Fishless cycling for a betta fish... HELP!!!

[finnfinnfriend]

Originally Posted by BubbiBubba

Amazing! You reply fast! I am such a noob... what's "PWC"??? Post Weekly Changes?

PWC is "partial water changes" like not changing all the water but like 25-50% :)

You can do fish in or fishless, either way is fine, but if you opt to do fish in make sure you take out all that ammonia you put in there first.

Too much ammonia in the water has a similar effect on fish as chlorine has on most people's eyes...

[ANHEL123]

For 5 gall i would do 50% water changes weekly if you have filter. And you will need to vacuum the gravel regularly. Filter media swish/rinse in the bucket of old tank water with a water change. It Oldfishlady recommendation but i don't know how often you have to take care of the filter since i don't have filters.

If it really pain for you to cycle then you don't have to cycle. I don't cycle any of my tanks.

Before you leave make sure you change the water though.

[BubbiBubba]

Ammonia - 4.0ppm (getting closer to 2.0ppm shade, but not quite... it's dropping!)
Nitrites - 2.0ppm (YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!! FINALLY! )
NitrAtes - 5.0ppm
pH - 7.6

Thank you SO MUCH to everybody who gave me advice! Being patient really DID help!!!

My current cycling regimen is to add about 5 drops of ammonia every so often to keep the tank to about 2.0ppm (when that happens) & wait until nitrites keep rising (not more than 5.0ppm tho!) & ammonia keeps dropping.............. I'll wait until my nitrAtes get up to like 10-20ppm, and try to keep the pH at 7.6.........

Anyone else have some suggestions? I'm not too sure what to do once everything is 0 at the end of the cycle, or how to achieve that correctly!

Please do respond.

xoxo

[AquaKai]

Yeah that sounds good, although you can allow your nitrites to get past the 5.0ppm, I did and it didn't effect the cycling at all. Just keep adding ammonia to the 2.0ppm and it goes all the way through to nitrates in one day. Once at zero do a big PWC to get the nitrates to the >5ppm area. Then put in the fish and let it go! Oh, but you're going to want to keep doing PWCs every week not that you didn't know that already!

[BubbiBubba]

AquaKai, thank you sooo much for replying! It sucks when people just leave you hanging! & alright, I'll keep that in mind!

Do you by any chance know how to remove that common murky film that produces on the surface of the tank water???

Everybody else just suggests paper towels, but they don't work for me & usually come back by the next day, anyways!

My filter must be too weak... ugh. Idk what to do. Will it clear up after the cycle???

[AquaKai]

Actually I felt bad about not replying sooner, but I was out and didn't have internet access (yes I'm one of the few left without 3G and such. I stick to texting and calling)

I've had that happen to me as well, in both cycled and not cycled tanks. The only thing that I've done to get rid of it is have surface movement. Perhaps you could lower the water level so that the filter creates more movement or even get a air stone. Those are the only ways I've been able to get rid of it.

[Hallyx]

Bacteria like food, air, warmth and darkness. So.....

----Feed them 3.0/4.0 ppm ammonia

----Run a bubbler or get air into the flow somehow.

----Turn your heater all the way up. 90* is not too hot.

---Cover it.

Do your daiy water test

[ANHEL123]

the film that you talking about is fish oil and not going to hurt your betta. I have it too in some of my tanks. I try to take it aut with a spoon. Well it not really helps though ..it breakes on little white pieces. I do a lot of water changes so i don't care.

Once the nitrogen cycle is established make sure you do regular 50% water changes with gravel vacuuming to maintain water quality. Your tank is small i suggest to change the water 2 times a week. Well it just me i think clean water keep bettas healthy.

Sorry if i am repeating myself. I don't have filters but i know you have to swish/rinse them in the bucket of old tank water with a water change a couple of times a month- best to wait until the cycle is establish before you start this unless the water flow is compromised.

If you can, have your water tested at the pet shop weekly and once you have Nitrate 5-10ppm with ammonia,nitrite 0ppm-you are most likely cycled-this can take 4-6 weeks...

I am personally (sorry Hallyx) think 90* is to hot. Not all betta love 90* 78-80* is good temperature.

Not sure if this link can help http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=99717 #8

[BubbiBubba]

I'll try my best to keep the bacteria growing! & ANHEL123, I'm doing the best I think I can so far, but still trying to improve! I hope my cycle is faster than 4-6 weeks!!!

[Hallyx]

Oh, sorry, BB. I almost forgot. I would not use a fishfeeder if you're only going to be gone a week.

Betta can easily go a week without food.

Unmonitored feeding can produce a lot of ammonia from the excess poops and food fragments. In a newly cycled tank, this can be problematical.

Probably OK, because a fishless cycle typically overproduces bacteria. But....