| Cycling aquarium water is the easiest and most | | | | aquarium water. |
| effective way to keep betta diseases at bay. | | | | 2 - Add Nitrogen - Really! |
| Often called the nitrification process, the tank | | | | Nitrogen is bad for your fish at high levels, but is |
| set-up process, or water change process, cycling | | | | necessary to cycle your tank. Add fish food to |
| aquarium water refers to the process of building | | | | your fishless tank twice a day just as you would |
| up good bacteria in your tank water, substrate | | | | if you had fish. You can alternately drop a piece |
| and filter. This good bacteria then turns harmful | | | | of fish one inch by two inches in instead. A |
| ammonia into beneficial nitrates for your fish. | | | | commercial way to do this is to purchase liquid |
| The vast majority of ammonia in your tank | | | | ammonia and add 5 drops per ten gallons of |
| comes from the waste of your fish. If the right | | | | water. Add three drops per ten gallons of water |
| types of bacteria are not established when cycling | | | | daily after. |
| aquarium water, these higher levels of waste and | | | | 3 - Continue Testing - Where are the Nitrites? |
| ammonia deteriorate the water quality, causing | | | | After you notice ammonia present in your water, |
| bad bacteria to weaken your fish, leaving them | | | | you will begin to get nitrite readings. This is just |
| susceptible to many betta diseases. | | | | what you need to wipe out any betta diseases |
| Cycling aquarium water is a process that takes | | | | caused by bad bacteria. Soon after the intial nitrite |
| two to eight weeks, and should be attempted | | | | readings, you will get nitrates showing up. At this |
| BEFORE you add your fish. It involves some | | | | stage, you need to do a 30% water change in |
| simple steps, and a few necessary items. | | | | your tank, and you are ready to add your fish. |
| 1 - Test, Test, Test! | | | | Cycling aquarium water properly is a must if you |
| You need an aquarium test kit that checks for | | | | are going to raise healthy, long-lasting bettas. By |
| ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH. Test the water | | | | eradicating betta diseases before they get a |
| at the same time of day for several days and | | | | foothold in your tank, you can extend your |
| write down your readings. The test kit will have | | | | betta's lifespan to three to five years. Always |
| instructions as to how to use it. Betta diseases | | | | consult a comprehensive betta care guide like the |
| are very easy to avoid, and testing your fish's | | | | one available below when cycling your tank. |
| water condition is a major first step when cycling | | | | |