Cycle

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="31d21253.gif"> <div> <IMG SRC="31ea08c0.gif" border=0 width="160" height="140" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <A HREF="id469.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Acclimation"><U>Acclimation</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id470.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Activated Carbon"><U>Activated Carbon</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id472.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aged Water"><U>Aged Water</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id473.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Air Pump"><U>Air Pump</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id474.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Airstone"><U>Airstone</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id480.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Algae"><U>Algae</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id481.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AlgaeEater"><U>Algae-Eater</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id482.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Alkalinity"><U>Alkalinity</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id483.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Anal fin"><U>Anal Fin</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id484.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Anemone"><U>Anemone</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id485.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Antenna"><U>Antenna</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id486.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Antibiotic"><U>Antibiotic</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id487.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AntiInflammatory"><U>Anti-Inflammatory</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id488.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Anus"><U>Anus</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id489.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aquarium"><U>Aquarium</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id490.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Asexual Reproduction"><U>Asexual Reproduction</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id300.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biological Filtration"><U>Biological Filtration</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id299.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chemical Filtration"><U>Chemical Filtration</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id143.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cycle"><U>Cycle</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id298.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mechanical Filtration"><U>Mechanical Filtration</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id147.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="New Tank Syndrome"><U>New Tank Syndrome</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id479.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Trickle filter"><U>Trickle filter</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id478.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Triggerfish"><U>Triggerfish</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id471.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tropical Fish"><U>Tropical Fish</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id477.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tubifex"><U>Tubifex</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id476.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wet/Dry Filter"><U>Wet/Dry Filter</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id475.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Yolk Sac"><U>Yolk Sac</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="15a40c83.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#003333" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT>     |  <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" "><U>Home Page</U></A></div> <bR> <div> Cycle</div> <div> <IMG SRC="16690140.jpg" border=0 width="400" height="20" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> A unspecified length of time in which the water in a aquarium goes through chemical </div> <div> changes which leads to the proper water chemistry which is suitable for aquatic life.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="16690140.jpg" border=0 width="400" height="20" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Water in a new aquarium will need to go through changes that are deadly to fish if you place them directly in the new aquarium before these changes have occurred. </div> <bR> <div> The first change that will occur to the water is that the <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#336633" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id78.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ammonia"><U>ammonia</U></A></FONT> level in the aquarium will increase to toxic levels before starting to decline. This occurs because there is no "good bacteria" in the aquarium. As you let the aquarium sit the good bacteria will grow in the tank. ( it is not a visible thing) Then as the bacteria grows it will begin to break down the ammonia and converts it over to nitrite. </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >This is when the second change that starts in the aquarium begins. At this point you if you test the water daily and chart it you will notice the ammonia level decrease while the</FONT> <A HREF="id80.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nitrite"><U>nitrite</U></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > level increases. These nitrite levels will increase to levels that are harmful to the fish. It is here where the bacteria will start to convert the nitrite to </FONT><A HREF="id76.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nitrate"><U>nitrate</U></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> This begins the third stage of the cycle. Once the nitrite levels start to decrease the nitrate levels will increase. When your nitrite level has cleared out this is when your aquarium has completed its cycle. At this point partial water changes are now part of life. This will keep the nitrite levels down. Nitrite is said to be harmless but it is not a good thing to let build up in a aquarium. So regular partial water changes are suggested. At this point your aquarium is ready for fish.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>