How We Doing?

[ClassicRocker]

This is the second cycling attempt for this Marineland Eclipse 5 (5 gallon) w/Mini Heater, thermometer, carbon cartridge w/BIO Wheel, Swim-Thru décor, two live plants and a Moss Ball.

Done another Thread discussing the other cycling and what happened. This time, doing a new cycling with SafeStart and a male Betta.

100% water change done this afternoon. Didn't realize how easy it would be to take the water out with the gravel vac! Thought I'd have to keep dipping one of those small water bottles in to empty it out. Then, filled it up and added Prime (about 15 eye dropper drops). Tomorrow afternoon will get the Betta, put in the bottle of SafeStart, get the Betta use to the water and put it in.

Sure wish we would have done this in the first place!!

A couple of questions:

Should I do a Strips test of the water tomorrow, before getting the Betta, to make sure the pH level is good and Chlorine is gone?

When should I add the Betta Log......of course, rinse it off first.

 

[henningc]

First, don't know how long you have had this up an running, but PH is theleast of your worries. You need to test for ammonia and nitrites. If the levels are good then put the betta in. Keep in mind small tanks are somewhat unstable.

I don't use the quick start, bottled bacteria, never had any use for it. In a small tank you would be better off to do it naturally. If this attempt fails I recommend the following:

Buy a small sponge filter and a five gallon bucket. Fill with tap water and dechloinate. Add the filter and let it run for six weeks and put it in the five gallon tank. You can keep your plants and stuff going during the process.

 

[azmodan]

Just in case you haven't read this yet: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium/

One of the first things you should do is purchase the API Master Test Kit. Strips are often very inaccurate.

 

[ClassicRocker]

Done a water perimeters test (API Strips) this morning at 9:30AM ET. Haven't been able to get the Master Kit yet, but promise we will!
Anyway, looks like this:
0 Nitrates
0 Nitrites
pH 7.0 to 7.5
Ammonia 0 to 0.5

Looks like we are ready for the SafeStart and Betta later on this afternoon. FINALLY will get this underway! YAHOO!

 

[threnjen]

Buy a small sponge filter and a five gallon bucket. Fill with tap water and dechloinate. Add the filter and let it run for six weeks and put it in the five gallon tank. You can keep your plants and stuff going during the process.

I am very confused what this would accomplish. I have to assume you forgot something in this paragraph, because I know you know what you're talking about in general.

 

[threnjen]

Done a water perimeters test (API Strips) this morning at 9:30AM ET. Haven't been able to get the Master Kit yet, but promise we will!
Anyway, looks like this:
0 Nitrates
0 Nitrites
pH 7.0 to 7.5
Ammonia 0 to 0.5

Looks like we are ready for the SafeStart and Betta later on this afternoon. FINALLY will get this underway! YAHOO!

I'm confused, would you expect readings? Isn't this a totally new and uncycled tank? All of the readings will be zero. It's when you get the Betta in that you will start to need to compulsively take tests every day to keep your eye on your ammonia and nitrite levels.
Its not too late to decide to fishless cycle

 

[ClassicRocker]

SafeStart in and Betta is in! It is a male Vailtail Betta.........a VERY pretty blue. We are calling it "Stormy" b/c the color looks like storm clouds.

He is just swimming around in the tank, probably shocked at all the room he has!

Will have to see if we keep the Betta Grass Pad in and/or put the Floating Betta Log back in.

So far, SO GOOD!!

 

[ClassicRocker]

First......last night I put the Floating Betta Log in, but took it out b/c it looked like it took up too much room. Heck, I don't know. Anyway, this "little ol' Betta" looked pretty bored this afternoon, so I put it back in.

Don't know if he has to get use to it or what! Most of the time when I look at the aquarium, from the living room, I don't even see him and have to go over and look for him! Heck, seems like I'm MORE active than he is!! LOL Have a swim-thru rock décor and he hasn't, that I've seen, used that either! Heck, I THOUGHT Betta's were more active than this

I wanted an OUTGOING Betta, like my personality!! Again, LOL

Starting to wonder about leaving the Betta Grass Pad in or not

Am, I being to darn impatient or what

Anyway, just ran a "perimeters" test with the API Strips........(Master Kit is coming) and these were my readings:
0.5 Nitrite
0 Nitrate
0 Ammonia
7.5 pH

How's it look? Darn, we sure wish we were better at knowing how to read "perimeters"/what they mean than we are, but....

 

[azmodan]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/i-just-learned-about-cycling-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now/

That article (and the previous article I linked to) should give you a good base on what to do for now. Good luck and congrats on the new fish!

 

[threnjen]

Yes your parameters (not perimeters) are not currently acceptable. Your nitrites are high and dangerous. Please look over the article that Azmodan linked in his reply. This will teach you what the parameters mean. You are doing a fish-in cycle and you will need to be very vigilant for the health of your betta, doing lots of water changes and checking your water every day.
Ask questions when needed and we can help you. good luck!

 

[ClassicRocker]

Rather ODD......have had people in other forums say that my parameters were doing fine and the cycling was coming along! The ALL read the same parameter readings that you have. Even a long-time "fish keeper"/Moderator told me they were fine. I was told to only feed the Betta for two weeks and not do ANY water changes, unless it's absolutely called for.

Sometimes the "this needs to be done" and "things look good/fine" can REALLY mess with a Beginner's mind! Not everyone has the same answer/opinion, but that's ok. As I was told by another long-time Aquarist, "go with what you think is the best advise".

BTW, our Betta appears to be doing just fine and eating great.

Anyway, thanks for correcting me on the word.

Yes your parameters (not perimeters) are not currently acceptable. Your nitrites are high and dangerous. Please look over the article that Azmodan linked in his reply. This will teach you what the parameters mean. You are doing a fish-in cycle and you will need to be very vigilant for the health of your betta, doing lots of water changes and checking your water every day.
Ask questions when needed and we can help you. good luck!

 

[Brookster123]

Rather ODD......have had people in other forums say that my parameters were doing fine and the cycling was coming along! The ALL read the same parameter readings that you have. Even a long-time "fish keeper"/Moderator told me they were fine. I was told to only feed the Betta for two weeks and not do ANY water changes, unless it's absolutely called for. Sometimes the "this needs to be done" and "things look good/fine" can REALLY mess with a Beginner's mind! Not everyone has the same answer/opinion, but that's ok. As I was told by another long-time Aquarist, "go with what you think is the best advise". BTW, our Betta appears to be doing just fine and eating great. Anyway, thanks for correcting me on the word.

dude we've talked about this.. You really need to pick one forumn. It's like when I was younger and my parents were divorced, I'd ask my mom for a dog, she'd say no, I'd ask my dad.. He'd say yes.. See the problem here?? Mom is AA and she is usually right and threnjen is your cycle mom and she definitely knows best!

 

[ClassicRocker]

Another thing should be clarified:
Have had people tell me that the cost of the API Freshwater Test Master Kit is cheaper thru Amazon/online than buying from Petsmart or Petco. The product is cheaper, but add in the cost of shipping and I would only save $2 by ordering online. And, even though everyone here, and in other aquarium/fish forums, recommend/like the Master Test Kit, the reviews for the Tetra Test Strips are very good as well. Sounds to me like if a person only has one aquarium, and it's a smaller one like our 5 gallon is, the Tetra Strips would do fine. People like me aren't running water parameter tests on 2, 3 or 4 tanks......just one! The Master Kit looks fine, but the Tetra Strips look good as well. Been using the API Strips and don't like them that much even though my wife thinks they are ok.

 

[ClassicRocker]

"Dude", sorry, but if I want to be involved in other aquarium/fish forums, that's entirely up to me/us. If you only want to be in this one, that's your choice, sure doesn't have to be others. I like getting other's opinions and suggestions!

BTW, when my parents divorced, when I was 6, I went to live with step-parents who were relatives. My real parents weren't around at all, and my step-parents seemed to ALWAYS agree on things concerning me. That was cool!

Now, back to "fish" talk!

dude we've talked about this.. You really need to pick one forumn. It's like when I was younger and my parents were divorced, I'd ask my mom for a dog, she'd say no, I'd ask my dad.. He'd say yes.. See the problem here?? Mom is AA and she is usually right and threnjen is your cycle mom and she definitely knows best!

 

[Ringoffire]

Just a note about the API master test. I just got mine at petsmart for $21. They are currently on sale for $24. Plus there is a coupon online for $5 off of $25 purchase. Ends up at just $21 for the test. Just gotta find something else to put you over the $25 limit. And we all know how easy that is.

 

[bribo12]

I think the issue is you have nitrite according to your strips. This is dangerous to fish at any level. Betas are pretty hardy and tend to not show stress as quickly as other fish would at that level of nitrites. The liquid kit will give you a better estimate I your true parameters but you need to do water changes.
Anyone can tell you anything but water changes need to be done to keep nitrite at a safe level. It is weird you have 0 ammonia as well. That makes me wonder about the strips accuracy even more.

 

[threnjen]

Obviously you can be involved in as many forums as you want, but to give advice and have it flippantly disregarded is aggravating at best. If you don't like the advice we give here, which is going to be consistent with what I said, best notcome tous withthe questionsand stickwith theforum thattold you what you wanted to hear. What I advised is how we do things here. If you want to do it another way that's fine, I'm not saying your fish will die, but just remember that our recommendations only come out of a concern to give your fish the safest possible environment.
Obviously you're free to post wherever but they "well they said this there" thing won't accomplish much with is. We just do things differently and teach a different methodology here and must agree to disagree.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[threnjen]

Holy moly sorry for the weird formatting problems in that post. My phone hates me.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[ClassicRocker]

Our tank is cycled , as the water parameters are saying. This was done w/Prime, TSS, our betta (Stormy) and no W/C for two weeks. The two weeks was told to us by Tetra company. Doring water testing during those two weeks, nothing showed that we required a W/C.

Now, either today or tomorrow we will do a gravel vac, up to a 25% W/C with Prime, add a small Java Fern and remove the Grass Pad and Aqueon Mini Heater. Have not had to turn it on since turning it off over a week ago.

After the W/C, we will get a couple of Ghost Shrimp for bottom cleaning.

Got Stormy some Frozen Bloodworm and Frozen Brine Shrimp. Are changing the pellets we have (Tetra brand) to the Hikari Betta Bio-Gold Pellets. He doesn't seem to like the Tetra brand anymore.

 

[ClassicRocker]

BTW, we do follow what folks tell us, sometimes anyways. We bought the API Master Water Test Kit!