No Fish Aquarium Cycling Technique

This is the best and fastest method for growing beneficial aquarium bacteria and does not call for the sometimes cruel, disease causing, stressing of the fish. This method can also be used to keep a vacant tank cycled.

Use clear, unscented, no additives, 100% pure household ammonia.

1. Set up the Aquarium: filters, heaters, lights and all.


2. Place an "Ammonia Alert" in the aquarium. It usually needs a day or two to acclimate to the aquarium.


3. Keep the filter running throughout this process.


4. Provide extra water movement if possible, by lowering the water 2 inches from full. The more turbulence on the surface of the water, the more oxygen is in the water, the bacteria need lots of oxygen to grow. You can raise the water level when you are ready to add fish.


5. If you can, try to keep the temperature of the water up in the low to high eighties (F) to increase reproductive rates of bacteria.


6. Inoculate your aquarium with bacteria, by placing some material from an established aquarium. Wait about an hour.


7. Put 3-5 drops of pure ammonia in the tank, or enough ammonia to turn the "Ammonia Alert" dark. If it doesn't darken, add more. Wait for the ammonia alert to go back to a "safe" level. This may take several days. Repeat this many times, each time waiting for the ammonia level to get back to "safe" before adding more ammonia...


8. Continue to put ammonia in the tank until the "Ammonia Alert" shows that the ammonia level goes to zero within 8-12 hours after the ammonia is put in. Once the tank shows the ability to lower the ammonia level in this time interval, this means that a large population of bacteria is resident in your filter. This may take 2 weeks or even more (even four weeks).


9. While "Ammonia Alert" shows the ammonia level is at "safe", test for nitrites. If it shows zero nitrites, proceed to the next step. If it does not, go back to step 8 and repeat step 8 three to four more times and then test again for nitrites. When the nitrite test reads zero, proceed to step 10.


10. Your aquarium is now “cycled”. Adjust the water temperature back down for the fish. You are now ready to add fish.