What is Cycling?
Cycling is the process by which man-made saltwater is turned into 'seawater'.
You must cultivate the right
bacteria in your filter system by allowing nature to take it's course. Once your tank is
fully cycled, your system will have the right biological and chemical balance for livestock.
1. Basically, a new system starts out with no bacteria.
2. Bacteria eat waste.
3. To create bacteria, we have to create waste.
4. Do this by adding uncured live rock to your
aquarium. Live rock releases waste and provides
a place for good bacteria to grow. (Some people
will use small fish or inverts to cycle, but we
highly recommend uncured live rock. Do not use
damsels. Damsels are aggressive and you will
limit what you can add to your tank.)
5. Ammonia is a byproduct of waste.
Ammonia is deadly to livestock.
6. You will see
a high ammonia spike. This is great! That means
cycling has begun.
7. As the bacteria multiply in your filter
system, they convert ammonia to nitrite.
Nitrite is also highly toxic but not as deadly.
8. Ammonia comes down, nitrite goes up.
9. Then bacteria convert nitrite to nitrate.
Nitrate is the least toxic.
10. Ammonia and nitrite comes down. Nitrate
goes up.
11. To get rid of nitrate, you must do a water
change - no more than 20%.
12. The end goal
is ammonia=0, nitrite=0, nitrate < 15 ppm,
pH between 8.1-8.4, specific gravity between 1.020-1.025 .
Once cycling is complete and live rock is
cured, there should be no more die-off or smell
from your live rock. Also, waste from your
protein skimmer should be greatly reduced. Cycling may take 1-8 weeks.
Remember, add livestock slowly as livestock creates waste which creates ammonia. You have to allow bacteria to catch up and multiply
to keep your system balanced.
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