Search Results for: blog the nitrogen cycle basics

Reef Coral Basics

If you’re looking for something beyond fish for your aquarium, take a look at reef coral. They can be colorful and intricate and add visual appeal to your fish tank. Here are some reef coral care basics! Coral require the following water conditions: Calcium should be between 400 and 450 parts per million (ppm). Ammonia and nitrite levels should be at or near zero. Nitrate levels should be below 10 parts per million — as close to zero as possible. Phosphate levels should be below 0.3 ppm. pH level should be between 8.2 and 8.4. Alkalinity should be between 3.2 … Continue reading →

The Pets Blog Week in Review for Oct 1-7

How did Aimee and I usher in October in the Pets Blog? Well, if you missed it, you’re in luck. Here’s your handy dandy Week in Review to encapsulate it for you in a nutshell. Monday, October 1 Do you know what’s in your tank water? Aimee listed a number of things you should look for to keep your fish safe and healthy. Tuesday, October 2 Aimee detailed the basics of the nitrogen cycle in tropical fish tanks and why you should put your tank through this process before you add the fish. Do you know what you get when … Continue reading →

The Nitrogen Cycle: Starting Fishless

The safest way to cycle your tank is without any fish in the water! It can be hard to wait several weeks without fish in your aquarium, but if your fish die in the process, you’re wasting your money. So how do you start the nitrogen cycle in your tank without fish? Here are some options: Use fish food. As uneaten fish food decomposes, it releases ammonia and/or ammonium into the water. If you’re using fish food, you’ll need to keep “feeding” flakes into the tank to keep the decomposition process going. Use your water test kit to monitor your … Continue reading →

The Nitrogen Cycle: Stages

There are three stages in the nitrogen cycle. The process takes time — anywhere from two weeks to two months or more — so you have to be patient. Stage one of the nitrogen cycle is the introduction of ammonia. Ammonia can come from uneaten fish food, tropical fish waste, and other sources. Waste and food can break down into ionized ammonium (NH4) or un-ionized ammonia (NH3). Ammonia is what can be harmful or deadly to your fish. The water’s pH level will determine what the food and waste break down into — ammonium or ammonia. If your pH is … Continue reading →

The Nitrogen Cycle: Basics

There are many names for the nitrogen cycle: the biological cycle, the nitrification process, the start up cycle, or new tank syndrome. In essence, the nitrogen cycle is the process of converting ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrates and the establishment of good bacteria in the aquarium and filter. Both of these processes are essential to a healthy tank environment. It can take two months or more to complete the nitrogen cycle! The process doesn’t always take that long, and there are some tricks you can use to speed things up, but it can be a very long and … Continue reading →

Aquarium Maintenance

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Very few pets are of the “set it and forget it” variety. They need constant care to stay happy and healthy! Keeping an aquarium clean and safe for your fish can take quite a bit of work… but it’s worth it! Daily checks should include: Observing the fish. Watch for signs of illness, including breathing difficulty, discoloration, and weird growths. Watch how your fish interact with each other. Check temperature and filtration system. A thermometer stuck to the glass or hanging from the top of the tank is a quick and easy way to make sure the water is comfortable … Continue reading →

What Does Your Gravel Say About You?

Most fish tanks have something on the bottom — often gravel in freshwater tanks, but sometimes sand or other materials. What substrate is best for your tank? Colored gravel is popular among casual fish keepers, but not often seen in a serious hobbyist’s tank. Why? If the fish should be the main focus of the tank, brightly colored gravel can be distracting from the living creatures. Colored gravel doesn’t look at all natural, and many serious hobbyists want their tanks to look like a little piece of nature. Light colored gravel can make fish nervous or anxious — the fish … Continue reading →

Betta Fish and Tank Size

You may have heard that betta fish should be kept alone. That’s a simple solution to a more complicated question! Male betta fish will fight each other if they are too close together in an aquarium. So if you’ve got a small tank (like twenty gallons and under), it’s probably best to have just one male betta fish. Females are somewhat more tolerant of each other, and can share if there is adequate room in the tank. In nature, there will be more than one male betta fish in a body of water — but that body of water can … Continue reading →

Under-Gravel Filtration for Your Aquarium

The purpose of your aquarium filter is to establish and maintain beneficial bacteria colonies. If you’re wondering why there needs to be bacteria in your aquarium, take a moment to learn about the nitrogen cycle: The basics Stages of the nitrogen cycle Starting fishless An under-gravel filtration system is a popular choice for aquarium filtration. Here’s how they work: a plastic grid or plate sits underneath several inches of gravel. The filter draws water down through the gravel (through colonies of healthy bacteria). Lift tubes and airstones at the corners of the plate create suction and keep the water cycling. … Continue reading →

More Tropical Aquarium Tips

Keeping an aquarium can be a rewarding hobby — but it isn’t easy! These tips can help your fish stay happy and healthy in your tank. Caring for your fish starts BEFORE they enter the tank. You need to acclimate your fish before they enter your aquarium. Place the fish and the water from the bag into an empty and clean five gallon bucket. Add one cup of water from your aquarium every ten minutes for an hour. After an hour or so, the fish will be acclimated to your tank water and ready to move into the aquarium. Add … Continue reading →