Setting up a betta tank

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LuckyWanderer

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Feb 9, 2018
Messages
91
Location
Washington
I have set up a 5.5 gallon betta tank and I am doing a fishless cycle for it. I ordered some Seachem Stability and it arrived on the 8th of this month. So from then till now (14th) I have been adding the recommended amount for 7 days and tomorrow will be the last day. The first day I added the stability I also added some fish food to feed the bacteria. About 2 days later I tested the water and ammonia read about 0.25ppm. This was on the 10th. I am not quite sure what ammonia ppm I need, some articles online said 2ppm others said 4ppm. One video I watched was about setting up a betta tank and had a reading of 0.25ppm and said that was enough.
I just want to have one betta and live plants. Every 2 days I do an ammonia water test and then add a small amount of food. On the 12th I did another ammonia test and it was up to 0.50ppm. Today I did another test and it was about 1ppm. My water temp is about 80 to 82f, I read that higher temps help the bacteria grow faster.
Do you guys think maybe in the next week ammonia will lower and I might see some nitrites? And what level of ammonia ppm should I try to hold at?
Thank you,
LuckyWanderer [emoji2]
 
Anywhere between 2-4 ppm ammonia will be fine. With temp there's two schools of thought. One being higher temp breeds bacteria. The other is a lower temp of 76-78 degrees gives bacteria more oxygen.
 
I'm using a sponge filter that produces a significant amount of bubbles. Do think that will do the aeration trick?
 
Also I just did another water test the ph was about 7.2 and the ammonia was about 2ppm. Is 2ppm good or should I try to go higher? Thanks for you advice, I really appreciate it.
 
Go alittle Higher. And if you have a bigger air pump it would help too. Or if you have a adjustable air pump turn it up.
 
I have an adjustable airpump on the sponge filter turned all the way up. I'll add some more fish food and try to get to about 4ppm then test the water again in about 2 days.
 
I've had a constant 4ppm ammonia reading since the 18th. Shouldn't it have dropped by now? I know that there is bacteria in there because some plant bulbs I put in have white slime on them. I'm going to add like 2 more capfuls of stability today as well.
 
From what I've read, I'm almost certain a betta is fine in that size tank without a nitrogen cycle. You just change most of the water every weekend. Or sooner if it looks funky. It's just a few gallons. I'm going crazy waiting for my 10 gallon to cycle and it's been months (don't ask). I use a siphon ball and some 1/2" vinyl hose to change ~5 gallons at a time and it only takes a minute or so to drain. Just don't forget the dechlorinator!!

Just changing the water every weekend is what I used to do as a kid with a small tank like that. I didn't even have a filter, but I did use distilled water (2 gallons if I remember right). My ex-wife had a big fishbowl and little Moby went on plenty of adventures (until our neighbors killed it "fishsitting").
 
I know that bettas can handle pretty bad water situations, but I really want to do this right. I had fish when I was younger too. Back then I had no idea that the nitrogen cycle even existed! Once I got the fishy itch again I wanted to do all the right things because of my naive fish keeping guilt. I'm just going out of my mind with waiting even though it hasn't been that long since I started the tank. If you can be patient enough to wait 2 months for your tank, I can wait for more than 2 weeks.

If you don't mind me asking, what method are you using? (Fishless cycle right) pure ammonia or fish food? And did you get a bacteria additive such as stability or dr tims? What part of the cycle are you on, ammonia, nitrite or nitrate? And if so how long did it take you to get to this part of the cycle?
 
It's a waiting game to cycle a new tank. And as for Betta's, I don't recommend a Betta in cycle. They are so very delicate. It will not take long for fin rot/ illness, to set in as soon as you have a ammonia Spike's. No matter what size tank you have. Sorry, I don't agree but everyone does things different. Imo, you just gotta have patience in this hobby along with dedication. Fish live longer when things are done right from the beginning.
 
I decided to test all four parameters today on a whim rather than just high ph and ammonia. Ph was 7.8, its been that way for a while. Ammonia the same as ever, 4ppm. I got really disappointed and thought "what the heck, why not just test nitrite anyway?" To my amazement I have nitrites! About .50 to 1ppm! I became overjoyed and thought "amazing! Maybe I have nitrate as well!" Not yet it seems but I am happy none the less. Shouldn't I be seeing a drop in ammonia as nitrites rise? I think maybe the fish food I added is still producing ammonia.
 
Tested the water today. Same ammonia and nitrate. My ph lowered a little from 7.8 to 7.4? Nitrites increased from .50 or 1ppm to 2 or 5ppm. Heres some pictures, the first is without flashlight and second is with flashlight. 20180303_092530.jpg20180303_092545.jpg
 
See, your there. Just let her run. I give it another day or two at the most a week. But it won't be long. Could even happen tonight. If you have a light on turn it off. And turn up the heater a little.
 
Can I add my betta once ammonia and nitrite are zero? One article I read said once ammonia and nitrite can be converted to nitrate in 24 hours then your tank is cycled. How have you been able to tell that your tank has cycled completely?

Sent from my SM-G530P using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
Yes, you can add your Betta after. When your nitrite level goes to 0 than your nitrate will read a more red color and your cycled. You will probably still have ammonia after the nitrite goes to 0 so you'll want to do your water changes to get that back to 0. Do a couple 50%-75% at a time. Depending on how high it is. You should be there very soon. Then add Betta?
 
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