I don't get it please help?
Can anyone help me here, i really don't get this thing.

When you are first getting into the fish hobby, it can seem a bit overwhelming with all the information you find on getting your tank started so it is understandable that you would be a bit confused. You've come to a good place everyone is willing to help you.

Can you tell us exactly what part don't you understand, Hun? Have you started your tank yet, or are you trying to find everything out before hand?

As far as I understand, cycling is just the process a new tank undergoes as it is building up its good bacteria. First the ammonia will shoot up. This is because your fish produce ammonia. Since there are no bacteria yet to "eat" the ammonia, you will see very high levels of it. This is very dangerous for fish, so keep your eye on the ammonia and do partial water changes as necessary. Next you will see that your ammonia will go down, but your nitrites will shoot up. This is because some of the good bacteria has started to grow. It is "eating" the ammonia and turning it into nitrites. The last phase will be when you begin to see nitrates in your tank. This is because another kind of bacteria is eating the nitrites and turning into an even less toxic substance, which is nitrate. This is the end of your cycle. You should not see any more ammonia or nitrites. If you do its probably because your tank is overcrowded. Nitrite is very harmful for your fish, as is ammonia...however nitrate is said to be LESS toxic, not non-toxic. High levels are not good for your fish over a long period of time. Nitrates can be removed with weekly partial water changes. Plants also like to eat nitrate, so if you have plants that will help to remove some of it.


I think I said all that right...if I have mistaken someone PLEASE correct me. I have been watching my tank cycle for 2 months now and it is finally done!!! So I THINK I got the whole cycle process down, but if I mis-stated something please correct me.

So how much time do each phase take?

Hi and welcome
here is a great link that explains things:
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/cycle.html

Each phase can vary acording to the tanks conditions but the above link give a great guideline.

Please, do not feel upset - as the others have said -the information can seem overwhelming at times.

If, after reading all that stuff, you have questions, just ask!

Cycling is not as complicated as it seems to be at first glance. There are two types of bacteria that will grow in a fish filter. These bacteria will break down the fish waste (ammonia) - one takes the ammonia and turns it into nitrites, and the second type of bacteria takes the nitrites and turns them into nitrates. This keeps the ammonia from building up in your tank -for it is toxic to the fish in concentrations.

Growing this bacteria in sufficient numbers to handle the waste of your fish is called "cycling". Cycling can take a cople of days or many weeks to accomplish - it depends on a large number of factors.

Once they are grown, it is called the "cycle" of the tank as it goes from ammonia to nitrite to nitrate - the nitrogen is cycled into ever increasingly benign substances.

The hardest part of cycling is....waiting!