Got a 2 Gallon Eclipse Explorer...

[SilverDollar_03]

Hi, I got a new 2 Gallon Eclipse Explorer tank for a betta. I put 3 small fake plants in and a shell in the middle, on a certain angle so the betta can hide under it. Also, I used 1 inch long red glass pebbles as substrate, making it look really cool. I dont have a light on it, but it gets sunlight from a window (far away, so it wont promote too much algae growth). Also, the set didnt come with a heater, so ill need to get a little one soon. How many watts do you need for only 2 Gallons? Ok, now do I cycle, or do I not cycle, because I have been told different things. I have a filter and everything so I know eventually it'll be cycled. Could I put the betta in now, and perform 100% water changes weekly until the tank is fully cycled??

 

[clutterydrawer]

"a shell"



What...a real shell? like a seashell?

 

[SilverDollar_03]

Yep a seashell. Its standing up in a position so it would never fall on the fish or make it get stuck or anything. Can anyone please answer all my questions, noone has been very helpful at all, after 2 days of posting i still have no idea what to do with this tank. I dont know if I should just put the betta in now and do 50% water changes every week, or if a small tank can cycle, or what! please help me out guys !

 

[The-Wolf]

With my limited experiance of bettas here is my 2p worth


Bettas can be put in uncycled tanks with out any problems, they can also survive 100% water changes.

No the shell is a no no imo as it will breack down into calcium and calcium carbonate over time this will raise the PH and Gh.
Just my opinon, but take the shell out.

HTH

 

[clutterydrawer]

^ yes...that's why I was asking about the shell. could cause havoc.


Sorry I've never been able to answer the quesiton Silver Dollar, but I don't understand how biowheels work, thus I dont get why you can't run it on your established tank to get it started.

 

[SilverDollar_03]

its just a wheel like a windmill wheel moving around and taking water up in the air and then back into the water, to oxygenate the tank.

can a tank cycle if it is just left alone with adding nothing at all?

also, if i get ammonia from the grocery store, do i just keep adding it to the tank and get it to 3ppm, then wait for nitrite, then nitrate to spike, etc?? is this a good way to cycle the tank? the only thing i dont understand is how this creates bacteria, or is this already in the tank?

 

[The-Wolf]

Bacteria is needed to start the cycle, so a tank can't
cycle if nothing is added.

Personally I've never used ammonia for a fishless cycle
I used fish food added to the tanks and waited for a few days, when it went
mouldy I took it out, this started the cycle and gave the bacteria something to eat.

 

[gottabetta]

I had a smallworld pennplax filter and i just put that in for a day and then i just let it sit, so kind of a mini cycle... Yes the filter was used in a another tank..

Bri

 

[SilverDollar_03]

yeah thats a great idea. could i just drop some aquarian tropical flakes in and let the ammonia from the decay start the cycle? i cant believe ive never thought of this before!

 

[f250fisherman]

I wouldn't put ammonia in the tank if the fish is in it. If you want it to cycle, do a 30% water change every week, and check the ammonia level each time before changing water. When you notice the ammonia level rising, start doing a 50% water change weekly. It will take 6-8 weeks for it to cycle. There are faster ways to get it to cycle, but they are stressful to any fish in the tank. I prefer to change water often, and not do a cycle for my bettas. I like to run a filter in the 2+ gal tanks I use, but I still do a 50% water change every week. I start by siphoning the bottom of the tank to get rid of the waste, then continue taking water till 50% is gone. I only change water often because I hate any level of ammonia. Small levels will not kill the fish, but it will stress them. I prefer very clean water. I rarely have a problem with any of my fish. I have learned that bringing new fish into my fish room is where I get problems, so everything new gets quarantined for 2 weeks before being placed beside my other fish. Clean water, and a low level of salt goes a long ways towards keeping healthy fish.

 

[luxum]

I don't know where this myth that small tanks don't cycle came from... All tanks will establish a nitrogen cycle provided there is enough surface area for the bacteria to grow on, that's where the bio wheel comes in, although for a small bioload like a single betta, gravel, filter media, and decoration surfaces are probably more than sufficient. You do not need to add a source of bacteria for this to happen, the bacteria will get into your tank from the world at large unless you live in a sterile bubble or something. However, adding a source of bacteria, like filter media from an established tank, can lower your establishment time significantly. Don't bother with non-refrigerated bottled "bacteria", they don't really work. The refrigerated kind like Bio-spira does work somewhat, but gravel or media from an established tank is better and is usually free.

You can fishless cycle the tank with ammonia before you add the betta if you like. There have been quite a few posts about it lately in the beginner's section if you are interested in the method, i'm kinda tired of typing out the same instructions over and over. Fishless cycling is very humane in that it prevents your fish from coming in contact with toxic levels of ammonia and nitrite which can cause permanent damage or death. It does require a lot of patience on your part, but that's a good trait to nuture in yourself, especially as it relates to fishkeeping.

Now, bettas are generally pretty hardy and can make it through a small tank's cycle establishment period most of the time. The fact that they breathe atmospheric air can compensate for any long term gill damage they may sustain from toxic levels of cycle biproducts. If the betta is weak (as many pet store bettas are), elevated ammonia and nitrite may further weaken the fish's immune system and cause it to display symptoms of disease. If you choose to cycle with the fish in the tank, you should test the water every day and will probably need to perform small daily water changes (20%) until the cycle establishes. I don't recommend the 100% weekly change, as the betta will be living in 6 days worth of metabolites, then you'll do a full change and remove the products the bacteria are feeding on, retarding the growth of the colony.

 

[SilverDollar_03]

alright, thats good info. but by adding fish food to the tank without fish, this will add ammonia right? because i just added about 10 large flakes to the 2 G tank, hoping this will decompose and feed the bacteria! this will work right?

 

[luxum]

It will not produce as large a colony as doing it with bottled ammonia would, but with a small bioload like one betta, it will probably be sufficient. Make sure that you are getting measureable ammonia levels at least 1ppm, 3ppm would be better, and you will have to add a little more food a few times during the cycle. Doing this with fish food is not as exact as doing it with measured ammonia, you'll have to pay close attention, especially after ammonia drops to zero, to ensure that those bacteria don't starve and that enough nitrite is produced for the second colony.

 

[SilverDollar_03]

alright. so when the nitrite goes up, do i try to keep the ammonia at 3ppm. and then when the nitrate goes up, what do i do?

 

[luxum]

Well, about the time the nitrite goes up, the ammonia level will able to be completely converted by the first bacterial colony and the level will drop to zero and you'll have tons of nitrites. You won't be able to measure the ammonia level anymore, but you'll still need to make sure the bacteria which metabolize ammonia still have food. It will be tricky to do it with food. If you were using bottled ammonia as your source, you would add enough to get to 5ppm in a large tank, but 1-3ppm would be fine for yours. Then you'd add that much ammonia every day until you saw nitrites. Then you'd cut your dose in half and add that every day until the ammonia and nitrites dropped to zero. I'm not sure how to duplicate that second step with fish food, i have no idea what the rate of decay to ammonia is. Once the ammonia and nitrite drop to zero, you'll have tons of nitrate that you'll have to reduce with water changes, i shoot for under 20ppm or lower. Then add the fish.