Cycling. Can it happen that fast?

[ChoclateBetta]

You do realize 10Gs is still a nano tank?

[Virto]

Not as far as I'm concerned.

Regardless, not every tank is the same, not every fish is the same. Some people change water more often than is required. Frequent testing is best for the truly paranoid.

[Basement Bettas]

Originally Posted by Asymetric

I have a minibow 5 with a single beta in it. With a filter and heater. All brand new stuff. I have been testing daily with an API test kit.

Day zero. Water has been in for 2 days with conditioner and temp stabilised at 78 degrees. Added fish. All tests measured zero.
Day one, Amonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0
Day two, Amonia 0 - .25, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0
Day three, Amonia 0 - .25, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0
Day four, Amonia .25, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0
Day five, Amonia just a touch above zero, Nitrite 0 - .25, Nitrate just a shade above zero.

No water changes. I was expecting the amonia to be above .25 today and had been planning to do a water change. I rinsed the vials and did a second test to make sure and got the same results.

Everyone talks about how it takes weeks or even months. Could i have just gotten lucky to see anything so soon?

I am hesitant to go ahead with a water change just because if there is some bacteria action starting, i dont want to disturb anything. Fishy is happy, active and eating. His colors are commming back. (the trip home must have been rough for him).

Nope. The ammonia rises.. then you get bacteria that turns that into nitrite. So the nitrite number must rise as the ammonia decreases. And a different bacteria grows to convert the nitrite to nitrate. Then the nitrate number rises when the other two level out. Must do water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite at zero. Until the nitrite levels rise and level you have not completed the cycle.

[ChoclateBetta]

Originally Posted by Virto

Not as far as I'm concerned.

Regardless, not every tank is the same, not every fish is the same. Some people change water more often than is required. Frequent testing is best for the truly paranoid.

Im Anixous not Paranoid.

[Virto]

Originally Posted by ChoclateBetta

Im Anixous not Paranoid.

People are free to change water whenever they see fit, and typically it is better to change more often than less often.

I just don't see the purpose in doing it for the sake of doing it if the tank is cycled and the numbers are good.

I'm a bit paranoid, so I'll test more often. That's when I came to realize that doing a 50% weekly (at least for my 1 fish in his tank) was not required. I generally do a 25% just because I need to put my hand in the tank anyway to trim a plant or to clean the sponge baffle on my filter intake.

As always, your mileage may vary. Whatever is best for you is best, period.

[ChoclateBetta]

By definition 10 is a NANO tank.

[Blue Fish]

Originally Posted by ChoclateBetta

By definition 10 is a NANO tank.

Just out of curiosity, what is a nano tank? :)

[ChoclateBetta]

A tank under 30 gallons.