# What is a water cycle?



## Whiteboy (Dec 9, 2005)

Can someone clear it up for me please, i have a feeling that its like a way of cleaning the tank or sumthing? and what is a ph?


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

cycle is a proccess that the water goes through 
where ammonia will have a spike before it levels out


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## fishofury (May 10, 2003)

This will help you understand the cycle
Click Me


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## Whiteboy (Dec 9, 2005)

thank you









So i need to cycle my (10 gallon) tank like once every week? and do all those tests every week? Its more clearer ut a lil confused still.


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## kingsnar (Nov 17, 2005)

A tank cycle is a way of colonizing beneficial bacteria in your filter media to combat the ammonia in the tank formed by fish waste. there are numerous articles on fishless cycling on the web and this site, check em out. And no you dont need to cycle your tank every week, once its done its there for life. (unless the bacteria dies caused by lack of ammonia, poor tempature ie under 60 degrees, or being out of water for a few minutes) Your bacteria wont die as long as the bio media keeps wet, there is a source of ammonia, and good tempature. As long as there is a piranha in your tank, the heater works, and the filter is running, your bacteria wont die.

and i hope that ten gallon isnt housing a piranha, it is far too small


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## Whiteboy (Dec 9, 2005)

OO ok,so i need to cycle my tank so that good bacteria grows in it and eats/eliminates amonia and keeps my fish safe and healty?

Do i basically got it?


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## kingsnar (Nov 17, 2005)

yes sir, you basically got it


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## Whiteboy (Dec 9, 2005)

Thanks


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## Guest (Dec 12, 2005)

Basically, tank cycling can be summed up as:

1) Fish pee is toxic to fish. (If too many fish pee in the same tank, all the fish die)
2) Some bacteria "eat" the fish pee, making it safe.
3) These bacteria take a month or two to become numerous enough to eat all the pee in the tank.
4) Once the number of bacteria and the number of fish are in balance, the pee is consumed as quickly as the fish can produce it, thus making the water safe.

Now pH is defined as a negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration in the water. Basically, it's a measure how how acidic the water in a fish tank is. Some fish have definite preferences about how acidic they need they're water to be, others are not so demanding. For many tropical fish, anything from pH 6.5-7.5 is fine.


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## mattd390 (Dec 5, 2005)

[quote name='kingsnar' date='Dec 11 2005, 05:06 PM' post='1295191'](unless the bacteria dies caused by lack of ammonia, poor tempature ie under 60 degrees, or being out of water for a few minutes) Your bacteria wont die as long as the bio media keeps wet, there is a source of ammonia, and good tempature. As long as there is a piranha in your tank, the heater works, and the filter is running, your bacteria wont die.

If I am doing a water change (cleaning the gravel and what not) and my HOB filter drains.... and the water change takes about 15 mins... are my bateria going to die? My tank seems to be fine, but I wasnt sure if you guys take steps to keep the water in there while doing water changes. Thanx and pardon my ignorance







.


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## Guest (Dec 12, 2005)

mattd390 said:


> If I am doing a water change (cleaning the gravel and what not) and my HOB filter drains.... and the water change takes about 15 mins... are my bateria going to die?


I assume that as long as the filter media remains wet, the bacteria will remain alive.

Those sponges and filter pads appear to remain moist for some time after the filter drains, but I would be careful not to let them get too dry.


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## Whiteboy (Dec 9, 2005)

Im going to buy some bettas to put in my 10 gallon tank, i have 3 feeders in there, i will get the filter and heater soon, after that all i have to do is wait until my ph level is like 7.0 (thats the ph best for betta not sure for other fish)? or do i have to do more in order to get the tank cycled?


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## kingsnar (Nov 17, 2005)

no most likely your bacteria wont die as long as it stays wet, things like bio max and all other bio media's bacteria wont die as they are designed to keep moist, but things like gravel and lava rock that dont hold water when out of water the bacteria will die a lot quicker, maybe 5-10 minutes and it will die. when specially designed bio media is not in water (ie the filter is shut off durng water changes) it probally wont die.


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## Whiteboy (Dec 9, 2005)

LOL ok im confused again. but at least i understand wat a water cycle is now ill like to know, How can i do a water cycle? and thanks for responding so quick and helping me


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## kingsnar (Nov 17, 2005)

> Im going to buy some bettas to put in my 10 gallon tank, i have 3 feeders in there, i will get the filter and heater soon, after that all i have to do is wait until my ph level is like 7.0 (thats the ph best for betta not sure for other fish)? or do i have to do more in order to get the tank cycled?


Actually bettas like their pH acidic, maybe 6.5 but 7 is absolutely fine. Dont be surprised if some/all of the fish die during the cycling, but with water changes they might make it. And in short yes, feeding your fish in your tank will make the cycling start, but cycling with fish will take alot longer and is highly ineffective. try a fishless cycling, this is done by purchasing 100% pure ammonia, ammonia, nitrite, and nitatre test kits.(100% pure ammonia can be found at grocery stores, or hardware stores, make sure there are no added colors or scents on the ingredients label) Simply adding 5 drops of ammonia to ten gallons of water. Do this once daily. Everyday test all the stats (ammonia, nitrite,nitrate). Like i said, add 5 drops of ammonia per 10 gallons once daily until you get a reading on your nitrite test kit. Once you get a nitrite reading, reduce the ammonia to 3 drops per 10 gallons and test your stats daily. Then once you get no nitrite reading (nitrates reading should be pretty high) you have cycled your tank. good luck and i hope you do the fishless method, its a million times faster, easier, and will be a million times more effective than doing it with fish. good luck

oops and i forgot to add when cycling your tank your filter and heater MUST be turned on, the heat is ideally 85 degrees for bacteria colonization, then it can be reduced after the cycle is completed. And id reccomendonly having only the mechanical and biological media in your filter during your cycle, the chemical media will get bacterial colonization on it, and eventually the chemical media must be removed, so with the removal of the chemical, the bacteria goes with it. and aso a way to speed up this cycle and make more bacteria is to highly oxygenate your tank, this can be done by an airstone, or powerhead with the output at the waters surface, the more surface agitation the more oxygen. (powerhead is more effective than an airstone)

any other questions feel free to ask, thats why were here


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## Guest (Dec 13, 2005)

kingsnar said:


> > Im going to buy some bettas to put in my 10 gallon tank, i have 3 feeders in there, i will get the filter and heater soon, after that all i have to do is wait until my ph level is like 7.0 (thats the ph best for betta not sure for other fish)? or do i have to do more in order to get the tank cycled?
> 
> 
> Actually bettas like their pH acidic, maybe 6.5 but 7 is absolutely fine. Dont be surprised if some/all of the fish die during the cycling, but with water changes they might make it. And in short yes, feeding your fish in your tank will make the cycling start, but cycling with fish will take alot longer and is highly ineffective. try a fishless cycling, this is done by purchasing 100% pure ammonia, ammonia, nitrite, and nitatre test kits.(100% pure ammonia can be found at grocery stores, or hardware stores, make sure there are no added colors or scents on the ingredients label) Simply adding 5 drops of ammonia to ten gallons of water. Do this once daily. Everyday test all the stats (ammonia, nitrite,nitrate). Like i said, add 5 drops of ammonia per 10 gallons once daily until you get a reading on your nitrite test kit. Once you get a nitrite reading, reduce the ammonia to 3 drops per 10 gallons and test your stats daily. Then once you get no nitrite reading (nitrates reading should be pretty high) you have cycled your tank. good luck and i hope you do the fishless method, its a million times faster, easier, and will be a million times more effective than doing it with fish. good luck
> ...


Well, he's already bought the fish, so it's too late for fishless cycling. I'm not sure where the bacteria come from, but the tank will just 'cycle' on it's own just by the presence of the ammonia that the fish create.

Another name for bettas is "fighting fish". The males will fight to the death if placed in the same aquarium. I would reccomend just buying a single betta. You may want to wait until after you've bought a heater, as bettas prefer water temperatures a bit higher than room temperature in the winter time. Figure 74-80 degrees.


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