Fish cycling

[MrKichanPark]

it is my 3rd time to have a fish. first 2 were bettas and i didnt use a filter and lived fine. (still living) but this time i bought 5 neon tetras. i heard about cycling tanks, but i still dont know the detail. for example like how long does it last?

also i am currently running my filter and today when i woke up the water was milky. is that normal? D: the gravel i used was from my previous fish.
please help!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Welcome to AA!
It usually takes 4-8 weeks to cycle a tank. Fish in requires daily testing of the water and water changes as needed.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium/
Here is the greeting started guide. It contains info on cycling and how to do it safely with fish.
Milky water indicates a bacterial bloom. Nothing to worry about and it will clear on its own in time.
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/246850-bacterial-blooms-explained/

 

[MrKichanPark]

ohh ok

btw i put betta fish in my 10 gallon cycling tank
will it survive? and can u give me detailed instruction if you can about cycling and how often i should change the water?
thank you very much!

 

[librarygirl]

ohh ok

btw i put betta fish in my 10 gallon cycling tank
will it survive? and can u give me detailed instruction if you can about cycling and how often i should change the water?
thank you very much!

If you read the link Mumma gave you it will have the information you need (including this link, but here it is separately: I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice). Do you have a test kit (liquid is preferred, strips aren't accurate)? If not, get one ASAP and until then do 50% daily water changes to be safe. Once you get the test kit, test water daily and any time ammonia and/or nitrite are .25 or above, do water change(s) to get them down.

 

[MrKichanPark]

without buying the test kit my near by petco store is offering free water testing, so im thinking about going there once every 2 weeks

will it be ok to test the water every 2weeks? D; plz help

 

[librarygirl]

without buying the test kit my near by petco store is offering free water testing, so im thinking about going there once every 2 weeks

will it be ok to test the water every 2weeks? D; plz help

I wouldn't advise it; in a cycling tank, ammonia and nitrites can rise quickly which can be dangerous for the fish. It's really best to be able to test yourself and know what's going on in the water on a daily basis.

 

[MrKichanPark]

but i read an artical that said that betta fish can survive during the cycle D;

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Yes some of them can be ok BUT exposing them to high amounts of ammonia and nitrite (in a cycling tank) can cause burns, ulcers, fin rot, lowered immune system and premature death. It's an easy fix. You will just need to change water daily and keep an eye on those levels so they don't get high enough to harm the fish.

 

[MrKichanPark]

if i do water change daily how many percent should i do? it is 10 gallon tank

thank you

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Start off with 40-50% daily. That will keep the levels low. I really do suggest getting your own test kit. When you have a kit you can test the water and see how much ammonia and nitrite is there then change water accordingly instead of daily.

 

[MrKichanPark]

ok, ill try to ask my mom -.- thnx anyway!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

No problem. They are cheaper online.