Foam?

[RDouglas50]

I'm new to aquariums and raising fish and stuff, so I'm getting started on a 10gal for my betta. Everything but the tank and hood is brand new, and I rinsed everything off and filled the tank with water and got it all set up nice and pretty. Three days later I have this foam forming on the top layer, I thought since it was an old tank maybe there was soap residue in the tank. So I drain the entire tank, new sand, new filter cartridge, everything left was rinsed in scalding hot water, soaked and scrubbed with a new soft-bristled tooth brush in vinegar, and rinsed again in scalding hot water. Filled up the tank again, and I'm on the second day of the cycle and I see the foam starting to foam again. I did a bit more research and found out that it may be the water conditioner. Does anybody have this problem with Tetra BettaStart?

 

[librarygirl]

Not sure if it's the BettaStart, but I wouldn't use that stuff anyway. Are you doing a fish-in cycle with the Betta or a fishless? If you want to help the cycle along try to get some filter media from an established healthy tank and add it to your filter. The bacteria in a bottle stuff doesn't usually work, although you may get lucky.

Are you sure the tank was thoroughly drained and cleaned? I'd take it outside and put a hose to it, refill it and empty it a number of times, then refill and try again but don't add the Betta start and see what happens.

 

[RDouglas50]

Not sure if it's the BettaStart, but I wouldn't use that stuff anyway. Are you doing a fish-in cycle with the Betta or a fishless? If you want to help the cycle along try to get some filter media from an established healthy tank and add it to your filter. The bacteria in a bottle stuff doesn't usually work, although you may get lucky.

Are you sure the tank was thoroughly drained and cleaned? I'd take it outside and put a hose to it, refill it and empty it a number of times, then refill and try again but don't add the Betta start and see what happens.

I rinsed with a hose several times, and wiped with clean paper towels every time. And by rights, I don't think I need to use the conditioner because I'm on well water, and there's no chlorine, I mostly use it for the slime coat.

As far as the cycle is concerned, I'm trying a fishless cycle, and because there's no established media access for me, I did add about 10mL of the bottled bacteria, but I'm feeding it with 4ppl of clear ammonia

 

[JacksonJigsaw]

LOL I can see why you may be worried, but look no farther than your betta, Bettas build bubble nests for mating, mine does it just for fun. he sometimes has half the top covered in bubbles If you cleaned everything really well without soap this is the likely culprit.

 

[RDouglas50]

LOL I can see why you may be worried, but look no farther than your betta, Bettas build bubble nests for mating, mine does it just for fun. he sometimes has half the top covered in bubbles If you cleaned everything really well without soap this is the likely culprit.

I'm worried because my betta isn't in this tank :/

 

[JacksonJigsaw]

Hmm well my only idea would be decorations, substrate, and he filter itself, putt it on th edge f a bucket an let it run, if the foam comes back it's the filter, just wash it out really really well, this will kill your bacteria but ya gotta do it if you have soap in the system.

A picture could help.

 

[RDouglas50]

When I open the hood, the majority of the bubbles pop. There's some still left around the edges of the tank, and where the log decoration sticks out above the water line

 

[JacksonJigsaw]

Hmmm I don't think it could be your water, my tank usually has a few bubbles in it around the edges also, maybe wait and see.

 

[eco23]

I can't really help with the foam...but I just wanted to chime in that if you're cycling your tank simply for the Betta...4ppm may be a bit of overkill. A single Betta has a very small bio-load, so you can definitely get away with only dosing the tank to ~1ppm. It will cycle faster and develop plenty of beneficial bacteria to keep your Betta safe.

It's nice (and unfortunately rare) to see someone providing a Betta with a suitable home . I'm sure he'll be a happy fish.

 

[RDouglas50]

I can't really help with the foam...but I just wanted to chime in that if you're cycling your tank simply for the Betta...4ppm may be a bit of overkill. A single Betta has a very small bio-load, so you can definitely get away with only dosing the tank to ~1ppm. It will cycle faster and develop plenty of beneficial bacteria to keep your Betta safe.

It's nice (and unfortunately rare) to see someone providing a Betta with a suitable home . I'm sure he'll be a happy fish.

Are you saying I should cycle with fish? I'm trying a fishless cycle to wrap my head around how the nitrogen cycle will affect the pH and alkalinity of my water. Both read off the chart and I don't want to hurt my fish

 

[eco23]

Are you saying I should cycle with fish? I'm trying a fishless cycle to wrap my head around how the nitrogen cycle will affect the pH and alkalinity of my water. Both read off the chart and I don't want to hurt my fish

I'm not saying that at all...but cycling at a high level of ammonia like 4ppm is designed to create a massive bio-filter which can handle a tank full of fish immediately.

A Betta does not have a heavy bio-load like a tank full of fish...so cycling at that high of a level is definitely overkill. It's just going to take longer than cycling at a more reasonable level for the fish you'll be keeping.

Trust me, I vouch for fishless cycling (check out the link in my signature ), I'm just saying it's not necessary to do at the high end of the spectrum when you're only needing to colonize enough beneficial bacteria to handle one fish

 

[brittanykluss]

I'm not saying that at all...but cycling at a high level of ammonia like 4ppm is designed to create a massive bio-filter which can handle a tank full of fish immediately.

A Betta does not have a heavy bio-load like a tank full of fish...so cycling at that high of a level is definitely overkill. It's just going to take longer than cycling at a more reasonable level for the fish you'll be keeping.

Trust me, I vouch for fishless cycling (check out the link in my signature ), I'm just saying it's not necessary to do at the high end of the spectrum when you're only needing to colonize enough beneficial bacteria to handle one fish

I hate to chime in on someone elses thread. But do you reccommended dosing a 5 gallon for 4ppm were just trying to get 1 dwarf puffer in that tank. is 4ppm over kill for that tank too?

 

[eco23]

I hate to chime in on someone elses thread. But do you reccommended dosing a 5 gallon for 4ppm were just trying to get 1 dwarf puffer in that tank. is 4ppm over kill for that tank too?

I'm not overly familiar with Dwarf Puffers, but from what I understand they are very messy, dirty fish similar to Goldfish which will produce a lot of ammonia. In that case I'd suggest sticking with the higher ppm. 4ppm still may still be overkill in that case, but I'd be more concerned there than I would be with a single Betta.

 

[brittanykluss]

I'm not overly familiar with Dwarf Puffers, but from what I understand they are very messy, dirty fish similar to Goldfish which will produce a lot of ammonia. In that case I'd suggest sticking with the higher ppm. 4ppm still may still be overkill in that case, but I'd be more concerned there than I would be with a single Betta.

Thanks yes I do hear they are messy

 

[JacksonJigsaw]

No no no, fishless cycle, it will save you in the long run, the fish will either die or live a shorter life. If you get board of sn empty tank, try adding live plants, helps with a healthy tank and gives you something to do while you wait.

 

[eco23]

No no no, fishless cycle, it will save you in the long run, the fish will either die or live a shorter life. If you get board of sn empty tank, try adding live plants, helps with a healthy tank and gives you something to do while you wait.

Yeah, after reading back my post it might be a bit confusing. So.....in my opinion, yes do a fishless cycle, but only add ~1ppm of ammonia instead of 4ppm in this particular case. A single Betta will not produce 4ppm in a day...so there is no need to develop a bio-filter capable of handling that amount. To put it simply...just add less ammonia.

 

[JacksonJigsaw]

Agreed, if your adding more than just a betta the extra ammonia is good, but for a lil ole betta that's way to much

 

[RDouglas50]

I'm not overly familiar with Dwarf Puffers, but from what I understand they are very messy, dirty fish similar to Goldfish which will produce a lot of ammonia. In that case I'd suggest sticking with the higher ppm. 4ppm still may still be overkill in that case, but I'd be more concerned there than I would be with a single Betta.

It's not so much the biofilter I'm worried about, it's the ph and alkalinity. Everywhere I read, that seems to be the only way that I hear about dropping alkalinity, which will drop my ph. This is what I seem to be understanding, definitely please correct me if I'm wrong

 

[eco23]

It's not so much the biofilter I'm worried about, it's the ph and alkalinity. Everywhere I read, that seems to be the only way that I hear about dropping alkalinity, which will drop my ph. This is what I seem to be understanding, definitely please correct me if I'm wrong

I'm not sure I'm completely understanding. During the cycling process the beneficial bacteria will consume buffers in the water which hold the pH steady. For people with soft, low alkalinity water (has to do with pH, kH, GH)...this can be a problem because when those buffers are used up there is nothing to hold the ph at a steady level. The nitrifying bacteria also excrete acidic waste...so all of that put together can lead to serious pH crashes which can be detrimental.

If you have a high ph, that would tend to show you also have high GH, kH (basically hardness and alkalinity)which means things like pH crashes really aren't a concern to you during cycling since you will naturally already have so many buffers.

Correct me if I'm not understanding

There's also a section in the guide and FAQ in my signature which briefly touches in low pH, soft low alkalinity water.

 

[RDouglas50]

No no no, fishless cycle, it will save you in the long run, the fish will either die or live a shorter life. If you get board of sn empty tank, try adding live plants, helps with a healthy tank and gives you something to do while you wait.

I did think about using live plants, but I hear bad things about plants and sand... I'll do it whenever I do a new tank, or something happens to Isaac.

It's almost like a sculpture, just something you can visually admire. I'm actually quite proud of it, being my first tank and all