Ok I think I am in Information overload! lol

[skyefire]

I have had our Betta now for about 6 weeks, we were at a family wedding and they had them on the tables as center pieces, each family with kids was invited to take one home. There were so many to choose from and my son picked a beautiful Red, I think it might be a delta tail?? He is very pretty, it is hard to tell if there is any other color on him, he just looks totally red. He started off in a Vase, and we set up our 15g tank and got it ready to put him in. A Vase is just cruel!

Ninja loves the Tank!!! plays in the filter current and is very very active! :) The tank looks so empty, so we asked what went well with betta's and were told African Dwarf Frogs, so after a week of being alone we added 2 ADF's (Chris and Shevia) But they are lazy creatures and we hardly ever see them, they hide in the fake plants. Ninja and the ADF's get along great!

The tank seems to be running well, water looks a little foggy, with the heat that water level keeps changing but PH seems good. So I treated more water and added it to the tank. The Filter is looking a little yucky and needs to be changed, but wanted to make sure I did it right, so I looked up Cycling and the more I read the less I understand lol Do I change the water? but not the filter?? or change the filter and part of the water?? rinse the filter and change the water?? I am totally lost!!

We would like to add more fish soon, but once again not sure what fish to mix with the Betta's we are going to have a look today and take in a water sample for them to test. But not sure if I trust the people at pet store for good info, it really depends on who you get!

I hope someone might be able to dumb down cycling for me, I am really new at this!!

Thanks

[bahamut285]

(LOL Do you mean Chris and Sheva? From Resident Evil 5?)

How many cartridges are in your filter? Some filters have slots for one or two (usually two) and a lot of people just remove one of the cartridges, then alternate after bacteria move to the new cartridge)

Cycling is pretty much this:

Ammonia (formed through fish breathing/pooping/food rotting)
|
| Ammonia eating bacteria grows in your filter
| these bacteria excrete
V
Nitrite
|
| Nitrite eating bacteria grow in your filter
| these bacteria excrete
V
Nitrate
|
| This is removed through water changes, also some plants enjoy this compound
|
V
Water change/Plants eat it

My 5 gals have been running for approximately the same time as yours and they aren't looking poopy yet. They're a little tan-coloured but that's where the bacteria live :P

I remember I used to swish my filter cartridges in OLD tank water just to get the physical poop/muck/detritus/etc. off of it. Having a two cartridge filter is handy XD

[skyefire]

Originally Posted by bahamut285

(LOL Do you mean Chris and Sheva? From Resident Evil 5?) Haha that is it!! I thought I might have spelled it wrong lol I drew the line at calling the Betta Wesker!

How many cartridges are in your filter? Some filters have slots for one or two (usually two) and a lot of people just remove one of the cartridges, then alternate after bacteria move to the new cartridge)

the filter has a main blue filter and then a black mesh looking filter right before the water outtake. I hope that makes sense.

Cycling is pretty much this:

Ammonia (formed through fish breathing/pooping/food rotting)
|
| Ammonia eating bacteria grows in your filter
| these bacteria excrete
V
Nitrite
|
| Nitrite eating bacteria grow in your filter
| these bacteria excrete
V
Nitrate
|
| This is removed through water changes, also some plants enjoy this compound
|
V
Water change/Plants eat it

My 5 gals have been running for approximately the same time as yours and they aren't looking poopy yet. They're a little tan-coloured but that's where the bacteria live :P
I am assuming you are talking about the filters, mine are dark blue and black, so I can tell how much bacteria is there, just noticed some left over slimmy food etc stuck to it.

I remember I used to swish my filter cartridges in OLD tank water just to get the physical poop/muck/detritus/etc. off of it. Having a two cartridge filter is handy XD

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...7/IMG_2373.jpg
http://s180.photobucket.com/albums/x...t=IMG_2374.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...7/IMG_2379.jpg

[bahamut285]

IMO Your cartridges look clean to me, but yeah this makes it easier. When you feel the need to ACTUALLY change them:

Change the black one -- 2 weeks later --> change the blue one

This will give the bacteria living on the blue one to move and grow on the new black one, so you don't suddenly take out ALL of your bacteria. After two weeks or so then you can change the blue one, so the newly moved in bacteria on the black one can also start growing on the new blue one :)

And yeah I was talking about my filters not being poopy. If there is just stuff stuck to it, then just swish the cartridges around in OLD tank water and put them back; but don't let them sit around, they need the water to be almost constantly flowing through them to provide nutrients and oxygen for the bacteria XD

[skyefire]

Thanks so much for the help :) I am such a newbie! I had the water tested today and was told it was good to add a couple more fish, so we bought 3 neon tetras...Ninja was not happy, but seems to be getting over it now

[bahamut285]

You're welcome! Cycling usually takes around a month-ish at its fastest :D

[gbose]

Skye,

I suggest in 3-4 weeks, add 2-3 more neons. They like to be in groups of at least 6. Don't add yet, as your tank is still cycling.

GB

[Pitluvs]

Don't change the black one, or replace it! Just rinse it out in tank water (when you do a water change, rinse it in the bucket) and put it back in. It's not made to be replaced. I have the same filter system on my 10g :)

There is enough room for 2 blue/black filters. I have a filter in mine and a sheet of filter fill so I never loose bacteria. You could always switch to sponges you clean in tank water, no more buying cartrages!