Why the Fish Tank Cycling Process Is Crucial for Aquatic Life
The process of turning harmful ammonia into nitrite and ultimately into nitrate, is known as the fish tank cycling process. During this cycle beneficial colonies of bacteria develop.
Nitrifying bacteria can be found all over us, and even in our water. The use of bottles and seeds with used filter media can speed up the cycle process but are not necessary as the bacteria will grow on their own.
Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle
The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle describes the process whereby wastes from fish and plants are transformed into ammonia, followed by Nitrite, and then nitrate. This cycle can take place in saltwater aquariums or freshwater aquarium. It can also happen in a lake. It is a very important and complex process that all fish-keepers need to be aware of.
Ammonia is generated from the waste of fish and uncooked food. Fish can be toxic in concentrations of more than 2 ppm. Nitrosomonas bacteria oxidise ammonia to produce nitrite. Nitrites can be harmful to fish at concentrations above 1 ppm. Nitrobacter bacteria oxidise nitrates to create nitrates that are less harmful to fish.
The plants absorb the nitrates, and use them as nutrients. This is a completely natural process and can happen in every type of aquarium. It is a slow and difficult process. It is common for an aquarium to take a full month to stabilize nitrogen, ammonia and the levels of nitrate. The aquarium needs to be clean for these beneficial bacteria to thrive. Over cleaning a tank can cause problems for this process, and could result in ammonia, nitrite, and/or nitrate spikes. Monitoring your aquarium’s parameters is impossible without a good API Master Test Kit.
Fishless Cycling Method
Traditionally, cycling a fish tank involves adding a few hardy fish to the aquarium to jump start the process. It is, however, brutal and cruel. Although the fish will endure, their gills may be burnt by the rising ammonia levels, and this could affect their quality. The fishless cycle removes this step and creates the ideal environment for bacteria to thrive.
Two ways are available to conduct a cycle that does not require fish: 1) seeding the tank with bacteria colonies that have already been present in the tank before. This method takes a similar amount of time to conventional cycling but is more fish-friendly and doesn’t cause the same harm to the quality of water. 2) Utilizing a product such as Septo-Bac can accelerate the process of cycling. This can also require the same amount of time to traditional cycling and may not be effective in every scenario.
It is essential to periodically monitor ammonia levels and nitrites throughout the fishless cycle. It is likely that if ammonia levels spike, it is a sign that the bacteria have not been fully established. If ammonia falls to zero and the nitrites are rising in a positive way, it’s a indicator that the cycle is complete. It is also essential to perform regular water changes in the cycle of fish to ensure there is enough ammonia in the water for bacteria to thrive.
Aquarium Beneficial Bacteria
In biological terms, it is a process when resident populations of nitrifying organisms in an aquarium are sufficient to process the bioload (exceedingly poisonous ammonia and even nitrite) as they produce. This is the reason it is crucial to add fish slowly over time instead of adding a large quantity of fish all at all at.
The nitrifying bacteria could be found on any surface of an aquarium, but they prefer to establish their colonies in areas where the most limiting factors (food and oxygen) are most effectively fulfilled. These microorganisms thrive on the vast surface area of the porous filter media. Biomedia bacteria can outcompete other aquarium bacteria. They consume nitrogen oxides and ammonia at the speed they’re produced, making them undetectable.
These nitrifying bacilli can be found both in the water column and the sediment. However, the majority the nitrifying bacteria live in the biofilm. This is the reason why it’s challenging to grow pure cultures of these bacteria. Recent research by LI et al. (2018) found that ammonia-oxidizing and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NO3) reside in the water column. The bacteria are able to be introduced into a new be hai san cho nha hang aquarium by using products such as API Quick Start, Fritzzyme Turbostart, or Tim’s Aquatics Live Nitrifying Bacteria and will speed up the process of preparing an aquarium.
Steps to Cycle a New Fish Tank
When you are setting up your new aquarium whether you are using live rock or a bare bottom tank the first thing to be done is seeding it with beneficial bacteria. You can do this with products such as Tetra Safe Start and a freshwater test kit. Once this step has been completed you can move on to adding the remainder of your equipment and filling the aquarium with water.
The cycle will begin, which is the process of forming beneficial bacteria to regulate the nitrogen cycle in the aquarium. As the cycle progresses, ammonia levels rise and fall in the form of nitrite, followed by the nitrate. If all three levels are below zero an aquarium can be used for animals.
It is vital to test the water on a regular basis throughout the cycle process to look for ammonia and nitrite. It is recommended that if you notice a nitrate accumulation, add 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt or table salt to each 10 gallon. This will reduce nitrate toxicity and allow the beneficial bacteria to develop quicker.
It’s also crucial to be aware that your aquarium should not be completely filled in any given process. If you add fish too soon, the ammonia levels will quickly increase and this is toxic to the fish.
