How to Balance the Nitrogen Cycle in an Aquarium

Balancing the nitrogen cycle in your aquarium is crucial to maintaining a healthy aquarium for your fish to live. The nitrogen cycle involves a balance of ammonia, which is produced from decomposing organic matter, nitrates and bacteria. Checking on your nitrogen balance is important to because small fluctuations can result in unhealthy water for your fish.

Things You'll Need

  • Fish food
  • Ammonia test strips
  • Liquid nitrate test kit
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Clean your tank and fill it with fresh water. Do not have any fish in the water when you begin to balance the water.

    • 2

      Crumble fish food and sprinkle it into the tank. Do this daily until the ammonia level reaches around 4 ppm, which you can determine by using your ammonia test strips. This process will usually take around two to six weeks.

    • 3

      Add your fish to the aquarium. Use your liquid nitrate test kit to determine if the water is healthy for them. For freshwater aquariums, the nitrate level should be at 15 to 50 ppm. For saltwater aquariums, the nitrate concentration should be below 40 ppm. Marine reef aquariums should have nitrate levels below 20 ppm.

    • 4

      Clean your tank, and change the water based on the type of aquarium you have. Not changing the water can result in accumulated nitrate levels which can be dangerous to your fish.