BettaGammaDelta

So, I didn't get the eight-gallon I had my eye on, but an acrylic nine-gallon instead (17x10x12). Hopefully that's an okay size to split for a pair of bettas - the LFS really has some beautiful boys in at the mo, which annoys me slightly because I won't have any cash until the middle of next month now~

But anyway, I've set it up for now just for Keun, who's been really stressing in his small mesh cubicle, to the point of fin-chewing. I put in all the water, gravel, and filter media I've been preserving in a bucket for the past couple of days - the test I did this morning indicated it was still cycled (0 nitrites, 0 ammonia and 0.20 nitrates) - and topped it off with a few more gallons of treated stuff from the tap.

My question is this - the tank's now been set up for the last four hours, and it's still a little dusty. It looks cycled from the tests, but should I leave it overnight just to make sure?

Lucy

If you used water from an existing tank, you would have tranfered the nitrates also.

You'd get a better idea if the established media etc can seed the tank if you put the gravel, deco and filter in the new tank. Added an ammonia source and kept an eye on the parameters for a few days..

BettaGammaDelta

It wasn't much water, really... maybe a couple of gallons, give or take, and enough gravel to look good in a four gallon and thin in a nine... but yeah, I'll do that. As I said, gravel, filter, and ornament have remained relatively preserved and cycled in a never-seen-soap bucket since thursday night.

I assume I should leave Keun in his aquacage in the ten gallon while this is going on, and 'feed' a bit with dried shrimp like I've been doing with the bucket?

agabr123

yeah, i would leave your betta in your 10 gallon and watch your levels. if there wasn't an ammonia source in the bucket that the decorations, filter, etc have been in since thursday it's possible that the bacteria have died since then, so you may have to start your cycle over.