Captive Aquatics: An Aquarium and Ecology Blog

Jumpstart Your New Aquarium's Cycle!

So you've bought your first freshwater aquarium, installed the filter, got your decorations, and now you want to add fish...but you have to wait 4 to 6 weeks.  That's no fun!  Want to shorten the wait?  Here are three things you can do to your aquarium to jump start the cycling process in your new aquarium, and get you closer to those adorable goldfish you have your eye on!

1.  Add Bacteria
Many products are in LFS and online that have beneficial bacteria in a bottle.  One of these products, once added to an aquarium can, help establish the beneficial nitrifying bacteria that break down fish waste into less harmful substances - getting you closer to buying fish.  I recommend Seachem's Stability.

American Aquarium T-2 Nano and Pico Aquarium Lighting

American Aquarium Products sells several LED and florescent aquarium lighting options, and also offers a lot of good lighting information on their website.  One of these is their ultra-compact T-2 fixtures, one of which I'll be reviewing today as I attempt to catch up on the growing pile of products I have to test and post about!