[HanshaSuro]

So, basically, Ammonia (which your fish excrete) will burn your fishes gills if it gets to really high levels. They may gasp at the surface and die. Ladyhawk is talking about allowing bacteria to colonize the tank which feed on that ammonia and will keep it at a reasonable level. This happens in all fish tanks or the fish die. (: Ammonia is broken down by one type of bacteria into Nitrite, which is still bad for your fish, then a second type of bacteria breaks that down into Nitrate, which your fish can tolerate alot better. I agree. Set your tank up with no fish for a few days, then add the fish a few every week until its stocked. You can get test kits for Ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates at the fish store. Test religiously until your tank is cycled. First, the ammonia levels will soar, then they will come down and the nitrites will go up, then the nitrites will go down and the nitrates will go up. The bacteria will colonize your filter media and any gravel in your tank so water changes shouldn't bother them unless you really scrub out the filter or gravel. Also, remove any dead plant matter or uneaten food promptly. I have a little gravel vac that works great. I just vacume the gravel when I do my weekly water changes. (Water changes are the only way to get rid of nitrates. Do at least a 50% water change ever week and test your water before and after you do it if you want to watch the difference.) Also, if your ammonia or nitrites are getting really out of hand by all means do a water change! It will save your fish and probably won't remove too many good bacteria. Good luck. I think there's a good description of the process of cycling a new tank on the newbies page if what we said makes no sense at all. (: