Typically, establishing a robust bacterial colony capable of fully processing ammonia into nitrate takes between 4 to 6 weeks. This timeline can be accelerated slightly by using seeded media from an established tank or bottled commercial bacteria.
For freshwater systems, municipal tap water is generally acceptable provided you use a dedicated chemical conditioner to immediately neutralize lethal chlorine, chloramine, and heavy metals. Conversely, marine and reef setups strictly require Reverse Osmosis Deionized (RO/DI) water to prevent catastrophic algae blooms fueled by tap water silicates.
Water changes remove accumulating nitrates and replenish trace minerals. A structural baseline is 20% to 25% weekly or bi-weekly. Heavily planted tanks with low bioloads may require fewer changes, whereas overstocked tanks demand more aggressive maintenance schedules.
Green water is caused by a bloom of single-celled, free-floating algae. It is universally caused by an imbalance: excessive lighting durations (photoperiods exceeding 8 hours) paired with an overabundance of nutrients (nitrates and phosphates). Correcting the photoperiod and performing water changes will resolve it.
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