Need to cycle 2-3 gal tank?

[lex412]

Hi everyone,

Just wondering.. do you really need to cycle a 2 or 3 gal tank? If you do enough water changes, do you still need to do the cycling in the beginning?

Thanks!

[XrAdEr]

Yes you do.

[Laurenie]

Just be aware that tanks under 5 gallons will not always hold a cycle. Personally, I don't know that I would bother cycling anything smaller than 5 gallons. I'm sure others with experience with smaller tanks can give their opinions also. Good luck!

[dukie1346]

Maybe it would be easier to take out the filter and do 100% water changes twice a week. Instead of tring to cycle a tank of that size, I think it would be better to just stick with 100% changes instead. That's what I do anyway.

I have a 10g tank that is cycled with a filter, which I do weekly 30% water changes For my 3 gallon tank, I do not have a filter in it, so I do 100% water changes every 3-4 days. It is up to you however.

[Oldfishlady]

Do you have a filter for those tanks or plan to get filters? if not, then cycling is a non-issue. If yes, then you can cycle the tanks but again IMO it is a non-isuse per se due to the number of water changes that are needed to maintain water quality.

However, being cycled will change the volume of needed water changes to 50% twice weekly, without a filter and cycle it would be twice weekly- 50% and 100% to maintain water quality in that volume of water

Also, cycling give you some wiggle room so to speak, in that if you miss one water change due to "life happens" the completed nitrogen cycle should help keep the fish safe for an extra day or two.

[1fish2fish]

I always recommend cycling for the reasons OFL stated.

IMO doing 100% waterchanges are a pain unless you have a bare bottom tank and I like my tanks with gravel in them so I think cycling is nothing but beneficial.

[FloridaBettas239]

Do you have a filter? If so what kind? And if you got a filter on the tank I would cycle it... Make's thing's a lot easier on you and the fish...
But know you dont have to cycle it...

[dramaqueen]

I have 2 gallon tanks and they aren't cycled.

[prettylittlefishy]

What kind of 2 gallon tanks do you use DQ? I'm in need of more tanks, gonna go to the petstore tomorrow and buy critter keepers.

[dramaqueen]

I use critter keepers. 1.5 gallons and 2.5 gallons.