The nitrogen cycle in the aquarium, or how to stabilize a new tank?
In online groups for aquarists, I see recurring questions. The same basic issues keep coming up. So I decided that instead of answering each one individually and explaining the same thing all over again, it's better to write a series of texts about aquarium basics.
Today will be about the maturation of the aquarium.
What is this maturation? This is the process by which good bacteria colonize our tank. They need to establish and multiply well to be able to break down nitrogen compounds. We don't like to think about it, but fish swim and live in the water they defecate in. In order not to get poisoned by it, you need plants that absorb nitrogen compounds and good bacteria that break them down. Ammonia is converted into nitrites, which in turn into less toxic nitrates. These, in turn, are rinsed out when changing the water.
When it comes to the maturation of an aquarium, two extremely different ways prevail:
1. Many aquarists do not carry out any process. They just fill the aquarium with water and throw in the fish. Those more merciful add a preparation with bacteria. Unfortunately, this does not work, because even if there are some bacteria from the bottle in the aquarium, there are far too few of them to work efficiently. The filter and substrate are not yet inhabited by numerous strains of bacteria. This means that the fish excrete, and there is no one to convert it. The "sewage treatment plant" in the tank is not working. And this can lead to fish poisoning or algae infestation. And with a bit of "luck" to both.
2. Unlike the first group, other aquarists are patient. They set up an aquarium and wait. Two, three, sometimes four weeks. And what, let it mature peacefully! Except... that doesn't work either. Bacteria are living organisms. So they must be surprised. If there are no fish pee in the aquarium, the bacteria starve and eventually die. After a month of fasting, you can't count on cultures of live bacteria in the tank. So we let the fish in, and there again the sewage treatment plant does not work...
So what to do? Feed the bacteria! They can be fed store-bought ammonia. But it's not easy to determine the dose you need. You can also - and this is the easier way - gradually introduce the inhabitants of the aquarium. First there might be a snail, then shrimp, then two guppies, then two more... Then the whole cycle works. The snail excretes, feeds the bacteria, nourished bacteria multiply and can take on more inhabitants.
It is worth controlling the level of nitrogen compounds with aquarium tests at this time. If the parameters are too high, it is enough to do a partial water change.
In online groups for aquarists, I see recurring questions. The same basic issues keep coming up. So I decided that instead of answering each one individually and explaining the same thing all over again, it's better to write a series of texts about aquarium basics.
Today will be about the maturation of the aquarium.
What is this maturation? This is the process by which good bacteria colonize our tank. They need to establish and multiply well to be able to break down nitrogen compounds. We don't like to think about it, but fish swim and live in the water they defecate in. In order not to get poisoned by it, you need plants that absorb nitrogen compounds and good bacteria that break them down. Ammonia is converted into nitrites, which in turn into less toxic nitrates. These, in turn, are rinsed out when changing the water.
When it comes to the maturation of an aquarium, two extremely different ways prevail:
1. Many aquarists do not carry out any process. They just fill the aquarium with water and throw in the fish. Those more merciful add a preparation with bacteria. Unfortunately, this does not work, because even if there are some bacteria from the bottle in the aquarium, there are far too few of them to work efficiently. The filter and substrate are not yet inhabited by numerous strains of bacteria. This means that the fish excrete, and there is no one to convert it. The "sewage treatment plant" in the tank is not working. And this can lead to fish poisoning or algae infestation. And with a bit of "luck" to both.
2. Unlike the first group, other aquarists are patient. They set up an aquarium and wait. Two, three, sometimes four weeks. And what, let it mature peacefully! Except... that doesn't work either. Bacteria are living organisms. So they must be surprised. If there are no fish pee in the aquarium, the bacteria starve and eventually die. After a month of fasting, you can't count on cultures of live bacteria in the tank. So we let the fish in, and there again the sewage treatment plant does not work...
So what to do? Feed the bacteria! They can be fed store-bought ammonia. But it's not easy to determine the dose you need. You can also - and this is the easier way - gradually introduce the inhabitants of the aquarium. First there might be a snail, then shrimp, then two guppies, then two more... Then the whole cycle works. The snail excretes, feeds the bacteria, nourished bacteria multiply and can take on more inhabitants.
It is worth controlling the level of nitrogen compounds with aquarium tests at this time. If the parameters are too high, it is enough to do a partial water change.
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2 answers

The nitrogen cycle is a natural process in which organic substances are broken down by bacteria into ammonia and then converted into nitrites and nitrates. In the case of an aquarium, this cycle is crucial to maintaining a healthy and stable environment for fish and plants.
To stabilize a new aquarium, a process called "cycling" must be carried out. This involves introducing ammonia into the source tank in order to start the nitrogen cycle process. Ammonia can be introduced by adding fish food or special preparations available at pet stores.
Then you should monitor the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels in the water daily. The first days will be a period of intensive decomposition of organic substances, which will result in an increase in the level of ammonia. After about a week, the ammonia should begin to drop, while the nitrite and nitrate levels should rise. Eventually, after a few weeks, the cycle should end and the levels of all three substances should stabilize.
During the process of setting up an aquarium, it is important not to introduce too many fish, or at one time, so as not to overload the system. Levels of other substances such as pH and water hardness should also be monitored to maintain proper conditions for fish and plants.
Once the nitrogen cycle is complete, the aquarium will be ready to be inhabited by fish and plants. However, it's important to continue to test your water regularly and maintain the right conditions for your ecosystem.
The nitrogen cycle is a natural process in which organic substances are broken down by bacteria into ammonia and then converted into nitrites and nitrates. In the case of an aquarium, this cycle is crucial to maintaining a healthy and stable environment for fish and plants.
To stabilize a new aquarium, a process called "cycling" must be carried out. This involves introducing ammonia into the source tank in order to start the nitrogen cycle process. Ammonia can be introduced by adding fish food or special preparations available at pet stores.
Then you should monitor the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels in the water daily. The first days will be a period of intensive decomposition of organic substances, which will result in an increase in the level of ammonia. After about a week, the ammonia should begin to drop, while the nitrite and nitrate levels should rise. Eventually, after a few weeks, the cycle should end and the levels of all three substances should stabilize.
During the process of setting up an aquarium, it is important not to introduce too many fish, or at one time, so as not to overload the system. Levels of other substances such as pH and water hardness should also be monitored to maintain proper conditions for fish and plants.
Once the nitrogen cycle is complete, the aquarium will be ready to be inhabited by fish and plants. However, it's important to continue to test your water regularly and maintain the right conditions for your ecosystem.
Machine translated

The nitrogen cycle is a process that takes place in an aquarium where ammonia is converted into nitrate by nitrogen bacteria. This process is crucial to the health of the fish and plants in your aquarium. To stabilize the new tank and start the nitrogen cycle, follow these steps: 1. Fill the tank with water and allow time to stabilize. You can use special preparations that help reduce stress and eliminate chlorine from the water. 2. Purchase tests to check water parameters such as pH, hardness, ammonia and nitrates. These parameters will help you maintain the right conditions for fish and aquarium plants. 3. Add the bacterial starter to the aquarium. Thanks to this, nitrogen bacteria should start the process of converting ammonia into nitrates faster. 4. Add a small amount of fish to the aquarium. Too many fish in the beginning can cause serious problems with the nitrogen cycle. It is better to introduce them gradually, starting with smaller fish. 5. Measure the ammonia and nitrate levels in the water daily. When ammonia levels drop and nitrates start to appear, it means that the nitrogen cycle has started slowly. 6. Continue to test the water and maintain proper parameters. Don't add too many fish at once and avoid overfeeding them. After completing the nitrogen cycle, you should change the water regularly to maintain proper parameters and ensure the health of fish and plants in the aquarium.
The nitrogen cycle is a process that takes place in an aquarium where ammonia is converted into nitrate by nitrogen bacteria. This process is crucial to the health of the fish and plants in your aquarium. To stabilize the new tank and start the nitrogen cycle, follow these steps: 1. Fill the tank with water and allow time to stabilize. You can use special preparations that help reduce stress and eliminate chlorine from the water. 2. Purchase tests to check water parameters such as pH, hardness, ammonia and nitrates. These parameters will help you maintain the right conditions for fish and aquarium plants. 3. Add the bacterial starter to the aquarium. Thanks to this, nitrogen bacteria should start the process of converting ammonia into nitrates faster. 4. Add a small amount of fish to the aquarium. Too many fish in the beginning can cause serious problems with the nitrogen cycle. It is better to introduce them gradually, starting with smaller fish. 5. Measure the ammonia and nitrate levels in the water daily. When ammonia levels drop and nitrates start to appear, it means that the nitrogen cycle has started slowly. 6. Continue to test the water and maintain proper parameters. Don't add too many fish at once and avoid overfeeding them. After completing the nitrogen cycle, you should change the water regularly to maintain proper parameters and ensure the health of fish and plants in the aquarium.
Machine translated