Cycling my 2.5 gal tank

[Meagan.Marie]

Okay its a mini bow 2.5 kit.

I don't know where to begin

It comes in on Tuesday and since the cycle takes a while I would like to get started right away

The only fish I plan on putting in there are my bettas Merlin And Harry potter

I will be getting 2 2.5 gal kits since they are both males. Haha I am smart enough to know not to put them in the same tank.

What should I buy

Should I cycle with my fish or without it.

This is my first cycling experience. Also my tap water is not safe. Should I just use bottled spring water? I do treat my water with a conditioner and I put a tad bit of aquarium salt in it.

Please help me I am a noob and this is my first aquatic adventure. I have never had fish before.

 

[adeebm]

Definately cycle without fish. You can read http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/fishless-cycling-for-dummies-103339.html. You can use prime or something similar for a water condition, no need to add salt. Not sure what the kit comes with, but you need a filter and a heater. Good luck!

--Adeeb

 

[Meagan.Marie]

Kit came with a hood the light and the filter. I am purchasing the heater from an LFS.

I have read the cycling for dummies, my problem is it didnt give specifics. and I feel as though it was advised for bigger tanks.

 

[adeebm]

Well since it's a small tank, the food method would work well. Just drop some fish flakes in there and monitor the results. You have a liquid test kit right? Wait until you have nitrates, and no nitrites/ammonia and you are done.

--Adeeb

 

[Meagan.Marie]

I am picking up a test kit as well. I was wondering if tetra safe start would work as well to help speed it up. And should I use the gravel from my fish bowls right now? would that help?

 

[adeebm]

The gravel would help. It's a hit or miss with the safestart. Some people say it works, and some don't. I wouldn't waste my money on It.

--Adeeb

 

[fort384]

I agree--the gravel could potentially speed the cycle. Just make sure you are still seeding the tank with some form of ammonia, or the bacteria in the gravel will not survive.

 

[Meagan.Marie]

I will be feeding my tank everyday to give the bacteria something to live on.

 

[fort384]

sounds good. Don't overdo it. Using fish food does work... but fish food also contains a lot of PO4 (phosphates). This can cause some bad algae if it gets out of control.

 

[Meagan.Marie]

I am confused as to what cycling actually does. in a 2.5 gallon tank. I just don't get it. the pet store wants you to believe that you can just buy it set it up and put fish in it. I also don't understand How I could put my fish in a 2 gallon bowl and not have to cycle at all because without a filter it isn't possible.

 

[fort384]

you do not have to have a filter to cycle a tank.

Cycling is allowing the nitrobacter and nitrosoma bacteria to colonize in a tank so that it can complete the nitrogen cycle. In a tank that is not cycled, there are no bacteria to convert ammonia to nitrite, and then nitrite to nitrate, which is the goal. Ammonia/nitrite are toxic to fish in very small amounts. Nitrate, while still toxic, is tolerable up to levels many times as much as ammonia.

 

[Meagan.Marie]

so in other words it allows the tank owner to not have to do full water changes?

 

[fort384]

No. PWCs are necessary for any healthy tank. It does however reduce the frequency of PWCs necessary for a healthy environment. Before a cycle is complete, if cycling with fish, it will require 50%+ daily PWCs. After a cycle is complete, a tank can go a week or 2 between PWCs. Some people go longer than 2 weeks... my personal opinion is the best way to keep the tank healthy is to still do PWCs weekly, even on mature tanks.

 

[Meagan.Marie]

Well a partial water change and a full water change are completely different in my bowls right now since I don't have a filter I do a full water change every 4 days and a partial every two. But If i were to cycle with my betta it would survive if I did a pwc every day? i want to get them out of their bowls and into something bigger asap. I was an uninformed buyer...

 

[fort384]

If the fish has been in the bowl for a long while, the bowl will have beneficial bacteria (it would be cycled). Performing a daily PWC would be beneficial.

 

[adeebm]

You bowl is probably cycled to some extent, so the betta would be better off there until your 2.5 cycles.

--Adeeb

 

[Meagan.Marie]

Well This is my first ever attempt at cycling wish me luck haha