On converting nursery/sick tank to full time tank

[shawmutt]

Hello all! My soon to be wife just commandeered my 5 1/2 gallon tank to use full time for fish. It has been kept full of water for three months, with two or three 20% water changes. It has a few tiny java fern babies, and there's algae present on the plants and walls of the tank. The pH and hardness is a bit high (most likely from topping off the tank all the time), so I'm changing some of the water with distilled to bring them both down.

Question 1: is the tank cycled and ready for fish?

It has a Whisper Jr. hang-on power filter and a good submersable heater. It has a 15 watt incandescent bulb.

Question 2: do you think this is adequete lighting for a few fish (she's thinking maybe a betta or a half dozen guppys) and java ferns?

Question 3: what's a tactful way to "just say no" to rainbow gravel

 

[Guest]

Question 1: is the tank cycled and ready for fish?

Nope, unless youve been putting in something for the bacteria to consume, its not cycled. the bacteria need a food source. However, you prolly do have some bacteria in there and it should cycle quicker than a brand new setup.

do you think this is adequete lighting for a few fish (she's thinking maybe a betta or a half dozen guppys) and java ferns?

Yes, it should be good enough. Look at home depot for the screw in pc lights, they have a better spectrum than the old regular incandecents from the lfs. Make sure it will fit the hood though, and they can get kind of hot.

Question 3: what's a tactful way to "just say no" to rainbow gravel

Dude, you're gettin married, there is no more "just say no" to most anything! You could try saying fish are much happier with a natural color, and that bright gravel freaks them out. (I figure it must)

 

[mendhigirl]

Hey!! I have rainbow gravel!!! Flourescent too.
Okay...it is in the 10g in the kids room.The 4 year old picked it out....

 

[shawmutt]

Update: She decided to get a betta and two cories for the tank, and she just joined the forum (her handle is silvermidnight). I know a betta probably isn't the first choice to cycle a tank with, but I'm going to keep a close eye on the ammonia and act accordingly. Just kidding about the rainbow gravel , but she decided to keep the black gravel in it, we got a nice piece of driftwood for it, and she took a few bigger java ferns from my tank--hopefully raising the bacteria count in the process. I would post pictures, but I'm sure she wants to do that herself, so I'll let her.

 

[CRaZeeeBiTcHisH]

hey, don't underestimate the betta
i once got an orphan in a bowl of water soo dirty that you literally could not see the fish, and he lived more than a year after a good bath! they are tough little fish!