9
Cycling your Kresiel
When you first start your Kreisel, it will have limited existing nitrifying bacteria
to process the waste from your jellyfish, therefore harmful ammonia (NH₃), and
nitrite (NO₂) levels can increase rapidly. To prevent this sudden build up you will
need to ‘cycle’ the Kreisel which involves growing enough nitrifying bacteria to
process harmful ammonia (NH₃), converting them to nitrites (NO₂) and then to
less toxic nitrates (NO₃).
Cycling your Kresiel, can happen quickly, but it can also take days, sometimes
weeks, so patience is key.
There are a few products on the market which help kick-start the nitrogen cycle
with a dose of nitrifying bacteria, consult your local retailer for further advice if
necessary.
During the cycling process, it is recommended to test the water in your Kreisel
almost every day for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. This will help you understand
if the cycle is underway and when it is safe to start adding jellyfish.
After a week or ten days, you should see a spike in ammonia concentration,
jumping from zero to a higher number. This is followed by a spike in nitrite,
followed by a spike in nitrate. After your nitrate goes up, your nitrite and ammonia
level should fall back down to zero. Once you have observed this change in water
chemistry your Nitrogen cycle is complete. As a guide, Cycling is achieved when
the following levels are reached:
Ammonia (NH₃),: 0 ppm Nitrite (NO₂): <0,05ppm Nitrate (NO₃): <10ppm
Water testing can be one of the more timely aspects of maintenance, but without
testing, it’s difficult to know what’s going on inside your Kreisel. Every time you
test your water is a chance to correct any imbalances in water chemistry and
improve the overall water quality of your system.
After the cycling process you should be testing your water at least once a week.
Some local aquatic retailers will help you test your water, however, aquarium test
kits are relatively inexpensive and it’s a good idea to start testing your water at
home.
1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage Perfect for jellyfish
pH 7.9-8.4 7.9-8.4 7.9-8.4 7.9-8.4
NH₃ + 0 0 0
NO₂ 0 + 0 <0,05ppm
NO₃ 0 0 >10ppm <10ppm
