Media in Newly Dirted Tank

[whitelightsea]

Hi, everyone.

So, I know that bettas are a basic, hardy beginner fish... they were my beginner fish when I started seriously getting into the hobby about three years ago.... and I killed them all.

Yeah, ten gallon tanks are hard for a newbie, but after receiving a 38 gal for my birthday, my fish dreams took off. I've got a thriving community of tetras, snails, shrimp, and a pair of rams... now with my new experience, I want to try my ten gallon betta condo again.

Like my community tank, I want to make it a Walstad method hybrid. I'm going to use Miracle Grow Organic, top with gravel for a different look, and choke the sucker with as many plants as I can fit in there.

I'm also going to be using an Aquaclear 20 as a mechanical filter, and have the new filters sponge and bio bag of ceramic sitting in my community tanks filters to seed for a few days.

Now, I don't want to add a betta until the tank is perfect, and parameters are established and stabe, and the Miracle Grow leeches a LOT of ammonia in my ecperience.

With the seeded media and lots of plants, anacharis, anubias nana, jungle val, water spangle, and java moss, I'm expecting about two weeks wait, but I just read somewhere that I should add the fish immediately?

The theory is an instant cycle via the seeded media, and giving the bb a food source so they don't die out.... but with the miracle grow I expect ammonia and nitrate spikes, even with the plants and filter.... seems dangerous to add a finned friend.

What do you guys think? And any advice on if I have enough plants, or if I should change up the method or plan before my dirt gets here?

Thanks so much! My future betta thanks you, too!

[whitelightsea]

Any thoughts? Is it just a freak occurrence that I have no trouble with my rams, but can't seem to handle bettas?

[TMaier]

Betta's are not easy. To quote one our other members on here "they are the toy poodles of the aquarium world." Bred for all kinds of looks and also health problems.

I have never done a dirt tank but I have read many of the threads on here and the last thing the guys add are fish. Shoot half the time they don't even really want the fish except they make the plants seem cooler. I am sure the seasoned dirt guys will be chiming in here soon. They are in the U.K., Australia etc... it may be a few hours but they will guide you along.

[Ashenwelt]

A true Walstad uses immediat fish but attempts to absorb the ammonium from the water without the normal nitrogen cycle. In some ways the filters make the plants work harder.

Not sure on hybrid Walstad.

[Bert2oo1]

Originally Posted by whitelightsea

Any thoughts? Is it just a freak occurrence that I have no trouble with my rams, but can't seem to handle bettas?

It can be done, I've recently done it myself. Although my media was fully established. The ammonia is pretty high in the first few weeks if u don't do water changes. I filled and drained my tank 3 times over and planted every inch of substrate in a 60g. I had small ammonia spikes but my 2 canisters were enough to sort it out. Being a betta tank I wouldn't add it untill after the 2 weeks to be honest. They arnt the most hardy fish and it would be a shame to kill it.

Seeding the media and adding the dirt should get u cycled pretty fast (I've done instant cycles a few times even without soil). However I'd still watch it for atleast a week. Fill and drain your tank 2-3 times over and let it run for 2 days and check all your parameters. If things are still stable after a week I'd say add the fish

[whatsgoodm8]

Omg we need each other. I've never killed a Betta and I've owned multiple, but I killed 2 entire batches of cherry shrimp and I really want to own some but I guess I can't. It's so frustrating for us, everyone keeps saying that shrimp and bettas are so hardy. I don't know. My first Betta lived happily in a 2 gallon plastic tank without a filter or heater for months until I learnt that I should get him a proper tank. Just decrease the flow from the filter by putting a sponge on the intake tube and also put a heater in the tank as bettas like 80℉ water. I don't use heaters because I live in Dubai and it's pretty hot here. My bettas in the past didn't even care about the tank being cycled or not, so I don't think that should be a problem honestly because they can just take so much abuse. There's nothing that you seem to be doing that's wrong... I wish you luck. Definitely let me know how your betta does in his/her new tank. I bought 2 cherry shrimp last week, this is my third try at keeping shrimp. Not only are they still alive, they're also now bright red and seem to be happily swimming around. I'll wait another week to see if they live, then I'll buy more hopefully! Good luck!

[whitelightsea]

Originally Posted by whatsgoodm8

Omg we need each other. I've never killed a Betta and I've owned multiple, but I killed 2 entire batches of cherry shrimp and I really want to own some but I guess I can't. It's so frustrating for us, everyone keeps saying that shrimp and bettas are so hardy. I don't know. My first Betta lived happily in a 2 gallon plastic tank without a filter or heater for months until I learnt that I should get him a proper tank. Just decrease the flow from the filter by putting a sponge on the intake tube and also put a heater in the tank as bettas like 80℉ water. I don't use heaters because I live in Dubai and it's pretty hot here. My bettas in the past didn't even care about the tank being cycled or not, so I don't think that should be a problem honestly because they can just take so much abuse. There's nothing that you seem to be doing that's wrong... I wish you luck. Definitely let me know how your betta does in his/her new tank. I bought 2 cherry shrimp last week, this is my third try at keeping shrimp. Not only are they still alive, they're also now bright red and seem to be happily swimming around. I'll wait another week to see if they live, then I'll buy more hopefully! Good luck!

I have a heater, a baffled filter, and all the rest but terrible luck. But if the betta doesn't work this time, I could always give my rams a breeder tank, I suppose.... maybe I'll research pea puffers, since they're so stinking cute.

RCS I've never had trouble with, save for issues of inbreeding. It's a good idea to refresh the generations with new blood every so often. Come to think of it, I should order more for my 38 gallon.... some of my RCS are from my first original tank, and I couldn't bear to part with them. Still, I feel your pain with these supposedly easy species. They ain't so easy.

[whatsgoodm8]

Look into scarlet badis. Small pretty fish, you can keep one or multiple in a 10 gallon