Pets (10)
We all love our pets, whether they are cats, dogs, ferrets, tropical fish or more unusual pets like pythons, tarantulas or hermit crabs! Do you need to find out how to get dog pee out of your carpet or see some pictures of one of our members Russian Blue kittens. Do you need to find out how to look after tropical fish or what to feed your pet spider? You'll find all the information you need about your pets here at Word Wolf.
Choosing a dog jacket for your pet
Written by EmilyWhen winter arrives, pets shiver just as much as we do, especially when temperatures dip below 50F (10C). Though most dogs have a covering of fur, it varies as to how thick it is and how much protection it provides from the cold. And some dog breeds are not meant to live in cold climates. In general the shorter the fur the less protection the dog has from the elements. Small young puppies are particularly vulnerable to the cold.
Many people laugh when they see dogs out in dog jackets, and assume the owner is treating the dog as a human, but I assure you the dog itself feels great with the jacket on as it provides much welcome warmth and defence against the elements.
So which dog jacket is the best for your pet? I would avoid those dog jackets that are tight - you will have massive trouble getting it onto your dog, and feeding it's legs into the sleeves.
However, you can compromise by using a dog snuggie. Dog snuggies are a cross between dog blankets and dog jackets. First of all they are made from a warm fleece that should provide ample protection against the wintery cold. Secondly, they are loose, which means it's easier to get it onto your dog. Loose jackets are more comfortable for the dog too. There are sleeves for the front legs, and then you simply velcro the jacket into place. The velcro tabs are adjustable, so you can put the snuggie onto the dog over it's collar and it doesn't matter if your pooch has gained a few pounds, you can just adjust the tabs.
They come in cute pink and blue, making a stylish splash, and come in four sizes, so there should be a snuggie for your dog no matter how big or small it is. Simply measure your dog in length before choosing from extra small, small, medium or large sizes. Best of all they are inexpensive and you can simply throw the snuggie into the washing machine to clean.
Some dog owners report that their dogs happily wear their snuggies indoors when it gets cold, and often sleep in them, as the snuggie doubles as a blanket.
If you are looking for an effective, cute and cheap dog jacket, you can't go wrong with a dog snuggie.
How to remove dog pee from carpets is something that many people have to do. If you have a new puppy, or an older dog who has issues, or a change in scheduling on your part doesn't get your pet out when he needs to go. It happens to the best dog owner and the best behaved dogs. There are many ways to use to remove dog pee from carpets, so I will give you some favorites here, and hopefully they will work for you too. First, you will need to make sure your carpet is colorfast; if you aren't sure, test a small spot that isn't seen with whichever method you use. Some of them require no testing if there is no detergent involved. You discover a spot from an accident on the rug, the first thing to do is get a towel, fold it to the size of the spot, lay it on the spot and stand on it for a minute, then turn the towel over and repeat. Now, get a bottle of club soda and dump it on the spot and repeat the blotting with a new towel
. You can then use white vinegar and wet the spot with it and re blot and let dry. The reason for the vinegar is to eliminate any smell from staying there. There are commercial preparations you can use as well but this works as good as any of them, and save some money.
That is my favorite way of removing dog pee from carpets; generally readily available in any home and cheap too. Another way is similar, but not everyone has a wet/dry vacuum cleaner handy, or a spot cleaner for carpet. With either of these the procedure is similar: wet the assaulted area with the club soda and use the wet or dry vac to remove the moisture, then repeat with white vinegar, let dry. With the spot cleaner, use a pet stain detergent if you wish, or you can use the club soda and vinegar with the spot cleaner too. Either of the methods work and will remove the offending pee whether it is dried or not, but it is best to clean it when it is still wet. Be vigilant with your pet and removing dog pee from carpets should a task you can perform quickly and easily when you need to remove dog pee from carpets.
Ferrets as Pets
Written by Douglas BernardFerrets are a nice addition most families and living situations. They are active and friendly, can be trained to litter boxes like cats if you are going to let them loose frequently. They are energetic and fun to play with, or if you have two ferrets, just sit and watch them play together. You will be delighted when they perform the ferret 'war dance"( this is the name of what they do when playing) as they race around and wrestle with each other. Having one ferret is fun, but they are animals who like company, so two ferrets are better (and more fun) than one. They are easy to feed as well. There are commercially prepared foods made just for ferrets, but any good brand of kitten food is good too. They enjoy little pieces of cooked chicken, some like cereal as treats, raisins are a favorite too but not too many because they may stick to their teeth. Keep fresh water available for them always. A water bottle is best because ferrets will play with everything including water if it is in a dish. Ferrets also have a fairly long lifespan of ten years or more when 
they are cared for properly, so plan on them being a part of the family for a long time.
Before you bring your new pet home, you should have proper housing for them. There are many types of cages to choose from on the market today, so do a little research first. You will need bedding for them, almost any bedding is ok unless it is cedar or pine; the oils in those two types can cause respiratory problems. Cages should be cleaned at least every other day with a litter scoop like the ones used in cat litter trays to keep them clean. Replace all the litter in the cage every week or two. Ferrets enjoy lots of different toys and cat toys are good, as well as the ones made for ferrets, or you can make your own too. They enjoy hammocs suspended in their cages to sleep in, or something they can hide in , even a small box is fine. Ferrets are great pets for kids too, just not young kids as they could accidentally hurt their pet when they are playing. Ferrets can get along with other animals in a household too, they enjoy playing with cats who are friendly, and some small dogs but introduce them carefully and watch closely so you can intervene if needed.
Pet Gates for Your Dogs and Babies
Written by KarenPet gates are useful if you want to restrict your dog’s access to some areas of your home, or if you want to prevent your toddler to crawl down the stairway when you’re not watching. A pet gate would also allow you, for instance, to leave a baby unattended for a few moments without fearing that the dog might go and give her a hug or a kiss.
Depending on your dog’s size and on your house configuration, you may need an extra wide pet gate or an extra tall one, for maximum security. There are several types of pet gates:
- Pressure Mounted Gates: as their name shows, these pet gates are kept in place by pressure only, no hardware being necessary to have them installed.
- Hardware Mounted Gates: these gates need to be fixed in the walls or on the floor with the help of additional hardware which is usually included in the mounting kit when you buy the gate.
- Free Standing Gates: foldable and adjustable, these gates have some side extensions that allow them to stand without any additional support. The legs prevent them from tipping.
- Stairway Gates: these are hardware mounted gates which are specifically designed to be placed at the top of a stairway, in order to prevent babies and dogs to go down the stairs. Their design allows easy opening, with only one hand.
- Fireplace Pet Gates: these gates go around the fireplace and they are made of steel coated with heat resistant paint.
- Enclosures: some enclosures are in fact convertible dog gates, so you can use them in either way you need at a given time. They are a good method to temporarily restrict your dog’s free access inside your home, without having to chain or leash him or to get him out of the house.
Most pet gates are made of non-toxic materials, because they are most probably going to get in contact with children, and as you know, at that age children want to taste everything. Please find below a few choices of pet gates from several manufacturers:
Richell Wood Freestanding Pet Gate, Large, Autumn Matte Finish
This gate features side panels which allow safely confining pets. It is adjustable, the minimum opening being 39.8 inches and the maximum one 71.3 inches. The gate is 20 inch high, which is low enough as to allow humans to stride over. The hardwood finish looks very elegant and the rubber feet help protecting the floors. When not in use, the gate can be folded for easier storage. Since it’s not a very tall gate, it’s best only for smaller dog breeds. Don’t even think to confine a Collie, because he won’t have a problem in jumping over it. Although the gate is easy to assemble, smarter dogs may figure out quickly how to move it.
Carlson Extra-Wide Pet Gate
Much cheaper than the previous one, this pressure mount pet gate is made of steel. It is also good for small pets only. Easy to mount, the gate closes firmly enough so not even a smart dog could figure out how to open it. If needed, Carlson provides a 6-inch extension for this gate to make it even wider, but you’ll have to purchase it separately.
Regalo Maxi Super Wide Walk Thru Gate
Expandable up to 59 inches, this is one of the cheapest pressure mount pet gates available in this size. It is made of steel and it features a lever style handle for one touch release. It’s good for small dogs and for babies. Its walk through design makes the gate suitable for both doorways and staircases.
Cat Water Fountain Benefits
Written by KarenA cat water fountain can make a nice addition to a room, but beyond the decorative aspects, the fountain is good because it stimulates the cat to drink more water, therefore minimizing the chance of developing urinary tract infections.
In the wild, cats don’t usually need to drink water, because their pray contains enough of it. However, with domestic cats that live mostly indoors, things are completely different, as they can’t hunt (actually they can, but none of us is happy to find dead birds and mice under the furniture, so we aren’t encouraging cats to use their hunting skills on living things). Most of us feed our cats with processed, dry food, therefore the additional water intake is vital for the cat’s health.
Water is the element that helps flushing the toxins out of the body, it helps moisturizing cells and tissues, it prevents the cat from developing conditions such as renal failures or constipation and it has a contribution in making the fur look better. A cat water fountain is so much fun that the cat is tempted to drink more than usual. Moving water seems to fascinate felines: they can sit and watch their fountain like a good movie for hours. This is why, without being an essential piece of cat furniture, a drinking fountain is always welcome, if you can afford it.
Types of cat water fountains
The dome cat water fountain
The water inside a dome is pushes through a top nozzle with the help of an electric pump, then it flows on the dome surface and gets collected into a water tank, then it passes through a carbon filter and is re-circulated into the pumping system. Cats can drink either from the collecting tank or directly from the dome surface. In hot summer days, a cat will find much fun in touching the dome with her paw and then licking the water or spreading it all around.
The 360 degrees cat water fountain
This is very similar to the fountains where we drink from in the parks. The basic pumping system is the same, but instead of flowing onto the dome surface, the water is pushed through the four holes at the top of the fountain, then falls back freely into the circular tank at the bottom where it gets sucked into the pumping system again.
The standard water fountain
Less spectacular for humans, this type of fountain is probably the most entertaining for cats, as the water falls from an enclosed tank pretty much like a mini-waterfall, thus being very appealing to playful cats.
All types of pet fountains feature a filtration system, so tap water can be used safely. However, some people still prefer to put bottled water into the fountain, as they fear for the health of their pets. Either way, the fountain system is very convenient both for the cat and the owner: the cat has a permanent source of fresh water and the owner only needs to change it once a week. Be careful and always remember to thoroughly clean the pump when you change the water, because its ventilation system attracts a lot of hairs, so it may become clogged and less powerful after a while, or even stop working. Yes, cleaning the drinking fountain is a more tedious job than simply washing a common water bowl, but isn’t your cat worth at least this little attention from your side?
Cat water fountain prices may range from as little as $25 to $70, depending on the model and on the brand. Dome fountains are at the top of the pricing scale.
Cat water fountain maintenance
Pet fountains need periodical change of the carbon filter. In case of only one pet using it, the filter can last as long as a couple of months before it becomes clogged with hair and food residues, but if you have more pets sharing the fountain, you may need to change the filter more often. A set of three filter cartridges for the dome fountain costs about $6-$7, so it’s not such a big expense, taking into consideration the advantages a cat water fountain has to offer. Filters for other types of fountains are within the same price range.
If your cat has been used to drink from a common bowl, she may be afraid of the fountain in the first two-three days, so she may avoid drinking from it. Be so kind and provide your cat an alternative water source until you're sure she's comfortable with using the fountain.
Cat Furniture: Can Your Cat Do Without?
Written by KarenCat furniture is a general term that defines a variety of scratching posts, cat clawing trees, climbing furniture, sleeping furniture, litter furniture or cat condos. If indoor cats really have a need for all those specialized items of furniture or not, can be an endless debate, as cats won’t come to tell us what they think. We are not discussing here must-have items like cat litter boxes, water bowls or food dishes. This article is about all the rest a cat can get from her human protector.
This is a personal classification of various types of cat furniture:
Must Have Cat Furniture
Scratching Posts
Taught by their own experience, many cat owners admit that a cat scratching post is an obligatory purchase, otherwise sharing the apartment with a cat can lead to yearly purchases of human furniture such as couches, armchairs or cupboards. Some people even advise that there should be a cat scratcher in every room of the house where the cat has access. Some others, on the other hand, say that no matter how many scratching posts they’d buy, their lovely felines would rather scratch the real furniture.
Cat Trees
Cat trees are cool for cats that enjoy climbing a lot. Breeds like the Russian Blue, Cornish Rex, Peterbald, Sphynx, Bengal or Egyptian Mau are very active, so they need to be entertained with lots of toys and games. Persian cats, on the contrary, would rather sleep all day long than climb cat trees, so in their case, maybe it’s better to get a cat bed and a set of pillows.
Average Necessity Cat Furniture
Cat Tunnel Toys
Tunnels will provide you and your cat an excellent basis for crazy games and fun. However, you can achieve the same level or adrenaline rush with some old paper bags. Cats won’t tell the difference anyway, but your wallet will feel it. However, if you’re not exactly financially challenged, you could consider buying a cat tunnel made of tent fabric which can be folded and stored when not in use. Another version of tunnels, more expensive and less fun are the ones that come as a big piece of furniture including various functionalities such as scratching posts, sleeping platforms, tunnels and mini-rooms. I don’t know how other cats are, but mine used that tunnel less than 10 times, then she decided it’s not fun to go down the hole, so she never used it again. The same cat furniture model, but without the tunnel, would have cost about $60 less, so I paid $60 to see my cat using the tunnel ten times and take two photos of her big butt which refused to fit down the pipe.
Cat Houses
Not really necessary, but if the cat decides to use it, such a house can offer you great moments of entertainment. However, there’s no need to spend money on a cat house, because you can achieve the same effect with a big cardboard box from one of your gadgets.
Useless Cat Furniture
Cat Beds
I still remember that before bringing the kitten home, I was very concerned with where she’s going to sleep. It never occurred to me that she might want to sleep on the carpet or on the sofa or everywhere else. Taking a pet to sleep in the same bed with me was out of the question, as I would have never imagined myself closing an eye while being in the same room with a cat. I was so wrong! First of all, the kitty refused to use the bed I’ve prepared for her, in favor of an old tee-shirt of mine. Then, after she’s been neutered, I felt sorry for her and I was afraid she’d jump on the furniture at night and get injured, so for the first time in my life I agreed to share the bed with a non-human entity. It seems that I’ve survived, so since then, she’s sleeping with us.
Should Humans Overcome Pet Shopping Addiction?
Merchants take advantage of cat owners’ weakness and offer such a variety of products, toys, widgets, nuggets, moving toys, vibrating mice, sparking balls and so on, that one can hardly refrain from buying at least one or two of those things each time they enter a pet shop. Isn’t this shopping for pets very much like smoking? It’s just one more addiction to overcome for people like you and me. I'd say that if some piece of cat furniture makes you feel good for having it, then go ahead and buy it. Your cat's opinion doesn't matter that much, as if she won't like it, she simply won't use it. No hard feelings. Cats are nice creatures and good roommates.
Cat litter boxes may not seem too difficult to choose, but if we take a closer look, we can see it’s not that easy, as the litter tray has to be approved by your cat in the first place, otherwise it’s useless. As diversification is one of today’s society features, several types of litter boxes have been invented, from the simple trays you have to scoop in once a day, to the automatic litter boxes that clean themselves immediately after they’ve been used. Cats come in many sizes and shapes. Similarly, an extra large cat litter box won't be the same as a box for kittens. Decorative or not, electric or not, enclosed or open, a cat litter box is a must-have, unless you think to toilet train your cat.
Tips for choosing the best litter box for your cat
These tips are mostly useful for those of you who aren’t owned by a cat yet, but will soon be. You have to be prepared by the time your new cat arrives home, so this is what you need to consider when buying the litter box:
- Size matters: if you’re going to bring home a small kitten, buy a small tray to start with, so the cat can easily jump in and out. As the kitten grows, you’ll have to replace the tray with a bigger one, if you don’t want your home to become a sandy beach. This is why there’s no point in spending too much money initially. Just go and buy the cheapest tray available, since it’s going to become useless in a matter of months.
- Shall it be a tray or a box? If the cat has already been used with trays, getting her to poo inside a box may prove complicated if not impossible. If you’re curious to do some research, you’ll see lots of claims that litter boxes are better than trays because they feature filters that absorb unpleasant odors. Actually, those filters are inefficient: when the cat does her needs inside an enclosed space, it’s going to stink for much longer time than in case of open trays. Moreover, the cat may not be comfortable with the box height and find it difficult to set herself in the desired position. My Russian Blue cat had this issue when I though it was a cool idea to buy her a litter box instead of the common trays she’s been using until that point: because the box lid was too low, she never defecated completely. By watching the cat closely over a few days, you can see whether she’s comfortable with the box or not. This is the best test: once a day, remove the lid from the box and wait to see what the cat does. If she immediately goes in and makes more than usual, it’s a sign that she’s not comfortable with the lid, therefore you should permanently remove it.
- Automatic cat litter boxes can ease your life. These devices are really cool: they look very much like human flushing toilets, but they are smaller and they come with motion sensors that detect the cat’s presence inside, so they don’t start flushing to scary the hell out of a cat in need. They can be programmed to start the cleaning cycle at a certain number of seconds or minutes after the cat has left the place. They need to be plugged to the power source and to water supply and evacuation systems, then all you have to do is change a filter every month or so. As automatic cat litter boxes work unattended, you can leave your cat at home, let’s say for a week, without needing anybody to come and check on her. Personally, I wouldn’t do that, because I’m afraid of short-circuits or malfunctions that may occur, which could result in disasters. I don’t care too much about the house, as I’ve got insurance for it, but I’d have a hard time living with the thought that I’ve killed my cat with a toilet.
- Last but also important is the budget you have available. Automatic boxes are like $600-$700, plus you may have to pay a plumber to plug it to the water circuit, if you don’t know how to do it yourself. Regular litter boxes are much cheaper – you can get a big one for as little as $30. For a little extra money, you can get a scoop free box, which has a covered waste trap that locks in the residues, thus preventing the odor from spreading inside the room. The dirt goes into a disposable tray which needs to be changed every few weeks. It’s going to cost you a bit more than the usual litter packs, but overall, it will ease your task of caring after your cats.
Whatever you decide, always keep in mind that the cat might reject everything that's new and not as she's got used to know it from before. Cats are sensitive to changes and a well-behaving cat won't get your floors dirty, even with the risk of suffering from intestinal occlusion, so keep an eye on her for a few days after implementing any change in her toilet habits and litter-related stuff.
Russian Blue - A Cat to Fall In Love With
Written by KarenRussian Blue is my favorite cat breed of all. This article is for all cat lovers who want to get themselves a fury friend but still hesitate on the breed choice.
Russian Blue Kittens
Russian Blue kittens have something special: they have a different look from adult cats: their eyes are blue, not green, with an oval, funny shape which makes the little cute things simply adorable. As they grow up, their face starts to change, and when they are about three months of age they already look like their parents. However, the transformation is not complete: their fur isn't uniform gray yet: it has dark stripes which will fade over the following months.
By the age of three months, kittens look already like the two cuties in the photo above. The breed shows sexual dimorphism: female cats are smaller, while males are bigger, longer and more athletic.
The Russian Blues' ears are fantastic: they are covered with very fine, small hairs, which make them appear transparent when you look at them into the light. It's amazing how visible all those tiny blood vessels are and how delicate the "material" of the ears seems to be. They look so fragile, that I always hesitate to touch my kitty's ears.
The paws are dark brown, small and delicate. Occasionally, your blue cat may allow you to give her a paw massage - it's very relaxing for both parties. This is how you can convince the kitty that cutting her nails is a good thing. You have to trim her claws weekly if you want to enjoy your playing sessions to the full, without human blood spread on the floors.
Russian Blue's Personality
If you imagined a cat that would sit in your lap for hours, begging for petting, you couldn't have been more wrong. Don't get yourself a Russian Blue, or you'll regret it. This cat is always alert, she wants to play, she needs amusement, she breathes entertainment. No matter how big your house may be, it's not big enough for the young Russian Blue cat who's in the mood for playing. Also be informed that kittens go in the playing mood about six-seven times a day (nights included), while adult cats do it three-four times a day only (again, nights are included).
That's my kitty in the photo: did you think I was joking maybe? It's really a cat, not a big, gray spider. It's true that she was about 6-7 months old when she did those jumping tricks - now she's three years old and two kilos fatter, so she doesn't dare doing that anymore. Yet, she now has other tricks more suitable for her age. As you can see, she's got a fascination for keyboards (and for my purses, but that you won't see, because I can't just take photos while she's scratching my Mango purse).
If you're thinking of training a Russian Blue, you should rather see yourself in one year's time speaking "kittish" - she's the master in training humans. I tried clicker training and she ignored the treats after only two days of clicking and feeding the beast. I tried leash training: it took me about two weeks to convince her that she will survive with her leash on. There were lots of funny moments, but I was too scared to take photos - I thought she'd get strangled with that leash while jumping around all over the place, hoping to get rid of it. When I tried to give her a bath, I bet my neighbors on 6-7 floors hated me deeply. It's enough to say that I don't dare to wash my cat ever since that day. As long as she doesn't stink, I don't mind it.
But on the other hand, if you want a pal always ready to play with you, always watching you, following you throughout all rooms, if you want somebody to be happy and jump to kiss you each time you come home, then the Russian Blue is just perfect (or maybe purrrfect). She can even send unfinished email - there's no need for special training to make her do that. And if you want to put her skills to test, just leave her alone with a toilet paper roll and see what comes out. I did it:
In terms of grooming, Russian Blues don't need special attention, as they are short haired cats. Just brush them once or twice a week to minimize the amount of hair they swallow and that's all. I'm going to share some more tricks with you such as how to give your cat a pill or how to teach her a few words, but these are topics for future articles.
Kitten photos kindly provided by Cendre de Roses Russian Blue Cattery
Breeding livebearers in your tropical fish tank is very easy. Guppies and Swordtails are very popular tropical fish for beginners and easy to breed. They are both livebearers, that is they do not lay eggs but bear their young live. From conception to birth can be between twenty and forty days with an average of 28 days. If you have both make and female livebearers in your tank they will inevitably mate and produce young as long as they are healthy and the conditions in the tank are good. You can tell if a female guppy is pregnant by the appearance of a 'gravid spot' on her abdomen. This is a dark mark shaped like a triangle that appears close to her anal vent and darkens and enlarges over the course of the pregnancy.
Taking Care of the Young
To prevent the fry from being eaten when they are born you will need to provide a breeder box with a v shaped vent to allow the fry to be separated from the mother immediately after birth. The box can be placed in your main tank and the mother placed in it when birth appears imminent. You can also add some breeding grass to the tank in case birth occurs before you have managed to separate the mother and provides somewhere for the young fry to hide.
Feeding the Fry
The fry can be fed with the same flake food as the adults but crush it first into a fine powder. If possible using live food in the form of tiny brine shrimp is also a good idea although most people cannot provide this regularly. Any left over food should be removed from the bottom of the breeder box before it begins to decay by siphoning out with a piece of tubing. Make sure you do not siphon up any of the tiny fry!
Looking After the Fry
It is a good idea to perform partial water changes at least weekly while you have baby fish in your tank. The fish will be big enough for their own tank in a few weeks or can be kept in the main tank provided you have a divider as they are still too small to be mixed with adult fish. Only after about 8 weeks are they big enough to safely mix with your adult fish unless you have very large fish in the tank. In this case you would probably be best to wait longer.
Conclusion
Breeding livebearers, especially guppies and swordtails, is very easy provided you provide a healthy environment and know how to look after the tiny fry until they are big enough to fend for themselves.
Find out more at Aquariums for Sale or buy a big 55 gallon fish tank for your pets!
Tropical Aquariums - Cycling Your New Tank
Written by janetOnce you've purchased your fish tank, filter, pump, decorations and any other accessories and set up the tank it is time to prepare it for your fish by 'cycling it'. What this means is that you need to provide an environment for the bacteria that will keep your tank free of toxic chemicals to grow. Nitrifying bacteria convert toxic ammonia that is excreted by the fish into, firstly nitrites which are also toxic, and then into the much less toxic nitrates.
There are two ways to do this, one is to introduce some hardy fish into the tank which can survive the higher levels of these toxic chemicals until the bacteria grow enough to deal with them. The second way, which is more humane as it does not involve using fish, is called fishless cycling. In this method a culture of bacteria is introduced and ammonia is used to encourage them to grow.
Ammonia is very toxic to fish and can cause damage to their gills. If you use fish to cycle your tank, even though they do survive, they will be damaged and much weaker. We recommend that you use a fishless cycling method which is very easy to do and only introduce fish in the tank once the levels of toxic chemicals fall to zero.
Fishless Cycling Method
The Bacteria Culture
The first thing you need to do is to obtain a culture of nitrifying bacteria. If you have a friend with a fish tank you can take some of the gravel, filter material or even a piece of rock or decoration from their tank which will be loaded with these bacteria. Failing that bacteria cultures such as Hagen’s Cycle (TM) Cycle or StressZyme can be bought in the pet shop. You can then introduce this culture into your tank.
Sources of Ammonia
Now you will need to introduce some ammonia into the tank. You should obtain household ammonia that is 100% pure and free of any perfumes or other additives. If you cannot find ammonia like this in the local supermarket your local pet shop may sell it. If you know a science teacher or someone who works in a lab this could be another source.
The Tank's Temperature
The temperature of the tank needs to be ideal for growth of the nitrifying bacteria and should be between 85 and 95 Fahrenheit (30 to 35 centigrade). Once the tank is cycled the temperature can be reduced to a level that is more suitable for your fish.
Cycling the Tank
Make sure you have plenty of aeration in your tank and also through your filter as bacteria need oxygen to grow. Add your bacteria culture to the tank and then add a small teaspoon of ammonia to a small tank, one and 1/2 teaspoons to a medium tank and 2 teaspoons to a larger tank. After about an hour test the water for ammonia which should be somewhere between 3 and 5 ppm. If it is lower than this add some more ammonia, leave for another hour, then test again. Once the level is correct you can leave the tank for a few days. Now you will need to test the water for the presence of nitrites which the bacteria have produced from the ammonia.
At this point the ammonia level should drop as it is being converted into nitrites. When the ammonia level drops to zero or is very low add the same amount of ammonia that you added in the first place. Continue to monitor both the ammonia and nitrite levels until they drop to zero. Although it is not necessary you can also monitor the nitrate levels as it is interesting to observe them rising as they are produced from the nitrites.
Once the ammonia and nitrites drop to zero your tank is cycled. Now you should do a 60% water change being careful not to disturb the gravel at the bottom of the tank. Do not change the filter material as this now contains the good bacteria. You should now lower the temperature to a level that is right for the fish you will be going to add. Leave the tank alone for two or three hours then recheck it to make sure ammonia and nitrite levels are still zero.
Congratulations! You have now cycled your tank correctly and can now add your fish. Be careful not to overload the tank with fish immediately. It is far better to add the fish over about a month to allow the bacteria to continue to grow and to be able to cope with the maximum number of fish in the tank.
Maintaining Your Tank
Although we won't go into details of maintaining your tank here we will say that you must be careful to preserve the bacteria cultures that you have carefully encouraged to grow. This means that you should never completely change all of the water, only partial water changes are necessary, and never remove and clean all of the decorations and change the filter material at the same time.
Find out more about looking after your aquarium at Cheap Aquariums for Sale.
