Saltwater Aquarium Maintenance

Fishless cycling is the process of cycling a tank, or establishing a biological filter in a fishless aquarium.

The biological filter, or nitrogen cycle, naturally occurs over the first 4-6 weeks after a tank is set up. Cycling a tank is necessary to keep the water free of pollutants and the fish healthy, but while the filter is establishing itself, fish are exposed to toxic levels of ammonia and nitrite and often succumb to disease and death. Fishless cycling removes fish from harm by establishing the biological filter before fish are introduced to the aquarium.

If your goal is faster cycling or larger bio loads, I