cycling question?

[rebekahbirch]

can you cycle a tank without a filter?
and is it worth cycling a 6 gallon / 27 (ish) litre tank?

it's for my betta fish and african dwarf frog (not got any of them yet tho!)
would they still survive without a filter? i have a heater for them, but not a filter thats gentle enough for the betta to swim against, i don't want him to be all clumsy against the filter's strong flow! plus the filter i've got's being used in a 30 galon atm!
Becky...XxX

 

[Mr. Limpet]

can you cycle a tank without a filter?
and is it worth cycling a 6 gallon / 27 (ish) litre tank?

it's for my betta fish and african dwarf frog (not got any of them yet tho!)
would they still survive without a filter? i have a heater for them, but not a filter thats gentle enough for the betta to swim against, i don't want him to be all clumsy against the filter's strong flow! plus the filter i've got's being used in a 30 galon atm!
Becky...XxX

Without a filter, it'd be like a fish bowl and you'd need to do PWC daily IMO. They make filters that work for bettas where you can redirect the flow. My betta makes a point of getting into the flow of his tank lol.

Here's the one I have and it works great.

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=22501

 

[Rosenweiss]

As for cycling, YES! It is definitely worth it to cycle a 6 gallon! Probably even more important since otherwise the ammonia will build up much more quickly!

 

[rebekahbirch]

is it possible to replace the filter with daily water changes?
if so, what percentage would i have to replace?
Becky...XxX

 

[Mr. Limpet]

is it possible to replace the filter with daily water changes?
if so, what percentage would i have to replace?
Becky...XxX

Personally I wouldn't recommend it, but 50% is best. You should really get a filter at some point and a liqiud test kit is a must IMO.

 

[Rosenweiss]

IMO, you wouldn't need to do a 50% per day while cycling.... You could honestly probably cycle without a filter just using an aerator, and maybe 10% pwc a day.

 

[rebekahbirch]

how long should i wait before adding the frog? (roughly)
and would 2 african dwarf frog and 1 male betta be pushing it for a 6 gallon hex?

 

[Rosenweiss]

To be honest, I wouldn't add any animals until you're fully cycled. 2 ADFs and 1 male betta is probably a good crew for a 6g, but I wouldn't do any more. And make sure you're actually getting the dwarf, not the clawed, variety.

The only way to tell you're fully cycled is to get an accurate liquid test kit. So that's a must before any fish. Good luck!

 

[rebekahbirch]

testing strips aren't worth it then?
to be honest, i was testing by taking a bit of water to the pet shop to be analysed every now and then!

 

[Rosenweiss]

Testing strips really aren't... sorry to be the bearer of bad news..

and haha don't worry! That's exactly how I did it before I could get a liquid test kit! But I think you'll really find the investment is worth it.