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first time cycling help please!

797 views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  smallvle 
#1 ·
so i just bought a 5 gal tank (Seuss is still in his 2.5 gal.) i looked all over this site and when i finally found the good link/ sticky on cycling, my computer kept telling my it was "dangerous" and wouldn't let me open it. i also googled cycling a 5 gal tank, and was not getting much help. i have alot of questions, and can't find answers anywhere. i understand that you have to add amonia, but what about if i seed the tank? since seuss is still in his tank, (filtered, heated and gets 50% water changes once a week:)

-can i take some gravel (i plan on eventually adding all the gravel in his tank in this new one, though i don't know if i should rinse it in hot water first,) or can i take some of the water from his tank and add it to "seed" his new tank?
- should i rinse all his decorations in hot water before moving them to the new tank? (he had fin rot a while back but it is all gone and he is almost healed.)
-i also had aquarium salt in his water for a couple of months to help the fin rot, but am not planning on continuing to put it in his new tank, though should i "wean" him off of it?
-how often and how much water should i change in water changes once the tank is cycled and he's in it?
-when i do a water change, do i ever need to take his decorations out and rinse them off? (right now every other water change i use a gravel vaccume and i take his deocr out and rinse it in hot water and scrub with a tooth-brush. i used to rinse/scrub it in tank water, but was being extra careful after the fin rot.)
-my new tank came with a light, do i need a light? he gets a good amount of (indirect) sunlight, but would i need the light for anything?

i know it's alot of questions, but i really want to do this right. and i know this is the best place to come to with questions, becasue so far nobody on here has steered me wrong. : ) thanx guys! (and if anyone can find the cycling (sticky i think,) can you post it for me? i don't know why my computer wouldn't let me open it this time, when i've opened it before.)
 
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#2 ·
Since you have an established tank and filter media and plan to move everything over anyway, yes, seed it and you can cycle with your betta in the 5g...do you have the water testing products for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH...if so, it will make thing easier, if not, you can still do it with proper water changes

Move everything from the old tank to the new tank, dirty, don't rinse or clean anything, dump the contents of the old filter into the new filter as well as the old filter media, you want this dirt...all good for cycling, toss the old water and use all new water.

Nitrifying bacteria are sticky and adhere to everything, tank walls, decorations, top layer of the substrate and most are in the filter media so very little are in the water column itself.

Make every other day 50% water changes but only vacuum one time a week, if you have testing products test daily and when you have ammonia/nitrite of 0.25ppm or greater make a 50% water change, once you have 0ppm ammonia/nitrite and a reading of nitrate 5-10ppm your cycle is most likely completed, being seeded it should only tank a couple of weeks.
Once cycled stay with 50% twice weekly water changes and with one water change vacuum in all areas without moving anything in the tank.

Filter media, give it a swish/rinse in old tank water with a water change 1-2 times a month or if the water flow has slowed, you want the filter media to look dirty but still have good water flow and oxygen.
 
#3 · (Edited)
#4 ·
thanx for all the info guys, but i've decided i'm going to stick with my uncycled 2.5 gal tank for now. : ( i've got a lot going on in my life right now, and didn't realize how much work getting this tank established would be, and after buying and returning a walmart kit/ 5 gal tank and a "supposedly" 5 gal critter tote/ keeper, i haven't really like any kits out there, nor can i seem to find just a 5 gal "affordable" glass tank from a local store. like i said, i've got alot of stress going on and this was just stressing me out further. but i'm going to keep this info in mind, and do plan on eventually getting a larger tank and cycling it, maybe even in the fall.
 
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