-At least a 2.5 gallon tank (the bigger the better)
-A heater
-Water change schedule to fit your tank's size.
For a 7 liter tank, you could probably do 3 water changes per week- 2 50% changes and 1 100% change until you upgrade.
2.5 to 5 gal tank- 2 water changes per week... 1 50%, 1 100%
I have a question - I have one 2.5 gallon tank (my other betta tanks are bigger but this guy is tiny with a swim bladder problem so he doesn't seem to want a huge tank anyway). I don't do quite as many water changes as you mentioned, but only because I test the ammonia and it usually is still super low. (not over .02)
Is that because I have a filter with biological media added and I add Colony or other brands of beneficial bacteria? Or is it because maybe when I keep adding water to replace the evaporated water, it is enough? I know people say it's hard to cycle such a small tank but could I have successfully cycled it?
I have a question - I have one 2.5 gallon tank (my other betta tanks are bigger but this guy is tiny with a swim bladder problem so he doesn't seem to want a huge tank anyway). I don't do quite as many water changes as you mentioned, but only because I test the ammonia and it usually is still super low. (not over .02)
Is that because I have a filter with biological media added and I add Colony or other brands of beneficial bacteria? Or is it because maybe when I keep adding water to replace the evaporated water, it is enough? I know people say it's hard to cycle such a small tank but could I have successfully cycled it?
You still want to do a weekly water change to maintain good water quality.
What do you mean "brands" of beneficial bacteria? The cycling products you can buy don't cycle the tank, they help jump start it.
If you are detecting any ammonia, your tank isn't cycled. Cycled tank with have 0 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm nitrite and some nitrate.
Thanks much mursey! For once he decided to pose perfectly for the photo. He's usually swimming too quickly for the camera to capture and ends up as a blurry black-and-red blob.
You still want to do a weekly water change to maintain good water quality.
What do you mean "brands" of beneficial bacteria? The cycling products you can buy don't cycle the tank, they help jump start it.
If you are detecting any ammonia, your tank isn't cycled. Cycled tank with have 0 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm nitrite and some nitrate.
By brands I meant that currently I have "Colony" but I had previously bought a beneficial bacteria supplement by another name, I just can't remember it.
I didn't know that about the ammonia, thanks for that info. It's hard for me to understand how you can tell that there is no ammonia at all though- being that the test kits I was told to get are color charts and colors are a bit subjective. I have the Freshwater Master Test Kit and I still keep the suction cup ammonia readers just for an extra "alert" since I bought them before people told me to get the MAster test kit.
I pretty much change water if anything isn't the first color of my ammonia charts. (really light yellow). I understand people here said that the master tst kits are a good value but honestly I am not so sure since it takes forever to test little tubes of water from my 6 aquariums for ammonia, nitrate, and nitrites. Ph. . . forget it. Then we're adding 5 test tubes of water testing per tank, because we have super high ph and I usually need to do the high ph test too. So 3 times 6 is 18 freaking test tubes of different methods of shaking up chemicals or not shaking them but just dropping them in, etc . .. I can't imagine this is how people take care of their multiple bettas or you couldn't have a job.
Thanks much mursey! For once he decided to pose perfectly for the photo. He's usually swimming too quickly for the camera to capture and ends up as a blurry black-and-red blob.
Ha! I totally understand. I guess he decided to be "majestic" for a moment. :)
By brands I meant that currently I have "Colony" but I had previously bought a beneficial bacteria supplement by another name, I just can't remember it.
I didn't know that about the ammonia, thanks for that info. It's hard for me to understand how you can tell that there is no ammonia at all though- being that the test kits I was told to get are color charts and colors are a bit subjective. I have the Freshwater Master Test Kit and I still keep the suction cup ammonia readers just for an extra "alert" since I bought them before people told me to get the MAster test kit.
I pretty much change water if anything isn't the first color of my ammonia charts. (really light yellow). I understand people here said that the master tst kits are a good value but honestly I am not so sure since it takes forever to test little tubes of water from my 6 aquariums for ammonia, nitrate, and nitrites. Ph. . . forget it. Then we're adding 5 test tubes of water testing per tank, because we have super high ph and I usually need to do the high ph test too. So 3 times 6 is 18 freaking test tubes of different methods of shaking up chemicals or not shaking them but just dropping them in, etc . .. I can't imagine this is how people take care of their multiple bettas or you couldn't have a job.
I know it seems like a burden, but I use the API master liquid kit and it works perfectly for me. My tank is cycled and it clearly shows 0 ppm ammonia, 0 nitrite, and since my tank is very understocked, 5 ppm nitrate.
one divider is homemade not pretty but it works great. It cost around 7.00 and i have enough materials to make many more compared to the store bought divider that cost 15.00
Check out the eBook Betta Fish Care Made Easy
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