Cycling your aquaponics system is the single most important thing you can do before adding fish. Skip this step and you will probably lose your fish in the first week. Do it right and your system will run smoothly for years.
What Is Cycling?
Cycling is the process of establishing colonies of beneficial bacteria in your system. These bacteria convert the toxic fish waste (ammonia) into plant fertilizer (nitrate) through a two-step process. Without them, ammonia builds up and kills your fish fast.
The process takes 4-6 weeks. Yes, really. There is no shortcut that actually works without risking your fish.
The Two Methods
Fishless Cycling (Recommended)
You cycle the system without any fish at all. You add a source of ammonia (pure ammonia or fish food) to feed the bacteria while they establish. Once ammonia and nitrite both read zero within 24 hours, you can add your full fish stock all at once.
This is what we recommend for beginners. You are not risking any fish lives, and you can add your full complement of fish when the cycle is complete.
Fish-In Cycling
You add a small number of hardy fish (like feeder goldfish) and let them provide the ammonia naturally. You need to do frequent water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite from reaching lethal levels. It is more stressful for the fish and harder to manage.
How to Know When Your System Is Cycled
Test your water daily with the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. Your system is cycled when:
- Ammonia reads 0 ppm
- Nitrite reads 0 ppm
- Nitrate reads above 20 ppm (this means both conversions are happening)
- Both ammonia and nitrite stay at zero for 24-48 hours after adding a dose of ammonia
At that point you are ready. Add your fish and start growing.
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