Just bought a 5 gallon for my kitchen, how best to cycle it?

[TeaPea]

Well I'm on to my second tank, I couldnt' resist it was so cute, an acrylic 5 gallon bowfront package by All Glass Aquarium. It's going on my kitchen counter, and I plan to put one Betta and 3 to 4 guppies in it.

I'm going to "seed" the tank w/some gravel from my established 29G. If I took my lone leopard Danio from the 29g and put him in the 5g how long approx. do you guys think it will take to cycle? Does it go faster when the tank is so small? Any other suggestions as to how best to get this beauty cycled other than fishless is welcomed! Thanks!

PS If I want to make this a planted tank, at what point do I add the plants, before or after the cycle/fish?

[NJ Devils Fan]

With that one danio, I would imagine about 1- 1 1/2 weeks. I am pretty sure it will be fine if you put plants in there with the fishy cycle. Fishless on the otherhand it a different story.

[TeaPea]

1 to 1 & 1/2 weeks isn't bad at all! It took me FOREVER to cycle my 29G....About the plants, I thought they would slow down the cycling process if I put them in first because they eat up the nitrates?

[djlen]

I started a quarantine tank up(10 gal.), but before I did I sat the sponge from the filter I was going to use in it, in one of my other tanks to seed it. Then I loaded it up with plants, let it sit for week or so. One of my angels started looking a little funky, so I stuck him in there. He's doing just fine and as far as I can tell he's helped cycle the tank. I've got a 12.5 nitrate reading but he's fine with that and the plants will eat that right up.
I think if you keep the fish load way down with as many plants as you can in there(maybe 1-2 danios) you'll be ok.
BTW, his "condition" has cleared up as well.
Len

[VoodooChild]

I think with that bit of gravel you have you shouldn't have any problems getting it to cycle right away. Hey djlen, how'd you get such an exact nitrate reading?