Nitrates, pH, Ammonia and cycles.

[( 8 ) eiGhtBaLL]

I'm just beginning my first tank...

What the heck do all these mean?

What's a cycle? How do I test my nitrates, pH and ammonia... And why do I need to do so?

If anyone has any websites which explains this so I won't need to ask any more q's about it, I'd be much appreciated.

Alternatively, I'd be eternally greatful if you could give me your ideas, hints, and explanations on this topic.

Thankyou all very much for your time...

- Jeremy

 

[( 8 ) eiGhtBaLL]

Ahh yes... My tank is 13.7 gallons, or 52 litres.

ta

 

[wabyrd]

How do I test my nitrates, pH and ammonia... And why do I need to do so?

You want your fish to live? Buy a test kit...

The "cycle" is the nitrogen cycle. It's the process of letting the tank mature to the point where the bacteria are able to efficiently convert ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. For your 13 gallon, get a couple of danios or guppies. Check your water levels regulary. You'll see a spike on the ammonia then the nitrites, and finally nitrAte will show up. Do a search on this board for a more detailed discussion.

 

[Allivymar]

Thumbs up for doing your research! You'll find getting a handle on this stuff BEFORE geting fishies will certainly lead to happy healthy fish

My fav article about the cycle is here: http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html ; you may want to peruse the rest of the site. Its chock full of info and will prob answer a lot of questions....even the ones you haven't thought to ask yet *grin*