Home
| Leisure
| Fitness & Exercises
| Cycling
| How to Quickly Cycle a Fish Pond
How to Quickly Cycle a Fish Pond
by Ruby Bayan
-
Overview
Fish ponds, although considerably larger and often situated outdoors, are similar to aquariums in that they should be cycled properly in preparation for the inhabitants. Cycling is a process which involves the cultivation of colonies of beneficial bacteria within the aquatic habitat. These bacteria take care of neutralizing the fish's waste products as well as any organic decay from the pond's vegetation, thereby making the water ideal for fish health. Cycling normally takes several weeks but certain steps can be taken to speed up the process.
-
-
Step 1
Add vegetation to the new pond. After the pond is built and filled with water, add the aquatic plants. Depending on your pond design, these could range from submerged oxygenating plants like the Elodeas, marginal plants like pickerel weeds and irises, or floating plants like lotuses. Plants contribute to the nitrogen cycle by absorbing harmful ammonia and nitrates while the beneficial bacteria are still starting to multiply.
-
Step 2
Consider adding a few starter fishes. Small common goldfishes are relatively hardy and can be used to jump-start a fish pond's cycling process. Their waste products will feed and help propagate the beneficial bacteria that the pond requires to sustain a large fish community.
-
Step 3
Consider adding bacteria colonies. Commercially available "canned" bacteria are manufactured specifically to infuse a new aquarium or pond with sufficient colonies of beneficial bacteria in a short period of time. With the presence of sufficient bacteria in the habitat, cycling is accomplished in just a day or two, allowing the immediate introduction of a fish community into the pond.
-
Step 4
Test the water to ensure that the water is fully cycled. The readings should show that the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels are very close to zero.
- 2
- Starter fish
Aquatic plants
Canned bacteria cultures
Water tester
- Starter fish
- Aquatic plants
- Canned bacteria cultures
- Water tester
- Add dechlorinator to the water if adding starter fish to a pond that has not been left standing for more than 24 hours.
If using starter fish, introduce a few at a time with a gap of two to three days before adding more. This gradual introduction will allow the bacteria to grow sufficiently and cope with the growing burden of waste products.
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to introduce canned bacteria.
It is best to be patient with the cycling process to avoid the risk of losing fish from poor water conditions.
Be sure that the pond filters are working efficiently. Hold off on cleaning the filters in the first two months because bacteria colonies also grow in the filter media.
- Add dechlorinator to the water if adding starter fish to a pond that has not been left standing for more than 24 hours.
- If using starter fish, introduce a few at a time with a gap of two to three days before adding more. This gradual introduction will allow the bacteria to grow sufficiently and cope with the growing burden of waste products.
- Always follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to introduce canned bacteria.
- It is best to be patient with the cycling process to avoid the risk of losing fish from poor water conditions.
- Be sure that the pond filters are working efficiently. Hold off on cleaning the filters in the first two months because bacteria colonies also grow in the filter media.
