Future Sorority 20G

[Sarada]

I have some of those nasty plastic plants I could float on top in the meantime.

[Sarada]

There, I ordered a betta log, can't find them here.

[newfishmom]

You could also look at the dollar store or Wal-mart for silk plants. I got a bunch from Wal-mart for $1.00 that I cut apart and it works really well. I also looked onto this site... http://www.aquariumguys.com/plantsplastic.html and was very inpressed with what they had and the prices. Ended up not buying from them but may in the future.

As for the quarantine of the girls. I used Mason canning jars, Quart size. I just changed the water once a day. I also had some 1 gallon ice cream buckets that I used. Not pretty but it worked. Wal-Mart sells some plastic food storage containers that come in packages of 3 or 5 (don't remember now) that aren't very expencive. Good luck!

[Sarada]

I have some round glass vases from my wedding, small but temporary and there was never anything in them other then a candle and some stones.

[newfishmom]

They would probably work. You just need to keep up with the water changes. When I did it I pulled apart a plastic plant and put a stem in each container. I also kept a gallon jug full of conditioned water so it was ready for me when I needed it.

[Sarada]

I've been taking water and plants from my two smaller tanks to speed up cycling...I did not realize it's supposed to take weeks to complete a cycle. I have been testing regularly and things seem pretty good. I'm home all the time as a stay at home mom so I can easily test often. I don't like the idea of 6 girls sitting in small containers for weeks if it will take weeks.

[newfishmom]

Try looking into cycling with ammonia. It is suppose to be faster. Sometimes works, sometimes not so much. Good luck. Just think of the girls being better off with you in a small container getting the water changed very often and it being clean than where they are and in a set up to die.

[Sarada]

I could just do daily changes in the big tank...not that hard.

[newfishmom]

The reason to keep the girls in seperate containers is to see if anything pops up...fin rot, pop eye, ich, and such. If you put them together and one of them ends up with something then you have all of them to try to get over whatever it is. Changing a 20 tank 100% everyday? LOTS of water, and really no need. My 10 gallon I do a 30% once real quick on Mondays then on Fridays I do a good vacuum and about a 60% water change. (after cycling) With it, it still seems like a lot of water! Also, changing that much water now, it wouldn't go through the process to get cycled. Really, it will go quick once you start. It did for me.

[Sarada]

Thanks, I appreciate all your non-judgemental advice! I am finally realizing I just have to be patient :P
I also liked this link http://fins.actwin.com/mirror/begin-cycling.html