Total Newbie with an empty tank

[ron101]

The basic idea is that a tank that is not 'cycled' will not support any but a small stocking level. 'Cycling' is the establishment of the beneficial bacteria that detoxify fish waste. To accomplish this your tank needs a steady supply of ammonia.

The classic cycling method involves a small quantity of fish (relative to tank size) and a lot of patience. If you put too many fish in, ammonia and nitrite levels will become toxic and fish will die. If you perform a lot of water changes it will be easier on the fish but the cycle can take longer.

I prefer to use fishless cycling. It's cheaper, more ethical, and arguably faster than cycling with fish. Here's a link: http://malawicichlids.com/mw01017.htm but you can google it and find many others.

What is this bio media that you have set up?