Content

• To step
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Screwing in is the easy and animal-friendly way to fill your filter with the necessary bacteria before you put fish in your tank. Unfortunately, many new fish in freshly prepared aquariums die because they are poisoned with ammonia and nitrite. Prepare the tank (a process that takes about 4 weeks) by adding ammonia (your fake fish) to make sure enough bacteria grow in the filter to handle the fish's excrement. The nitrogen cycle is an established biological process that cannot be accelerated. Just adding used filter material from an older aquarium can help.

To step

1. Keep adding ammonia until you put fish in the tank. As a result, the bacteria will not die. Then replace 70 to 90% of the water to get the amount of nitrate below 40 ppm. Once you've put the fish in the tank, keep testing the water for ammonia and nitrite to avoid spikes.
   • Be aware that the pH of the aquarium can change a lot during these 4 weeks. This is not uncommon, but it is good to keep an eye on. If the pH drops below 6 or lower, the process can be slowed down. However, there are easy ways to fix this problem. A good aquarium enthusiast forum will be able to give you detailed advice based on the conditions in your tank.

Tips

• It is important that you use the right kind of ammonia. Use ammonia that consists only of water and ammonia (ammonia is a solution of the gas ammonia in water). It should not contain fragrances, dyes and other substances. You have the wrong kind if the product foams when you shake it.
• Only add a few fish at a time. Your filter can adapt itself well to the extra amount of biological material.
• Test strips are unreliable. Use liquid tests to get accurate results.
• Consider adding live plants to your tank. Plants absorb nitrate, the end product of the nitrogen cycle. High levels of nitrate can be toxic to fish, so plants are a great way to keep the ecosystem in your tank healthy.However, plants can only remove a portion of nitrogen, so test the water regularly for nitrate. You will also need to change the water from time to time.
• Carbon filters need to be replaced often and it is therefore not recommended to use such a filter alone. You will have to screw in again every time the filter material is replaced. If you do want to use a carbon filter, make sure you also have filter material (such as sponge, wool or ceramic material) for your bacterial colony that will last longer.
• Siamese fighting fish and guppies are a good choice.

Warnings

• Always make sure the aquarium is free of ammonia and nitrite before putting fish in it. Make sure the amount of nitrate is below 40 ppm.

Necessities

• An aquarium
• A filter (see tips)
• A bottle of household ammonia (see tips)
• Test sets to test for ammonia and nitrite (nitrate is also good for testing)
• Bucket and siphon to replace the water
• Pisces (after turning in)