HELP

[tarpon]

You should get khuli loaches when your tanks cycled! They're like dinosaur bichirs only they stay around 4 inches. You could get a few

 

[Mahoney]

I have two golden dojo loaches in my goldfish tank an I really like them but the store didn't have any when I went up there.

I know everyone puts links on how to cycle your tank but can you dumb it up for me just like some simple steps to take. My mom gave me the betta I have in the tank so I can't return it and I was going to leave the algae eater in the tank but return the rest. So can you explain to me in English how I could do the cycle and get my water normal. I was going to have pet smart test my water for me when I returned the fish cause they do it for free so would I need to buy a test kit after that?

 

[tarpon]

The betta should make it. They're tough

 

[Mahoney]

I want to get new fish so the betta doesn't think that the whole tank is his territory but I don't want to e new fish and they die

 

[alex07]

I want to get new fish so the betta doesn't think that the whole tank is his territory but I don't want to e new fish and they die

Put the betta in a big enough vase for now so you can do a fishless cycle.

 

[Mahoney]

Can I put the algae eater in the too? My mom had a little betta bowl that she had her fish in for bout a week then decided she didn't want it anymore so I put it in my tank. And how long will the cycle take? And can someone please dumb down the cycle process for me? I like simple step by step I Instructions not the links that are in some other language lol I know I have to test the water then after I test it then what do I do?

 

[eco23]

I know everyone puts links on how to cycle your tank but can you dumb it up for me just like some simple steps to take. My mom gave me the betta I have in the tank so I can't return it and I was going to leave the algae eater in the tank but return the rest. So can you explain to me in English how I could do the cycle and get my water normal. I was going to have pet smart test my water for me when I returned the fish cause they do it for free so would I need to buy a test kit after that?

I don't mean to be rude, but I honestly can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

Both guides have step by step instructions that I suggest you read over several times. I'm not sure how they can be confusing... they're about as simple as it gets.

Fish-in cycling = change water however often it takes to keep your ammonia and nitrIte levels at or below .25 until the tank is cycled (meaning there is constantly 0 ammonia and 0 nitrIte).

Fishless cycling = remove fish, add pure ammonia to substitute fish until the tank cycles.

A fish in cycle can take up to a couple months...it's something you need to be prepared for.

Both forms require a quality test kit. A test kit is absolutely vital.

Again, I don't mean to be rude...but if a test kit is something you either can't afford, or are unable to get...this is a hobby you shouldn't be involved in. Things happen which require the ability to go to the pet store immediately and buy medicines, a new filter, etc... Remember you have animals directly in your care, and it is your responsibility to take care of them.

Also, if your algae eater is a common Pleco...they get 2 feet long and require a MUCH larger tank than you have.

 

[Mahoney]

I don't mean to be rude, but I honestly can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

Both guides have step by step instructions that I suggest you read over several times. I'm not sure how they can be confusing... they're about as simple as it gets.

Fish-in cycling = change water however often it takes to keep your ammonia and nitrIte levels at or below .25 until the tank is cycled (meaning there is constantly 0 ammonia and 0 nitrIte).

Fishless cycling = remove fish, add pure ammonia to substitute fish until the tank cycles.

A fish in cycle can take up to a couple months...it's something you need to be prepared for.

Both forms require a quality test kit. A test kit is absolutely vital.

Again, I don't mean to be rude...but if a test kit is something you either can't afford, or are unable to get...this is a hobby you shouldn't be involved in. Things happen which require the ability to go to the pet store immediately and buy medicines, a new filter, etc... Remember you have animals directly in your care, and it is your responsibility to take care of them.

Also, if your algae eater is a common Pleco...they get 2 feet long and require a MUCH larger tank than you have.

The first tank I got was a 10 gallon and I put just goldfish and two golden dojo loaches in it and i never did a cycle I never tested the water all I did was feed them and change the water every two weeks and never had any problems at all so that is why I didn't put in my budget I had to buy a test kit or wait before adding fish I had no clue bout it I didn't do it for my first tank. I have been changing the water for the past two days one day I did a 75% water change and today I did a 50% and the closest pet store to me is 45 mins away except wal mart and idk if they have the right test strips or not. I have a trip planned for next week to go to the pet store and return my fish and get whatever is necessary for a cycle. The only fish I can't return is the betta cause I didn't buy it from the pet store my mom gave it to me cause she didn't want it anymore. I am debating weather or not to leave the betta in the tank or not. I read on maintaining a betta bowl is a pain in the butt but I could of been given false information. So would it be quicker to do the fishless cycle? And I just buy the ammonia and add it to the fishless tank till the levels are at zero? While I'm adding the ammonia do I have to do a water change?

 

[tarpon]

No you don't change the water til its finished. And you cannot have the betta in while adding ammonia bc the levels will be extremely toxic

 

[eco23]

The first tank I got was a 10 gallon and I put just goldfish and two golden dojo loaches in it and i never did a cycle I never tested the water all I did was feed them and change the water every two weeks and never had any problems at all so that is why I didn't put in my budget I had to buy a test kit or wait before adding fish I had no clue bout it I didn't do it for my first tank. I have been changing the water for the past two days one day I did a 75% water change and today I did a 50% and the closest pet store to me is 45 mins away except wal mart and idk if they have the right test strips or not. I have a trip planned for next week to go to the pet store and return my fish and get whatever is necessary for a cycle. The only fish I can't return is the betta cause I didn't buy it from the pet store my mom gave it to me cause she didn't want it anymore. I am debating weather or not to leave the betta in the tank or not. I read on maintaining a betta bowl is a pain in the butt but I could of been given false information. So would it be quicker to do the fishless cycle? And I just buy the ammonia and add it to the fishless tank till the levels are at zero? While I'm adding the ammonia do I have to do a water change?

The best thing to do until you can get to the pet store is do a 50% water change every day. I hope you have a good water conditioner / dechlorinator? (sorry if you already mentioned that).

A fishless cycle is normally faster, but you still need patience and an ammonia source like a bottle of pure ammo, a raw shrimp or a mesh bag of fish food (it's all covered in the fishless cycling guide). Obviously you can't have any fish in the tank if you choose to go this route.

There's nothing wrong with cycling your tank with fish as long as you are committed to change water whenever it is needed (daily in some cases), you have a quality test kit (like an API Master Test Kit), a good water conditioner (like Seachem Prime), and you stock the tank very lightly and very slowly over time. You should only add a couple small fish at first. Again, having compatible fish which are appropriate for your tank size is needed.

A Betta should ideally be in at least a 5 gallon, heater and filtered tank. If you no longer have the Goldfish, but you still have the 10 gallon tank...that would make a fantastic home for a Betta, and you could even add a school of fish like Neon Tetras and a few snails in with him.

I know it's a bit confusing and overwhelming at first...but both of the guides (fish-in and fishless cycling) should begin to make sense if you read them over a few times. I actually am the one who wrote the guide on fishless cycling that has been linked to you, so I'd be happy to help you along if that's the route you choose.

 

[Mahoney]

The best thing to do until you can get to the pet store is do a 50% water change every day. I hope you have a good water conditioner / dechlorinator? (sorry if you already mentioned that).

A fishless cycle is normally faster, but you still need patience and an ammonia source like a bottle of pure ammo, a raw shrimp or a mesh bag of fish food (it's all covered in the fishless cycling guide). Obviously you can't have any fish in the tank if you choose to go this route.

There's nothing wrong with cycling your tank with fish as long as you are committed to change water whenever it is needed (daily in some cases), you have a quality test kit (like an API Master Test Kit), a good water conditioner (like Seachem Prime), and you stock the tank very lightly and very slowly over time. You should only add a couple small fish at first. Again, having compatible fish which are appropriate for your tank size is needed.

A Betta should ideally be in at least a 5 gallon, heater and filtered tank. If you no longer have the Goldfish, but you still have the 10 gallon tank...that would make a fantastic home for a Betta, and you could even add a school of fish like Neon Tetras and a few snails in with him.

I know it's a bit confusing and overwhelming at first...but both of the guides (fish-in and fishless cycling) should begin to make sense if you read them over a few times. I actually am the one who wrote the guide on fishless cycling that has been linked to you, so I'd be happy to help you along if that's the route you choose.

The conditioner/ declorinater I have is tetra aqua safe. I work at wal mart so when I go to work tonight I am going to see if they have the right test kit or conditioner they probably don't though.

I still have the goldfish in my ten gallon tank. My mom got one of those like one gallon or probably less betta bowls and I think keeping a fish in there is torture lol but I have no were else to put the betta while I do the cycle

So if I can't put the betta anywhere else do I just do a water change everyday till the nitrate and ammonia levels are zero.

 

[alex07]

The conditioner/ declorinater I have is tetra aqua safe. I work at wal mart so when I go to work tonight I am going to see if they have the right test kit or conditioner they probably don't though.

I still have the goldfish in my ten gallon tank. My mom got one of those like one gallon or probably less betta bowls and I think keeping a fish in there is torture lol but I have no were else to put the betta while I do the cycle

So if I can't put the betta anywhere else do I just do a water change everyday till the nitrate and ammonia levels are zero.

Just put the betta in the bowl meanwhile, nothing will happen to it if it's there temporarily

 

[alex07]

Just put the betta in the bowl meanwhile, nothing will happen to it if it's there temporarily

Forgot to add, just change the water 2 times a week

 

[tarpon]

The ammonia and nitrite need to be zero. You should have some nitrATE as that's the end product.

And the betta will be fine. I kept one in a bowl for 3 years when I was younger.

 

[Mahoney]

Just put the betta in the bowl meanwhile, nothing will happen to it if it's there temporarily

Sounds like a plan I am just going to keep doing water changes and try to find a test strip tonight when I go to work cause I don't plan on going to the pet store till another week from now and maybe hopefully by then my tank will have level levels

 

[Mahoney]

Forgot to add, just change the water 2 times a week

What percent water change is it

 

[tarpon]

You can do 100% on the betta bowl. Just put him in a container with old water. Empty and clean the bowl. And fill it up with distilled water and put him back. With distilled you don't need dechlorinator

 

[Mahoney]

The ammonia and nitrite need to be zero. You should have some nitrATE as that's the end product.

And the betta will be fine. I kept one in a bowl for 3 years when I was younger.

If I can find the test strips or kits before I make it to the pet store and I still have fish in my tank and it shows levels of ammonia or nitrite then I need to do a water change and that's all right? I can't add anything to the water except the chlorinator

 

[alex07]

If I can find the test strips or kits before I make it to the pet store and I still have fish in my tank and it shows levels of ammonia or nitrite then I need to do a water change and that's all right? I can't add anything to the water except the chlorinator

DO NOT BUY Test strips, they are very inaccurate. I've told you this several times. Only use the liquid kits

 

[Mahoney]

DO NOT BUY Test strips, they are very inaccurate. I've told you this several times. Only use the liquid kits

I thought you said if u can't find the API test kit then get the ammonia test strips for now