sooo

[kanyewest]

I felt bad for my fish, like he was so bored in his 2.5 gallon, so I went and decided to get the 10 gallon kit at petsmart for 29.99...I was going to get a five gallon, but for double the price of the 10, I opted for the 10. Now I am already dreading cleaning it....how do I go about this? It isn't cycled, I don't have time to cycle it, I don't think....how often should I clean it?

[Oldfishlady]

Does the 10g have a filter? and does the 2.5g have a filter...is the Betta still in the 2.5g? if so, I would set the 10g up and put the 2.5g filter on the 10g along with the 10g filter, use the gravel and all decoration from the 2.5g in the 10g-and this can be temporary-this will help seed the new 10g if the 2.5g was filtered...this will jump start the nitrogen cycle provided that the 2.5g was cycled and filtered....

Cleaning the 10g is easy-you need a small aquarium vacuum and a bucket and vacuum the substrate along with removal of 50% of the water each week. With one Betta in 10g provided that you don't over feed and you remove any uneaten food......the water quality should be fine while you complete the nitrogen cycle fish-in. You may need to add a 50% water only change during the week too, all depending on stocking, seeding and feeding.

[Alex09]

If you have a filter, the fish in there, and do 50% water changes a week it will get cycled eventually.

[kanyewest]

I do have a filter...so I should just do 50% once a week until when? Should I ever do a 100%? I was thinking doing 50% once a week and like 100% once a month, depending on how dirty his tank gets (with his 2.5 gallon I rarely felt like I got to go a whole week between water changes). I am very careful about getting out any uneaten food tho.

[kanyewest]

Oh, and is there an easy way to know when it's cycled? Thanks everyone.

[Oldfishlady]

In a 10g filtered tank-weekly 50% water changes along with gravel vacuum in all area that can be reached without moving anything in the tank (like decoration) or disruption of live plant roots and the filter media needs a swish/rinse in old tank water with a water change 1-2 times a month and when the water flow slows to get the big pieces of gunk off to maintain good water flow 24/7-would be needed for the life of the aquarium or regular maintenance

Usually on filtered aquarium with proper maintenance- will not need 100% or total tear downs unless you have high nitrates (over 80ppm) that you can't get under control with regular vacuuming/filter media cleaning.

This is based on proper stocking, not over feeding and removal of uneaten food in a cycled, filtered 10g aquarium with or without a couple of live plants to maintain water quality healthy for aquatic life.

During the cycling process without water testing-for the first 4-8 weeks-water only change of 50% one time a week and 50% with vacuum a week may be needed to keep ammonia under control until the beneficial bacteria have colonized

With water testing-50% weekly as described above and 50% water only changes with any water pram readings of 0.25ppm of ammonia/nitrite until you have reading of nitrate of at least 5-10ppm without ammonia/nitrite readings between water changes

You know you are cycled when your water prams read:
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5-10ppm

[kanyewest]

Wow thank you so much! I appreciate your time