Cycling

T

tyler

Guest
So to cycle a new tank you just set it up, throw a filter in it, and let the filter run for three days then change 10%-20% of the water and then I can put a newt in it?
 
Tyler, some recommend that you set up a tank and let it run for quite a while (a month?).

I usually try to let a tank run for about a week.
 
The word "cycling" means the establishment of beneficial bacteria that "cycle" nutrients (in other words, break them down into non-toxic forms). These bacteria won't set up shop in an aquarium until they have a food source - the process of getting them established takes a month or more. This article should make it clear.
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/cyclingEDK.shtml

Part of your question is whether you can set up a tank, let it run for 3 days, and put a newt into it. In some cases, yes. But you need to be aware that the tank is NOT cycled at that point. During the first couple of months, you risk the build-up of toxic waste products (mainly ammonia and nitrite). How risky this is depends on the size of the tank, the number of newts in it, etc. It is best to test for ammonia/nitrite and do extra-large water changes during this period.
 
The two to three day run period is typically recommended to see if there is anything wrong with the set up.
This does not mean that the tank is cycled...

Ed
 
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