joannde
Aquarium Advice Addict
One of my betta's lives in a 2.5Gallon unfiltered tank in the kitchen. The tank includes Java Moss (about the size of golfball when compressed). This tank gets VERY little light, except when the kitchen light is on, which isn't all that often (maybe 2 hrs a day). The rest of time he gets normal room light, but since my windows are coated with a UV / Hurricane coating the lighting is rather dim.
This guy is a bit particular about how long his pellets soak before I feed him - if they're too soft he spits them out, so I know there's some decaying pellet parts in there. I normally change 50 - 60% of his water every two days (last change on Thursday) and yesterday took readings before I was going to do the water change.
Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates >5 but < 10 (tap water tests 5ppm for nitrates).
When I saw the ammonia and nitrite readings I thought the java moss was keeping his tank parameters in check by using the nitrogen in the ammonia. But when I saw the nitrate test it got me wondering.
So - whats up here ? Is his tank actually cycled ?? Are the every other day water changes providing enough aeration to keep the good bacteria alive ? Or is it the java moss providing aeration ??? Or do the good bacteria not need aeration as much as I thought ?
This guy is a bit particular about how long his pellets soak before I feed him - if they're too soft he spits them out, so I know there's some decaying pellet parts in there. I normally change 50 - 60% of his water every two days (last change on Thursday) and yesterday took readings before I was going to do the water change.
Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates >5 but < 10 (tap water tests 5ppm for nitrates).
When I saw the ammonia and nitrite readings I thought the java moss was keeping his tank parameters in check by using the nitrogen in the ammonia. But when I saw the nitrate test it got me wondering.
So - whats up here ? Is his tank actually cycled ?? Are the every other day water changes providing enough aeration to keep the good bacteria alive ? Or is it the java moss providing aeration ??? Or do the good bacteria not need aeration as much as I thought ?