Betta water change

[MissLyss1024]

Originally Posted by hannguyen

So you didn't rinse the gravel when you do the 50% water change ?

The siphon doesn't work very well for the smaller bowls so no I don't rince the gravel out during the 50% changes.

[hannguyen]

Okay! Thank you! I will try that but the thing is my bowl get dirty after 2 days of water change so I have to keep changing it! I need to get a bigger bowl!

[MissLyss1024]

It really depends on the fish, they are all different. :)

Originally Posted by hannguyen

Okay! Thank you! I will try that but the thing is my bowl get dirty after 2 days of water change so I have to keep changing it! I need to get a bigger bowl!

[Hallyx]

Originally Posted by MyRainbowBettaFish

small bowls cannot cycle

Small bowls can cycle, and will try to if you're not careful. Preventing this is the reason for100% water changes.

Yup. You need to get a bigger bowl. In the meantime, it'll be easier to keep your 1gal clean if you don't have to worry about gunk in the gravel. I run bare-bottom tanks with no gravel. They are very easy yo keep clean.

I think cupping a fish and removing him is stressful for both the fish and the keeper (unless you train them like Aokashi does). I tried not to do it much even when I had 1gal bowls. Spot-clean with a turkey baster and siphon with a tube (carefully). The gravel vacs from petstores are overkill for anything under 5gal, imo.

Refill water should be tank temperature and should include the full measure of conditioner for your tank even for partial water changes.

[Hallyx]

OK...Now I'm off to cycle my 1.5gal shrimp and snail tank ;-}

[hannguyen]

Thank you!

I got a 5 gals bowl but I have no clue how to cycle it!

[Hallyx]

Is your fish already setup in the 5gal?

[hannguyen]

No he's in a 1 gal bowl right now. My 5 gal tank just sits there. I don't know if I have to do the cycle or not so I haven't put him in there yet. I was thinking using Kordon AmQuel Plus Ammonia Detoxifier along with the water conditioner and change water 25% twice a week for the 5 gal tank if I don't cycle it. Or do I have to?

[Hallyx]

Cycling your tank saves you a little work. But, more important, it provides cleaner water for your fish

Thee are two ways to cycle:

Put your fish in the 5gal and do a fish-in cycle which uses the fish as the ammonia source. I won't explain it further because I believe it is not kind to the fish.

Better, in my opinion, is to put your fish in the 5gal and do 2x50% water changes per week to keep the ammonia well below 0.25ppm. You'll need a liquid test kit to keep an eye on things and to monitor the cycle.

First of all, the most important place for the Beneficial Bacteria (thenitrifying bacteria that eats the ammonia) is in the filter. When you cycle a tank, you're really cycling the filter. Gravel, tank walls, decor, plants all help, but the filter does most of the work.

If you have access to filter foam or gravel from a cycled tank, that's a plus. A quarter cup will do. Put it in your filter. The BB in the media will kickstart your cycle. It's OK if you don't have it; it just takes longer --- a lot longer.

You'll need ammonia to feed the BB. Some keepers use raw shrimp or fish food which rots to provide the ammonia. That's smelly, messy and can grow dangerous mold. Find “pure” ammonia that does NOT foam when you shake it.

OK Here we go....

Setup your filter and heater in your 1gal bowl or even a bucket.

BB like air, food and warmth (don't we all?) so:

---Run an airstone if you can. Or use a sponge filter to accept the cycle

---Run your filter full-blast

---keep it warm, up to 90* is OK

---keep it dark; the BB like that

--- add enough ammonia to get a reading of 3.0/4.0ppm on your test kit.

Maintain this reading. Monitor your parameters. When the ammonia goes down, the nitrites should go up. It may take weeks or longer. Keep the ammonia at 3.0/4.0ppm. When the nitrItes go down, the nitrAtes should go up. When the ammonia = 0.0ppm and the nitrites = 0.0ppm, you should see a high reading for nitrates (~40ppm is not unusual).

Then dump out the water and refill it. Don’t let the filter get dry. Bring the ammonia up to 2.0/3.0ppm again. If ammonia, and nitrites both drop to 0.0ppm in less that 24 hours, your filter is cycled.

Place the filter in your show tank with your fish, and monitor it carefully for the first few days. Basically you're running a cycled tank from then on.

I just read this over. It doesn't sound too complicated to me. But, if this is the first time you're seeing all this information in one piece, it might be a little intimidating. Read it slowly again; read other things about cycling. Let me know if this makes sense to you. Ask questions.

[hannguyen]

Thank you so much ;). I don't have anyway that have a cycled tank so I can't borrow anything from them.
Like you said, would that be okay to put the fish in the 5gal
And do pwc 50% twice a week to keep the ammonia level low?
Or should I buy ammonia from ace hardware (10% ammonia, i don't know anywhere else sells ammonia) to do the fishless cycle. Im scared of stressing him out.
By the way, I only have one heater, it's currently in my 1 gal, would that be okay if the water in the 5gal to be cold or should I move it to the 5gal (but then my fish will be cold lol)

Thank you a lot !!!