aquariumbizforums

Some call it the biological cycle, the nitrification process, new tank syndrome or even the start-up cycle. They all are referring to the same cycle - The Nitrogen Cycle. This very important cycle is the establishment of beneficial bacteria in the aquarium and in the filter media that will help in the conversion of ammonia to nitrite and then the conversion of nitrite to nitrates. Check out the aquarium water chemistry page (on the left) for more information on these terms.

This process can take from 2 weeks to 2 months or longer to complete. It is vital for anyone planning on keeping aquarium fish to understand this process. Learning about this process will help you to be successful in keeping fish and it should definitely improve your chances when keeping tropical fish. The best way to monitor the nitrogen cycle is to purchase an aquarium test kit that will test for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and ph.

Test your aquarium water every other day and write down your readings. You will first see ammonia levels rising. A few weeks or so later you should see the nitrite levels rising and the ammonia levels dropping. Finally, after a few more weeks you should see the nitrate levels rising and the nitrite levels dropping. When you no longer detect ammonia or nitrites but you can detect nitrates you can assume that it is safe to add your tropical fish.



Photo Credit: Ilmari Karonen
Nitrogen Cycle Stages
Stage 1
Ammonia is introduced into the aquarium via tropical fish waste and uneaten food. The tropical fish waste and excess food will break down into either ionized ammonium (NH4) or un-ionized ammonia (NH3). Ammonium is not harmful to tropical fish but ammonia is. Whether the material turns into ammonium or ammonia depends on the ph level of the water. If the ph is under 7, you will have ammonium. If the ph is 7 or higher you will have ammonia.

Stage 2
Soon, bacteria called nitrosomonas will develop and they will oxidize the ammonia in the tank, essentially eliminating it. The byproduct of ammonia oxidation is Nitrites. So we no longer have ammonia in the tank, but we now have another toxin to deal with - Nitrites. Nitrites are just as toxic to tropical fish as ammonia. If you have a test kit, you should be able to see the nitrite levels rise around the end of the first or second week.

Stage 3
Bacteria called nitrobacter will develop and they will convert the nitrites into nitrates. Nitrates are not as harmful to tropical fish as ammonia or nitrites, but nitrate is still harmful in large amounts. The quickest way to rid your aquarium of nitrates is to perform partial water changes. Once your tank is established you will need to monitor your tank water for high nitrate levels and perform partial water changes as necessary. There are other methods to control nitrates in aquariums besides water changes. For freshwater fish tanks, live aquarium plants will use up some of the nitrates. In saltwater fish tanks, live rock and deep sand beds can have anaerobic areas where denitrifying bacteria can breakdown nitrates into harmless nitrogen gas that escapes through the water surface of the aquarium.

Getting The Nitrogen Cycle Started
There are two ways to get the aquarium cycle started, either with fish or without fish.

Starting The Nitrogen Cycle With Fish
This is not the preferred way to get the nitrogen cycle started because the fish are being exposed to ammonia and nitrites during this process. Many fish can not and will not make it through the cycling process. Often times the fish become stressed and fish disease starts to break out. I wonder what percentage of disease is caused by the cycling of new aquariums?

Certain species are hardier than others and seem to tolerate the start-up cycle better than others. For freshwater tanks, the zebra danio is a very hardy fish that many use to get the nitrogen cycle started. For saltwater tanks, some have reported success using damselfish to get the process started. Again, using fish to cycle is not a good idea and you may be throwing your money (on dead fish) out the window. There is a better way. Read on, young grasshopper.

Starting The Nitrogen Cycle Fishless
There are a few different ways to get this process started. To easily get an ammonia reading from your tank water try the Seachem Ammonia Alert. It sticks inside the tank and has a circle that changes color depending on the ammonia levels in the tank.

Option 1:
Using Fish Food
Drop in a few flakes every 12 hours. As the food decomposes it will release ammonia. You will have to continue to "feed" the tank throughout the process to keep it going.

Option 2:
Use a small piece of raw fish or a raw shrimp
Drop a 2 inch by 1 inch chunk of raw fish or a raw shrimp into the tank. As it decomposes it will release ammonia into the tank.

Option 3:
Use 100% pure ammonia.
Using a dropper, add 5 drops of ammonia per 10 gallons of aquarium water. If you don't get an ammonia reading with your test kit, add some more drops until you start to see an ammonia reading. Keep track of how many drops you've used so you can repeat this process daily. Continue to dose the tank with ammonia until you start to get nitrite readings with your test kit. Once you can detect nitrites you should only add 3 drops of ammonia per 10 gallons of aquarium water, or if you added more drops originally to get an ammonia reading cut the amount of drops used in half. Continue this process daily until you get nitrate readings with your test kit. Do a 30% water change and your tank is ready.

Option 4:
Use gravel and/or filter media from an established and cycled tank
This is the best and fastest way to go. This will seed the tank with all of the necessary bacteria for the nitrogen cycle. "Feed" the tank daily with flake food until you are getting nitrate readings. Depending on how fast you were able to get the gravel and filter media into your tank, you may be getting nitrate readings in only a day or two. There are some drawbacks to this method. Ask your source if they have recently used any copper medications in the tank. If they have and you are planning to have invertebrates in the tank you should probably not use this method. Invertebrates will not tolerate copper. Get a copper test kit to determine if it's safe to use.

Option 5:
Using live rock in Saltwater Tanks
The use of live rock in saltwater tanks has really taken off over the past few years. The reason for this is because it is one of the best forms of biological filtration available for saltwater tanks. The shape the rock is in when you get it will determine how long the nitrogen cycle will take. See step 7 on the saltwater setup page for more information on live rock.

Option 6:
 Use Colonize by Dr. Foster and Smith - claims to colonize your water with the necessary bacteria needed to get the cycle going along with detoxifying ammonia so it doesn't harm the fish. To be used at the start of the tank setup and whenever you add new fish to your tank.

 Another bacteria culture product is Tetra SafeStart. People have reported success on the forum with using Tetra SafeStart. Do a quick search on the forum for other members' input.

Use Instant Ocean BIO-Spira for Saltwater Tanks made by Marineland (the freshwater version may have been discontinued). This product claims to contain some patent pending species of nitrifying bacteria that will cycle your tank in 24 hours. Some of the FishLore forum members have tried it and it sounds like it is legitimate. It is kind of expensive, but if you already have fish in your tank and they are suffering through the cycle, you may want to check this stuff out. 1 ounce of this product is supposed to treat a 30 gallon freshwater tank. There are both freshwater and saltwater versions of Bio-spira. Please let us know if you use this and if it works for you by submitting comments below.
Once the cycle has started only add one or two fish at a time. Wait a couple of weeks before adding more fish. This will give your tank the time it needs to catch up with the increased bio-load.
Speeding Up the Cycling Process
There are things you can do to speed along the process of cycling your aquarium.

Increase the temperature of your aquarium water to 80°F-82°F (27°C-28°C)
Get some beneficial bacteria colonies. Borrow some gravel from an established and cycled aquarium. If you have another tank with an extra filter you can use it. If you have a really nice friend with an established and cycled aquarium, ask if you can have one of their used filter media. It will be loaded with the good bacteria that we are looking for.
There are products on the market that claim to introduce the beneficial bacteria. For more information, check out products like Bio-spira and Tetra SafeStart in option 6 above. There are many more products entering the market that contain the beneficial bacteria necessary to seed your tank. Between live rock (for saltwater aquariums) and the bottled bacteria being readily available, there really is no excuse to make fish suffer through a cycle.
Nitrogen Cycle Tips / Comments
From: Dave M.
To start the CYCLE, one should never use fish food! Most, if not all, fish food (flake or otherwise) contain heavy amounts of phosphate. Once the Nitrogen Cycle is in it's final stages, the first thing you will notice is an explosion of all types of algae. Phosphates encourage it's growth! Don't tamper with the Ph, till after the Cycle is complete. Afterwards, try to keep the Ph low, around 7.0-7.2, as a high alkaline also increases algae growth. Purchase several (cheap) "Bunched Plants" and place them in the tank. No need to draw them to the bottom; just throw them in, if you like, as you probably won't need or want them anymore after your landscaping plants and the aquarium establishes itself. This method will "out-compete" the algae and your "Planted Tank" will be virtually free of this pesky micro-plant.
Thanks for allowing my input on the Aquarium Cycle.


From: Brandon J.
Never rinse your filter media with regular tap water if it becomes clogged. The chlorine in the tap water will kill your benificial bacteria instantly and you will have to start all over. Then you will see an explosion of ammonia and nitrites. Rinse your filter media in tank water if you must rinse due to over feeding. Always feed no more than yor fish can eat in 2-3 minutes to avoid filter media clogging which can cause over spill and less water going through your bacteria media culture. Good luck!


From: Mike
SeaChem also came out with a product called Stability, which works great to speed up the cycle. I've used Cycle and Stability and I thought Stability worked a little better. I've heard Marineland's Bio Spira is great too but it's hard to find. Marineland's head scientist is an expert in Beneficial Bacteria... so I trust their stuff a lot.


From: Cody
I used the Bio-Spira in my tank only a couple of days after setting it up from scratch and it worked absolutely fantastically. I have not since ever seen a spike in ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates. My tank is now two months old and I was able to add fish in the first few days after setting it up. I highly recommend this product to any new setups. 


From: Carsten
In Feb 2007 my brother passed away and his wife could not handle dealing with an aquarium. So, I brought them home 700 miles in a 2 gallon cooler also with his filter, media and sorted stuff. After I got home I needed to setup an Aquarium quickly. I had one when I was younger and know a little. I left them in the cooler with a heater, plants and airstones for 3 days. I monitored the water chemistry since I wanted my brothers fish to live. I saw the ammonia levels rising, etc. So when I visited my local fish shop they recommend I used the bio-spira. Thank God for that stuff, my tank started to cycle quickly, ammonia was there then after a day with Bio-Spira nitrites, then Nitrates kicked in, and ammonia's started down. Worked like a charm and they are all well.
One other experience, I overcleaned my tank, back to the LFS, more Bio-Spira to fix the issue. I've also learned that I never clean the tank and change out the filters at the same time. Another great product I keep on hand is Prime. Dosing with Prime will help get ammonia levels down while the cycle is stabilizing. Setting up a new 55 gallon today and ran across this great site. Thanks for all the efforts.
 


From: HSimpson - about Septo-Bac
Septo-Bac can be used to speed up tank cycling and it is a fraction of the cost (a box of 12 packages of Septo-Bac costs about $5 and can be used to cycle 10 150 gallon tanks) of more expensive products such as cycle, bio-spira, stability, and stresszyme.
I did not post this to market Septo-Bac and for those who doubt me, you can do a google search about other peoples' experience to use Septo-bac to quickly cycle large tanks. I can honestly tell you that I was able to cycle the 5 gallon hex in 13 days. Normally it can take 30+ days to cycle a tank and the Nitrite phase is supposed to last the longest (usually 14 days, but some people have got stuck in this phase for 20+ days). I believe that the introduction of Septo-Bac into the tank shortened the Nitrite spike so it was almost the same number of days as the Ammonia Spike. 7 days for the ammonia spike vs 6 days for the Nitrite spike.
 


From: Tom
Hi, I'm thinking about getting a 60 litre tank with 5 tiger barbs and 5 green tiger barbs. How should I go through the nitrogen cycle and when should I add the fish. Thanks. tom
Re-read the options above for getting the cycle started. Once you are getting nitrates and no readings of ammonia nor nitrites you can safely add fish to your newly cycled aquarium.
 


From: Kelly
I do use the biospira and it works very well.
Thanks for the comment on bio-spira. I've heard many successful reports from hobbyists using this product to start the nitrogen cycle. Thanks for the comment. Mike


From: Dave
I set up my new 55 gallon tank a little over a week ago and at the suggestion of a fellow member of a fish forum tried Bio-Spira to cycle it. After eight days, the tank is done and ready for fish! I strongly recommend this product to anyone confronting the establishment of a new aquarium.


From: Joe - Cycling Aquarium with Fish
The best way to cycle a new tank is "patience". Start off with about five fish and do a 10% water change every other day. Ensure that you add anti-chlorine in the new water or let the water settle for about 2 days to neutralize the chlorine. Once your biological filter is established, add a few more fish and so forth. Also note that when cleaning aquarium decor, use the same water from your tank as the normal tap water will kill all good bacteria. Happy fish keeping and remember to do at least a 20% water change weekly.
Indeed, the old fashioned way of doing the cycle. There are better, quicker more humane ways (fishless) to do it nowadays though. Also, just want to add that letting water sit for 2 days may remove chlorine, but what about chloramine? To our knowledge, you still need a water additive to remove or neutralize chloramine.


From: Mike - Read Up on the Aquarium Cycle
Okay, I read this too late... Bought and set up a 20 gallon tank, let it sit for 4 days with filter running. Then added 6 guppies, 6 neon tetras, 2 swordtails, 2 panda corys and 2 Danios. Over the course of 3 days. Lost a few guppies and one tetra on days 8 and 9. Could this be related to the cycle that I was ignorant about?
Mmm, most likely because the cycle is kicking in gear with the build of ammonia and nitrites which can be very harmful to fish. That's a lot of fish to add all at once. Ideally, you want to add a couple at a time to avoid taxing the cycle. Adding a few at a time allows the beneficial bacteria time to catch up to the increased bio-loads being introduced into the tank. I know it can be very difficult to exercise patience, but that really is the best advice when going through the cycle and stocking a new fish tank.


From: Cassie - Confused about the cycle
I'm so confused! I have a 5 gallon U.S. tank and I've been using it for like a year. I just cleaned everything out using tap water putting everything back in to start fresh because my fish died. I'm doing a lot of research so I can get everything right but I'm not sure what to do about the nitrogen cycle. Could you please tell me in steps what to do!
Hmm, ok. I'll try to break it down into steps:
Fill tank with dechlorinated tap water or pre-mixed saltwater for saltwater aquarium keepers.
Determine your method of starting the cycle. Fishless is the quickest and most humane way. For freshwater tanks, get some Bio-spira and add it to the tank. For saltwater tanks, live rock is the way to go. As the rock cures in the tank it will cycle your tank.
Test the aquarium water with your test kits for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates.
Once you start getting nitrates and no nitrites you can safely add fish. If you're using live rock in saltwater tanks you may not see any of these (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate). If you've had the rock in the tank for several weeks/months you can assume that it's safe to slowly begin stocking the tank.
That's it!
 


From: Cory - Cleaning tank during cycle
Another common problem in the cycle stage is people over clean their tanks during partial water changes and maintenance. If you use the food or fish starting methods, its very important not to disturb the media bedding to allow beneficial bacteria cultivation and growth. Media is the largest source for this growth and over cleaning in the first few weeks can diminish this cultivation causing an elevation of ammonia and/or nitrites

If you grow your aquarium plants at optimal light levels and the proper temperature, provide the proper pH and water hardness as well as supply them with all the needed nutrients you will probably never see plant diseases or deficiencies. Incorrect care is often the main cause of stunted growth and plant damage. Here I will discuss the different problems we encounter with plants, their causes and remedies.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



 

 




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 
 

 
 

Nutritional and trace element imbalances.


Errors made with supplying plants with the nutrients and trace elements can lead to plant damage and damage to the aquariums ecosystem. You should try to avoid these mistakes if at all possible.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Carbon Dioxide Deficiency. (CO2)


Symptoms:

The plants stay much smaller and grow more slowly than plants fertilized with CO2. Rough Calcium deposits on the leaves. Breakdown of the pH system causing a rise in pH.



Causes:

A lack of CO2 can arise even with optimal care. All plants use CO2 in their respiration process and it is difficult to maintain an equilibrium. Vigorously Aerated or agitated water increases CO2 loss, as the gas escapes into the air.



Remedy:

Regularly fertilize with CO2 and try to limit the amount of aeration and water agitation in your tank




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Excess Carbon Dioxide CO2.


Symptoms:

The fish gasp at the water surface for air, as if they are suffocating.


Cause:

Oxygen deficiency resulting from over fertilization with co2, dirty filter material, poor lighting, too large of a fish load and bad tank maintenance.


Remedy:

Check all your maintenance procedures and filters, look for dead animals and plants. If you use an automatic CO2 fertilization system, adjust the amount released and make sure it does not run at night when the lights are off.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Oxygen Deficiency.


Symptoms:

The fish go through many bouts of disease and have a loss of vigor. With a long term deficiency the plants become stunted and the tank has excess algae growth.


Causes:

Insufficient nutrients or light, as a result the plants are not able to produce Oxygen from the assimilation of Carbon Dioxide. The Nitrogen cycle of the tank slows due to the aerobic bacteria not working or slowly working. The results are water overloaded with waste products and an excess of CO2.


Remedy:

Check the filters, lighting, fish population, all other tank maintenance procedures and especially your feeding habits. Make any needed alterations or corrections.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Potassium Deficiency.


Symptoms:

Yellowing of the marginal sections of the young leaves. Trace element deficiency, usually Iron Chlorosis.


Cause:

Your local water supplier or your Reverse Osmosis/DI filter removes the Potassium from the water. So a deficiency may arise.


Remedy:

Regular fertilization.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Excess Phosphate.


Symptoms:

Production of the Iron Phosphate causes the leaves to turn Black or Brown and to die. In addition if there is an excess of Nitrates your tank will experience an Algae bloom.


Cause:

Not performing your water changes on schedule or not changing enough water.


Remedy:

Change a large portion of your water right away. Then modify your tank maintenance routine to include larger water changes or more frequent ones.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Cryptocoryne Disease
Cryptocoryne Rot.


Symptoms:

In the early stages small holes develop in the leaves or along the leaf margins. Advanced stages will affect the entire plant or group and cause the breakdown of all the leaves.


Cause:

Not known for sure, but excess Nitrate is a factor. Unclean water, improper nutrients and insufficient light also contribute to the onset of this disease. The odd thing about this disease that by trying to correct the above stated causes, often triggers this disease. Not regular maintenance, but for example doing a water change after a long period or changing the lights well after they were used up can bring about the onset.


Remedy:

Immediate improvement to the aquarium set up. Large water change, cleaning of the substrate, removal of all dead and decaying plant material. Don't baby the plants, just leave them alone and they should recover in a few weeks.


Prevention:

Get on a regular maintenance schedule, do the water changes, keep up with the fertilization and change your lights when the recommended time arrives.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Iron Deficiency
Iron Chlorosis


Symptoms:

Yellow leaves that become brittle and glassy and finally fall off or rot away.


Cause:

Potassium deficiency, too little fertilizer and over-fertilization with Phosphate. In well fertilized aquariums it can be caused by an overly high amount of total Carbonate hardness in conjunction with a pH over 7.


Remedy:

Regular use of an Iron rich fertilizer compound or a substrate which contains Iron additives. If needed lower the Carbonate hardness of the water.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Manganese deficiency.


Symptoms:

Leaves turn Yellow but the Veins stay Green.


Cause:

Unbalanced Iron fertilization.


Remedy:

Use a fertilizer that contains all compounds needed by plants not just an Iron rich fertilizer.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Incorrect care and its end result.


Plants can often suffer from deficiency problems caused by the wrong choice in the aquarium substrate lighting and other accessories.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Problems in the substrate.


Symptoms:

Gas bubbles rising to the surface any time the substrate is disturbed, stunted plant growth, poorly rooted plants and rotting roots that are Black in color.


Causes:

The bottom material is too fine and/or has compacted. The Nutrients in the substrate have been used up.


Remedy:

loosen the bottom material and add some heavier grade material as well as a substrate fertilizer like Laterite. If this does not improve the conditions a replacement of the entire bottom material may be needed.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Wrong water temperature.


Symptoms:

If the water temperature is too cold the plants will cease to grow and eventually die. Too high of a water temperature the stem plants will have small leaves and long spaces between them and the Rosette plants will show little growth.


Cause:

Malfunctioning or broken aquarium heater. Using a heater with too little wattage to properly heat the water.


Remedy:

Purchase a new aquarium heater designed to handle your size tank. Keep a close eye on your temperature and watch for swings that could tell of a heater problem. For detailed information on heaters please go to the Basics section of the site.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Insufficient light.



Plant not receiving enough
or the proper light.



Symptoms:

The plants are weak and spindly, the leaves are pale Green to Yellow and the stems are frail and thin. On the Rosette plants the stalks are weak and the leaves are small. Stem plants have only a few leaves and long spaces between them. Growth closest to the light is strong and compact, lower sections could be bare of leaves. A fine layer of Diatoms begins to grow.


Causes:

Not using enough wattage for your tank or not enough bulbs. The Fluorescent bulbs have lost there lumen output. The photoperiod is not long enough. Wrong spectrum lights heavy on the Red side, will cause tall and leggy plants. Blue spectrum bulbs will cause low squat growth and those in the Yellow/Green range will cause stunted growth.


Remedy:

Add more lighting, replace your tubes or increase the time your lights stay on. Purchase the right full spectrum bulbs, the so called plant bulbs are a poor choice. For more information on tank lighting go to the Basics lighting section.
 

Fish, like any other organism, need a supply of calories to sustain their metabolism. Properly feeding your fish helps them to stay healthy and is helpful in maintaining your aquarium. It is important to know the types of foods your fish need and how much food they need, which differs from species to species.

In most cases, fish only need to be fed once a day, and you only need to feed a small amount. Your fish should be able to get enough nutrients from the food they can consume in under two minutes, as long as the food provides for their nutritional needs. Food that stays in your tank longer than that can get caught in your gravel, decorations, or filter and will begin to decay, contributing to poor water quality. This poor water quality will increase disease susceptibility and filter maintenance. It could also increase the need for water changes, which in turn stress the filtration system and the fish, again increasing disease susceptibility. Small, regular feedings provide fish with the nutrients they need and keep your tank cleaner than large or more frequent feedings. Over feeding can also contribute to algae growth, which can be unsightly, remove vital oxygen from the water, and increase your tank maintenance chores.

Most fish, like most cold blooded vertebrates, are primarily carnivorous, consuming mostly insects, insect larvae, worms, grubs, various shrimps and similar animals, and smaller fish, some even consuming small amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals in the wild. However, almost all fish also graze on live plants, and there are very few that do not consume at least some algae. So, you can see that most fish are really omnivorous and need to get foods that contain both animal and vegetable matter to remain healthy. Like many children, a lot of fish would prefer to have a nice diet of rich meaty foods and push their vegetables under the table cloth, but this is not available in nature and should not be provided in the aquarium. Though there are fish that are more herbivorous or more carnivorous, there are few fish that are strictly herbivores or carnivores.

There are hundreds of food options for your pet fish, and a combination of foods from this selection is necessary to provide your fish with the nutrients they need. All of these foods fall into two broad categorizations of fish food: live and processed, which can be broken down further as described below.

Live Fish Food
Live food consists of plants, animals, and microorganisms that are living in your tank - or at least live when you introduce them to your tank - that your fish can eat. It is important to make sure that the live foods you provide for your fish provide all the nutrients that your fish need to remain healthy and to grow properly, and do not pose a risk to the fish. Many live foods, particularly feeder goldfish, are very common vectors for disease.

Many fish will graze a little on live plants and algae growing in your aquarium, but some herbivores will voraciously eat any live plants you put in the tank. Other fish will feed on microorganisms that are free-floating in your aquarium water or growing on the surface of plants and decorations. Still other fish will gladly eat worms, snails, and/or other invertebrates that are introduced to the aquarium. Many pet stores also provide a variety of insects and insect larvae that are of nutritional value to fish.

The most common live foods used in the aquarium hobby are live feeder fish. These fish often do not receive the care they need to remain healthy and are often carrying diseases or parasites that could, in turn, infect any fish that eats them. The best way to spread a disease from one fish to another is for a fish to eat an infected fish! Also, in many areas, the live foods that are available are very limited in variety. A diet of just one food is almost guaranteed to be short on some vital vitamins, minerals, or other nutrients that your fish need.

Processed Fish Food
There are many categories of processed foods, including fresh, frozen, freeze-dried, and canned.

Fresh foods include meats and vegetables with minimal processing. Many fish will go wild for small (relatively) bits of beef, poultry, seafood, or game meats, but you don't want to cook these foods in most cases. A lot of fish will also enjoy bits of fresh vegetable matter, such as raw potato, squash, zucchini, pea, bean, apple (without the peel or seeds), and spinach. Again, as with live foods, you need to make sure that the diet you have selected will meet the nutritional needs of your fish.

Frozen foods are available from most pet stores in a wide variety - from shrimp and squid to spirulina algae and vegetables to processed, vitamin enhanced staple diets to aquarium delicacies like sponges and insect larvae. The selection of frozen foods available can provide a varied and stable diet for most fish, and the processes that the foods go through when freezing greatly reduce the risk of disease transfer when compared to live foods or fresh seafood, wile maintaining a high nutritional value.

Many of the foods available as frozen foods also have a freeze-dried counterpart. These foods have all of the moisture extracted from them during processing so that they have a long shelf life and can be stored easily. Many worms, insect larvae, crustaceans, and meats are available in freeze dried forms. One disadvantage of freeze dried foods is that the freeze-drying process often strips vitamins from the food as well, so freeze dried foods are not likely to make a balanced and complete diet. Remember when feeding freeze-dried foods, that these foods can absorb a lot of water, and will fill up your fish a lot more than you would think when looking in the package. We recommend that you moisten freeze-dried foods before feeding them to your fish to keep your fish from overeating and making themselves sick.

Canned foods are often the best for a fish's staple diet. The foods are engineered to provide a complete and balanced diet for your fish and are available in a variety of forms: floating pellets, sinking pellets, granules, tablets, and flakes.

•Flakes are the most common type of processed foods, and are available in a very wide variety. Some flakes are engineered to provide the nutritional requirements of specific varieties or species of fish, and others are designed to counter nutritional imbalances, while still others are balanced to enhance color or growth or to encourage spawning.
•Pellets are available in forms that are denser or lighter than water. This allows the fish to feed in a more natural way - if the right pellet is provided. Some fish prefer to feed off the bottom of the tank while others prefer to feed off the surface. Like flakes, pelleted foods are available in many varieties, each with a specific purpose.
•Granules are like very small, hard flakes or tiny pellets. Currently only a limited variety of fish food granules are available, usually engineered for the general nutritional needs of small community fish.
•Tablets are really just large flat pellets. Most tablets are of a sinking variety, but there are some that are engineered to adhere to the side of the aquarium so that you may observe your fish feeding. Most of the sinking tablets are engineered to provide for the nutritional needs of scavengers and bottom feeders.
Regardless of the type of foods you decide to feed your fish, you should provide them with a variety of foods. Variety in the diet reduces the chance of any nutritional shortcomings of one or more of your selected foods becoming a health or longevity problem for your fish. Providing a variety of foods will also reduce the chances that your fish loose interest in the foods that they are offered and go on a "hunger strike."

rtificial plants transform your underwater world from dull to extraordinary - almost instantly. They create a lush, natural-looking habitat with added color, dimension, movement, and cover - without the special conditions or care live plants require.
Gone are the days of bulky, tacky-looking artificial plants. Today's lightweight fabric or plastic varieties boast attention to detail and realism, making it difficult for admirers to distinguish them from the real thing. For example, flexible silky plants sway gently with the water to achieve a beautiful organic feel. And over time, artificial plants attain a natural patina of algae - further blurring the distinction between live and artificial plants.

Artificial plants are ideal if you don't exactly have a green thumb. They won't die, they require no pruning, and they stay beautiful season after season. Artificial plants will never rot or undergo natural biological changes, so they won't foul your aquarium water. They offer long-lasting beauty with minimal effort.

   Artificial plants are perfect for both beginning aquarists or seasoned hobbyists who keep large active fish, like cichlids, that dig up or destroy live plants. In breeding or quarantine tanks, they provide simple and attractive shelter. Artificial plants are an excellent low-maintenance alternative, offering many benefits, when live plants are not a practical option.
With an even greater selection of plant species, sizes, and construction, there's something for every aquarium and aquarist. Available in both freshwater and saltwater species, the use of artificial plants is now limited only by your imagination.
 

Most aquarium filters are divided into three sections: Biological, Mechanical and Chemical.

Biological. An aquarium filter is a breeding ground for two main types of bacteria. This is not something to worry about, quite the opposite. The type of bacteria that filters culture is specifically to work on the chemicals that fish produce through waste. The first type of bacteria breaks down the potentially very poisonous ammonia that fish produce into less harmful nitrites, and then a second type of bacteria breaks down the nitrites into even less harmful nitrates.

Mechanical. The filters will also remove large suspended particles of debris from the water.

Chemical. Some aquarium filters allow the addition of Active Carbon in the form of balls, sheets, wadding or crystals. The purpose of this is to remove medications and heavy metal traces from the water.

Aquarium filters come in several different forms, from Under-gravel filter trays, through Hang-on-back (HOB) filters and internal power-head filters to external "Sump" filters. All of them do very similar jobs and all work well. The main criterion for choosing which filter is best is the size of the tank and the load you are going to put it under. Let's take them one at a time and explain the benefits and drawbacks for each. I'll start with the cheapest and work upwards in cost:


Simple Air powered Filters:


Air-box and foam filters, which sucker onto the sides of the tank or just stand on the bottom and contain a filter media, foam or wadding to hold the bacteria and filter out the large debris. These filters are very cheap, often costing just a couple of pounds. The principle of filtration is very simple, using an air stream to force the water through the filter. The principle use for these is in fry breeding, where you need a filter that doesn't cause strong currents and that won't pull the small fry into the internal workings. They also make ideal backup filters for other types and can be setup in minutes. You can even make your own filter like this out of bits and pieces you have laying around! If you have an air pump, you can use this type of filter.

Dis-advantages:

Regular maintenance is a must. These filters can clog up with debris very quickly in heavy load situations.

Not able to handle heavy filtration. These filters are not suitable for tanks where you have diggers, as they clog up very quickly and are limited on the amount of bacteria they can support. You need an air pump to run them.


Under-gravel Filter:


Out of all of the above, this is my personal favorite. Apart from anything else, it is the cheapest and simplest to maintain. Over the years, these have become less popular, mainly due to commercialism, not in-effectiveness. (Retailers make more money by selling more expensive options)

The filter works as follows: It draws water down through the gravel across the entire bottom of the tank through small slots in the tray and forces the cleaned water back to the top through riser pipes in the corner of the tank using either an air stone or a power-head. The filtration is done by the gravel removing the larger particles and the bactreria that lives in the gravel and under the tray removing the harmful ammonia and nitrites. With the Active Carbon filter attachment fitted to the top of the risers, it will also remove heavy metals and medications from the water.

Advantages:

It aerates the water by means of the air stone which draws the water up the riser or simply by the disturbance of the surface in the case of power-heads.

It regulates the water temperature throughout the whole tank, simply by drawing the colder water from the bottom and pushing it out at the top. With the heater placed beside the riser pipe, this water is heated back up straight away, giving more even temperatures.

It is flexible. By the addition of another riser pipe, the filter is capable of carrying a much larger bio-load, which is very helpful for over-stocked tanks. Most trays come with spare riser sockets to add more risers if required.

It is a low-maintenance system. If you are pushed for time, this filter is very forgiving. It won't stop working over a short period of time and can be left for weeks without any concern. It is safe to use with very small fish. So long as the riser pipe is above water level this filter is very safe for smaller inhabitants.

It is good in planted tanks. Plants can root through the gravel and into the slots in the tray to get a good hold.

The cost is minimal. these filter trays are by far the cheapest alternative of all the filtration systems.

Dis-advantages:

Cleaning: Can be difficult if not carried out regularly. (See the article on UGF cleaning for effective and quick ways to clean these filters.)

Air Pump: You need an air pump powerful enough to run this filter effectively. It pays to buy a good air pump as if the pump stops, the filtration stops too.

Substrate: You are restricted with the types of substrate you can use. Gravel is the only effective type of substrate for this filter. If you want to use sand, don't use this filter!

Efficiency: The filter becomes less effective if not cleaned regularly. By regular, I mean at least every six months, which is a lot less than other filter types.

Noise: The filter itself is silent, but sometimes the air pump the runs it can be noisy, so and the sound of bubbles bursting on the surface all the time can get annoying. Careful selection of the pump is very important.


Internal Power-head filters:


By far the most common system used today, these filters come in a range of sizes and shapes to suit most small to medium sizes tanks. They simply sucker onto the side or back of the tank and connect to mains power. The filter works through an impeller drawing the water through the filter media and forcing it back into the tank.

Advantages:

Availability: There is a filter for most common sizes of tank.

Simple to install: They can be fitted into a tank in seconds.

Cleaning: The filters simply slide onto a bracket inside the tank, so removal for cleaning is easy. The media is contained in a removable section of the unit and can be made up of several elements, each one to do specific tasks. They can contain wadding, foam or crystals or a combination of any of the above. If they use foam pads, then you simply rinse them out and replace them when necessary, if they contain wadding, this can be rinsed a few times, but mostly requires replacement each time. Crystals will last for around 4 weeks at a time, then need replacing.

Noise: Most of these filters run quietly.

Dis-advantages:

Looks: The physical size of the filter unit can be a problem if you want to hide it away. As it hangs inside the tank, it also takes up room and in a small tank, this could be a real nuisance. You need to take care when trying to hide it behind plants etc, as there must be clear passage for the water, otherwise it just won’t work!

Cleaning: These filters must be cleaned regularly. They will clog up very quickly in high demand areas and become ineffective very quickly.

Cost: They can be expensive to buy initially, especially the larger ones. The cost of maintenance can be high. Depending on the type of media used in the filter, it can get expensive to keep replacing media all the time.

Water Currents: The current they create can be a problem. Some fish don’t like strong currents, and these fish do not do well in tanks with this type of filter. On the other hand, some fish love it! They also create a strong current at the intake, which can trap or even kill small fish and fry.


HOB or Canister Filters:


Hang on Back or Canister filters are becoming more common these days. I have prouped these two filters together since they are essentially very similar in performance and operation. They use two pipes that hang or clip over the back of the tank and water is pumped through the filter which can be on the back or anywhere away from the tank. Usually installed in a cupboard under the tank, but also wall-mountable. This type of filter contains lots of different types of media, depending on the manufacturer. Usually fairly expandable too, so individual choices of media can be made according to need. The recommendation for this type of filter is that it should be large enough to circulate ten times the volume of water per hour, which means that a 100 gallon tank requires a filter capable of moving 1000 gallons per hour!









Advantages:

Power: These filters tend to be very powerful and move a great deal of water, capable of handling high demands on medium and larger tanks. Some are also adjustable so you control the power it uses. Effectiveness: For diggers and bottom dwellers they are very effective, since they clean large amounts of water very quickly. On most tanks where these filters are fitted, they give crystal-clear water all the time.

Visibility: They are easy to hide away, since it is only the two pipes that enter the tank, and these are easy to disguise.

Current: These units create a really strong current from both ends. The intake needs a good pre-filter fitted to stop the inhabitants being drawn in and the outlet creates a very strong circulation in the tank which is perfect for some fish, but not so good for others.

Dis-advantages:

Cleaning: Can be difficult to clean and some need to be primed before they work. There have also been reports of flooding during the cleaning process, as when installed below the tank water level they can act as a siphon if the valves are not closed properly. Not so prone to clogging as they use lots of media.

Cost: These are very expensive units, and maintenance costs can be high too, depending on the type you buy. The recommendations tend to insist on a much larger unit than you would expect to need.

Noise: They can be quite noisy, the HOB filters especially, but canister filters can be installed away from the tank, this means that they can be put in another room if necessary.


Sumps:


Although these are not necessarily the most expensive to buy, I have put them last because they are by far the most adaptable, but need a lot of skill and patience to set up, and the cost is totally dependant on what you use.

A sump aquarium filter is a separate tank, usually a small 20 - 30 gallon fish tank, split into compartments for various uses. A sump is completely adaptable to suit individual requirements, and there are no real guidelines for this. Examples can range from a simple multi-stage filter, through internal heaters, live plants, biological additives, the list is almost endless.

Mainly fitted to the larger tanks, care needs to be taken in the planning, location, building and use intended. Most sumps are purely DIY and usually only attempted by experienced aquarists. Unless you have a real need for this type of filter, stay away from it!