Ok I have one more question.
So my plan is to move the betta to a temporary 5 gallon/new home (depending on how he does.) His sponge filter will go with him, and some of his gravel, plants and snails. Thus, instant cycle.
The remaining danios will go in the betta's 10 gallon, along with their sponge filter. (i see no reason to throw it away just b/c it was in the qt, seeing as the danios were in the qt too.) Plus they will have some gravel and plants from when the betta lived there. Thus, it will be cycled.
Obviously, i will keep checking water levels daily just in case.
Anyways, now the hard part. I am left with a bunch of bottom feeders (two of which are poop MACHINES) to move into the 20 gallon. However, I am supposed to throw away their sponge filter, and sterilize their gravel. I don't have time to cycle the 20 gallon without them... what do i do??? Moving the sponge filter with them totally defeats the purpose of sterilizing the whole tank. But moving them without it could lead to lose of fishy life b/c of the cycling process.
One thought (woohoo for brainstorming).
If i put the betta in the 5 gallon without a filter, and just do daily/frequent w/c's, he should be ok.
This frees up a sponge filter. However, the filter doesnt have nearly enough bacteria for all the bottom feeders. If i put this filter in the 20 to seed it, and put in my new, spare filter and then do a fishless cycle, will it go much more quickly than the usual month+ time line?
If that worked, i could put the betta's filter back in with him when finished, and the 20 would be cycled for the bottom feeders, without too much delay. (i desperately dont want to leave them in there another day, let alone months. I like them ALIVE).
Thoughts/comments/suggestions?
LeeAnna
