nitrobacter and other bacteria to grow that turn nitrite into nitrate--which is relatively harmless.
2. Select hardy types of fish for your cycling aquarium. You should buy a variety of fish that you plan to have in your aquarium later on. These fish need to be hardy in order to survive the cycling process. Your local pet shop will be able to give you more direction on the types of fish you should buy for your specific tank.
   • For an aquarium made up of small community fish, Zebra Danios or White Clouds are good fish to start off with.
   • Barb fish, such as Tiger Barbs or Cherry Barbs, work well in a slightly aggressive tank.
   • Do not use goldfish, particularly Feeder goldfish for a cycling process. Goldfish become more susceptible to disease when they are kept in cycled tropical water.
3. Buy a limited number of fish. The number of fish will depend on the size of your aquarium and the type of fish that you buy. Buying a lot of fish will produce a large amount of waste, and could potentially cause some water problems during the cycling process.
   • A general rule to follow is that for a 10 to 20 gallon tank, two to three small schooling fish should be purchased for the cycling process.
4. Place your fish in your tank. During the cycle, feed your fish carefully, making sure to only feed them what they need. Excess food that goes uneaten will decay and foul your tank's water.
   • You can also perform a fishless cycle by adding ammonia chloride manually into the water. If you are afraid that you have purchased fish that will not be sturdy enough to survive a cycle, you can opt to add ammonia manually. If you choose to cycle your tank this way, know that you will have to monitor your chemical balances more closely so that you add the right amount of ammonia each day.

Tips

• Talk to a professional at your fish store if you have any questions concerning your specific fish tank.