Noob with salt and fresh

[Pennymom38]

My name is Ann and I've been posting and following the salt water part of this forum. My Nano Cube DX reef tank is cycling, slowly but surely. I have started cycling a 10g aquarium with fresh water which will eventually have a Betta in it and maybe some loaches. They are still up in the air. Last night I discovered that my city uses chloramine so I guess, from what can read, I need to double-dose the conditioner? Haven't done anything yet. I just started it yesterday and except for getting one of those beautiful fish out of that itty bitty container as soon as possible, there is no real hurry. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Question: If I buy a Betta (Petco has some really gorgeous ones right now) and put him temporarily in a bigger container with the Betta water they sell, would that be ok until this tank is cycled? Is that water really ok?

 

[Delapool]

My name is Ann and I've been posting and following the salt water part of this forum. My Nano Cube DX reef tank is cycling, slowly but surely. I have started cycling a 10g aquarium with fresh water which will eventually have a Betta in it and maybe some loaches. They are still up in the air. Last night I discovered that my city uses chloramine so I guess, from what can read, I need to double-dose the conditioner? Haven't done anything yet. I just started it yesterday and except for getting one of those beautiful fish out of that itty bitty container as soon as possible, there is no real hurry. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Question: If I buy a Betta (Petco has some really gorgeous ones right now) and put him temporarily in a bigger container with the Betta water they sell, would that be ok until this tank is cycled? Is that water really ok?

Hi there,

I would wait until the tank is cycled first. If the fish is sick (which they usually are not the best), then you get a sick fish in an uncycled tank and even with water changes it's an ask. Just imo, others may disagree.

The conditioner should say if it handles chloramine. If so, then double dosing should not be needed. My understanding is that most water conditioners (or the ones over here) are a one stop shop like prime to condition all the way to completion.

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Prime.html


Edit - just in case, I'd suggest a liquid based test kit for water specs if you don't have one. Assuming so but just in case.

 

[Pennymom38]

It's a moot point right now because the tank started a slow leak three days into the cycle. Bummer. It was a free 10 gal aquarium from a relative which I had filled and let stand for 24 hours outside without a leak and it waited until three days after I brought it inside to begin to leak. In limbo now trying to decide whether to work with this one or go for a new one. I'll keep lurking and will let you know what I decide.

I wasn't going to put the Betta into the uncycled tank anyway. My question was whether to get him and put him in a smaller tank prior to putting him into the cycled tank. I would never put a fish in an uncycled tank. And, I now have the conditioner for cloramine when I finally get this thing going again. Thanks for your response.

 

[Delapool]

Bugger on the tank. I think you deserve a new tank!

Twice as big and then order next size up from that .....

 

[Pennymom38]

LOL. I like the way you are thinking but its a matter of space. Plus, all I want is a Betta and some ghost shrimp and 10 gal is ample for that. When I go bigger, it will be salt. But thanks!

 

[Delapool]

I just saw your question on the smaller tank and from that it sounds like it would be a QT which sounds ideal to me.