What is the best way to start cycling your tank?

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FireBelly

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Can you buy good bacteria in an aquarium shop? Should you go with live plants and hope they come with good bacteria?

My filter has a "biological" filtration step. Is that good enough?
 
I would not buy any "bacteria" for a pet store, it would be a waste of your money. Buying live plants will go a long way in helping in filtering the tank.

When the filter has a "biological" filtration step, this is just a net material set in front of the return water that catches and grows bacteria in it.

The best way to get your tank started is just get water in there, get some plants, get a testing kit and put something in there. Test the water and change the water everyday. Don't take all the water out, just do partials. Over time the bacteria that breaks down the harmful toxins will begin to grow. There is really no "quick" way to do it.

Toward the bottom is some tips on faster starts. Read this beginning to end, it has everything you need on cycling
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/cyclingEDK.shtml

Mitch
 
Thanks Mitch. Damn change the water every day. Okay. I'll buy a test kit too.
 
I suggest leaving no uneaten food in there! and putting a little creature(newt i am guessing) into the tank. Then do regular testing and chnage the water every 1 or 2 days. Then after a couple of weeks start changing the water less. Until you are doing a water change every month or so.

I have found that my newts dont really dirty the tank that much as I feed then once every 3 days and make sure all uneaten food is removed.

The most important thing is to check the water. Pay attention to the ammonia levels.
 
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