What Could Happen if I Don’t Cycle My Aquarium?

All ecosystems must go through continuous cycles. Even our own human habitats are in a constant state of change, though we seldom notice them unless we’re tasked with keeping track of them or when major disruptions occur. In the case of aquariums, fish keepers are in charge of establishing, monitoring, and intervening to ensure the ecosystem goes through smooth cycles. A tank or fishbowl filled with tap water is nowhere near established or cycled, which means adding any species could result in death. When setting up a new tank, a full nitrogen cycle must be achieved before introducing fish and invertebrates. Things are a bit different with aquascapes that only hold plants, but a cycle must still be reached. The aquarium experts at Aquatic Warehouse are here to explain the basics of why you need to cycle a new aquarium and what could happen if you fail to do so properly.

What Cycling a Tank Really Means

Some aquarists call it a “biological cycle,” while others use the more utilitarian “establishing” term. The most accurate term is “nitrogen cycle” because nitrogen is the chemical element that must be kept at certain levels to provide a healthy ecosystem for aquarium life. There’s an initial nitrogen cycle of establishment followed by bacterial bloom, algae growth, and continuous nitrification.

Stages of the Nitrogen Cycle

The process of setting up a new tank can take anywhere between a few days to a few weeks, and this will include adding bottled bacteria and introducing plants and following a more natural process of bacterial growth. Once you add a small amount of resilient fish species, waste production will begin by means of excretion, food residue, and carbon dioxide. All these elements break down into harmful ammonia in the first stage. In the second stage, ammonia produces harmful nitrites, but the plants and Nitrobacter colonies in your filter will take care of them. The third stage consists of nitrites turning into nitrates, which are manageable and can be reduced by cleaning and changing the water.

Monitoring the Tank During the Cycle

Master test kits are important aquarium items that are worth investing in. When you decide to establish a tank in less than a week with bottled bacteria and hardy species, you’ll need to keep a close eye on the water chemistry, pH level, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates. A quick-start aquarium will require you to test it once per day even if you transfer water from an established aquarium. You’ll need to continue testing as you add more species and write your numbers down so you can assess the changing cycle numbers.

Reducing Toxicity Through Tank Cycling

As previously mentioned, your aquarium species will likely suffer and maybe even perish in a tank that hasn’t properly cycled. The ideal situation is to wait a few weeks for the nitrogen cycle process to occur naturally, but you can also establish a tank in a few days, test that the water is safe to add species, and start with just a few resilient fish. Make sure the fish are small, and start them out on a light feeding program. Increase feeding portions gradually each week as you add new species to stimulate a balanced growth of bacterial colonies that reduce the potential of toxicity.

Once you’ve got your aquarium up and running, make sure to continue caring for it properly. To maintain your tank, you’ll need several supplies, and you should never settle for less than the best quality. Whether you need aquarium controllers, LED lighting, testing kits, or any other aquarium supplies, Aquatic Warehouse has what you need. We’re located in Kearny Mesa, or you can check out our high-quality products on our site. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 858-467-9297.