10 gallon cycle log

[black_eyed]

Day 1
today I started up a 10 gallon tank that I plan on housing 1 male betta, and 6 black neon tetras. maybe more unless that is overstocked.

I bought some black gravel and a few more plants. i bought some fake amazon swords that are maybe two inches tall. i also got a couple of other plants that are 5 inches or so tall and grass like. I just dont want real plants... maybe someday.

Right now it is being filtered with two penn plax sponge and carbon filters. one filter is good for five gallons, and since its ten gallons i have two. i was housing two bettas in there, thats why i have the sponge filters. I hope that this will be good enough filtration.

I am cycling WITH fish. i have always had great luck cycling with fish, so i stick with what i know. I have one male betta, one snail, and 4 white cloud minnows. i hope that isnt too much! either way i will test my water twice daily. I also picked up some stress zyme from my LFS. i have heard this is crap and i dont doubt it at all, but i figured that it was better than nothing. after all, it is all they had.

everything looks very nice set up right now. i can hardly wait to get my black neons

 

[7Enigma]

Have those 2 sponge filters been cleaned or dried out between the 2 bettas and now? When you added the gravel/plants/water did you add a dechlorinator to the water?

 

[black_eyed]

yes i had to throw them out and get new ones. the tank of bettas was cycled and too bad i couldnt re use the filters for the bactria. sadly the bettas in there passed away due to a horrible accident with flea powder
so everything in that tank is new.

yup, i added decholrinater

 

[7Enigma]

See if the LFS (or if you have a friend/family member with a tank) will give you some seed material. Most won't give filter media, but many will give a small bag of gravel (if they have it). Another option is to get some low light plants that have bacteria on them. Anything is better than nothing, and that Cycle as you suspected is junk...

 

[black_eyed]

thank you.

although its junk, isnt it better than nothing? i dont know anyone with a cycled tank, so i would have to get some seed material from the LFS, and i rarely go to town, so i guess i just will not be seeding it. i have a 5.5 that is SOMETIMES cycled. i cant keep it cycled to save my life!

 

[7Enigma]

thank you.

although its junk, isnt it better than nothing? i dont know anyone with a cycled tank, so i would have to get some seed material from the LFS, and i rarely go to town, so i guess i just will not be seeding it. i have a 5.5 that is SOMETIMES cycled. i cant keep it cycled to save my life!

Debatable. It *might* have some trace nutrients that the bacteria can use where some water supplies might not have enough (stalled cycle). What it doesn't have is any living bacteria that you need in the tank. I don't think its worth the plastic its in personally.

Not seeding it will take it a VERY long time to cycle and you risk hurting your fish. I'm also concerned that your 5 gallon tank is "sometimes" cycled. That makes me question some of your maintenance procedures. I would beg you to make the trip into town to get some, or at least some live plants (keep the tank lights off or to a minimum).

Heck post the town you live in and maybe someone on here will be nice enough to supply you with some seed material! It's worth a shot.