Need Guidance for a Quick Fishy Cycle

B

BlueTetraGirl

AC Members
Feb 26, 2007
22
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0
Indiana and Pennsylvania
I'm trying to cycle a 1.5 gallon tank quickly, since I was given a betta in a bowl, and got a small tank to upgrade him to. My tank currently has LED lights, a tetra whisper internal air-powered filter, a small heater, gravel, fake plants, and a small resin cave/hideout. The residents are 1 male crowntail betta and 2 small cories.

My tap water is hard, so I'm mixing it half and half with distilled or RO water. I have been using Novaqua plus, Amquel plus, and Cycle in the water, and I put some Bio-max pellets in the filter. I need the tank to cycle very quickly without harming the fish. The water is cloudy. Is this because of the Cycle? I have seen some posts saying that Cycle is not very good. Should I get Bio-spira instead? How can I get my tank to cycle faster?

Any and all advice on my tank will be greatly appreciated!
 
how long was the betta in a bowl? was there gravel or ornaments in the bowl?

depending on this info..you may have bacteria on the media that was in the bowl..you could use that to 'jump' start the new tank.
 
You can use some media from an established aquarium or you can get some bio-spira which should cycle your tank quick enough all the while keeping your fish safe from toxins in the water while this happens.

Marinemom
 
The betta was in the bowl for two weeks without a water change. :( (I was sick in bed, that's why.) The bowl is a half gallon glass bowl, and it had some one inch plastic rocks in the bottom and a fake plant. Unfortunately, I rinsed these with tap water before I put him in his new tank. The tank has been up for just over a week. I am going to test the water now. I don't have access to an established aqurium to get any media.
 
Ok, here are my tank numbers.
pH 7.2
Ammonia 1.0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm
GH 0ppm
KH 40-80ppm
temp. 83* It was 80* last night. Should I worry about this? It has been 78* to 80* for the past week.
Used API test tube kits for all but GH and KH. Used API strips for those.
I haven't tested my tap water since last fall. I'll go test it now and post the numbers.
When I change the water, how much should I change at once? How much ammonia is ok to leave in the tank?
 
With just a 1.5 gallon you will not have to change out much. Maqybe a half of a gallon with a tiny or really small gravel vac. Use the smallest one you can find. Ideally you want the ammonia and the nitrite sitting ay 0 and nitrates under 20 to be fully cycled. During the cycle you want to keep the ammonia at <.25. Do water changes to accomplish this. Don't worry about the betta too much. They are pretty tough little fish.

Marinemom
 
I have two small cories in there, too. The water is cloudy. Should I be worried?
My tap water numbers are:
pH 7.2
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 5.0 ppm
GH 180ppm (Highest possible reading on strip)
KH 240ppm (Highest possible reading on strip)

Since my tank just tested 1.0ppm for ammonia, how much water should I change?
How do you use a gravel vac? I thought that you wanted the bacteria to get established in the gravel?
Should I add more Cycle, Novaqua plus, and Amquel plus? Should I try to buy some Bio-spira?
How do I get the water to clear up?
Is the temp ok for Cories? It's 83* the highest yet.

Thanks for all your help. I know I am asking a lot of questions.
 
O.K during the cycle you can skip the gravel vac until you are cycled. I would change out about a half a gallon even if you have to do it twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. It is easy to use a gravel vac. Basically it is an instrument that operates as a syphon to take water out of the tank. It is used like a vaccuum to get all the gunk in the substrate such as leftover food and fish poop so it does not sit at the bottom of the tank and rot which will mess with the water quality. It is like vaccumming the gravel if you will. The cloudiness that you see is from the ammonia in the water and once you get the levels down then it will clear on its own. The use of bio-spira will help but for that size tank I think it is an expensive product for such a small tank. The temps. in the 80's does sound high to me and you probably do not want to keep it that high long term. If you can get it down to 78 degrees that would be better for your fish. Oh and ask all the questions you want. Right now I have to go to work but if you have more questions I will try to check back in after I get home from work or I am sure someone else will be along to help too.

Marinemom
 
this is what i would do.

put the betta in the 1.5 gal. if the betta is in a bowl now and you cleaned the rocks that were in there its prob not even cycled. better just to get it into the bigger tank now.

when the ammonia or nitrites are over .25 i would do a 50% water change. since its at 1.0 i would do a 75% water change right away and check again after a few hours. you might have to do 2-3 water changes a day.

as for what to add to the tank. i would only add Amquel plus when doing the water change.

keep testing your water and water changing and everything should be fine.
 
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