How to CYCLE a fish tank

THIS IS A FISHLESS CYCLE
...usually a 6 week time frame.
In order to perform this process as a fishless cycle, a source of ammonia needs to be added to the tank daily. This can be acheived using flake food, which will break down to form ammonia, (but IMO is slower), or you can use a *PURE* household ammonia. (*PURE* as in no other additives/ingredients listed on the bottle.)
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Understanding the Nitrogen Cycle...
( cycling a tank.. your water parameters will read as follows)

Stage/Week 1:
Ammonia... zero
Nitrites... zero
Nitrates... zero

Stage/Week 2:
Ammonia starts to rise
Nitrites... zero
NitrAtes... zero

Stage/Week 3:
Ammonia continues to rise
Nitrites begin to rise
NitrAtes zero

Stage/Week 4:
Ammonia levels drop
Nitrites continue to rise
NitrAtes begin to rise

Stage/Week 5:
Ammonia: zero
Nitrites levels drop
NitrAtes continue to rise

Stage/Week 6:
Ammonia: Zero
Nitrites: Zero
Tank has completed cycling process
NitrAtes will continue slow rise
( once fish are added)
to control nitrates once tank is established..weekly water changes should be done of around 25% ( adding conditioner).

Thanks for the information. When I started in the hobby, I knew absolutely nothing about the nitrogen cycle. Your bit of information would have saved me from lots of expensive problems and disappointments.

This is indeed a good source of information. I too could have used this when I started out. Of course I could have used a computer as well. Many fish would have had a happier time of it under my care if I had had this source.

Thanks guys...
I was lucky in that I'd been friends with PET people at my LFS for years before I got into fish...and they informed me waay before I did anything.

Hope this info. helps someone else out there that is NEW to all this!!