Fanatic the Betta 10 Gallon Build

Hey everyone! I finally decided it was time to start a tank build thread on my new upgrade on my current tank. Both me, and my betta have outgrown the tank, which means it's time for a new one. I'm getting Fanatic a new tank today, when I run up to my LFS for a long shopping trip! It's exciting, and I can hardly wait to begin setting it up, I won't be anything but that today!

If some of you don't know, but I have named my betta, Fanatic. Which is the name I use on any forum, or any website with a username to create.

I've already made a good sized list, and hopefully my wallet can afford that! Haha, I'm not just going to shop for it, I'm planning ahead on what I'll need for further usage in the future. Here is my list for today:

10G Tank
Adequate Filter
Ceramic Filter Media
Filter Carbon
Sand Substrate
Artificial Decor
Moss Balls
10G LED Hood
Large Decor Rocks
Water Conditioner
Bottled Bacteria
Seachem Prime
Banana Plant (if they have)

I'll be setting it all up today, and cycling it later this evening. I have all the time I need to get everything ready, without cutting any corners, or making any shortcuts between doing the proper thing for the new tank. I want this to be perfect for him, and hopefully make this a permanent new home.

Now, I doing artificial decor, because live plants are too much work for me, and they cost too much money. I'm going to find the softest plants out there, to make sure nothing can rip or do any damage my boy's delicate fins. He's already undergone a tear, which I think was caused by the net. No problem is was to heal it, and it's back to normal with clean water, and high protein foods.

If any of you have suggestions, ideas, or comments. Feel free to leave those here, as I'm always open to other people's advice!

I'm also going to cycle extra media in case of an emergency, and I'm cycling some for Prism tank which isn't cycled. There will also be room to cycle more media for the current tank, which is going to my brother. So, in short terms, I'm cycling a lot of media, for multiple tanks.

There's also a few people, I'd like to call in on this! CindiL AllieSten AngelTheGypsy

Is getting ceramic media, and carbon sufficient if I put them in mesh bags? I wonder if they carry mesh for them already. I did see a container of carbon, and media in the store last time I was there. I'll have to see what they have for me!

 

Sounds like a very lucky betta!

Is getting ceramic media, and carbon sufficient if I put them in mesh bags? I wonder if they carry mesh for them already. I did see a container of carbon, and media in the store last time I was there. I'll have to see what they have for me!

I've seen mesh bags at Petsmart small enough to hold carbon. You need some super fine mesh for that. Those would also be good for the ceramic media.

Is this for your new tank or to have extra cycled media? I usually cycle some extra sponges for media to put in other tanks. You wouldn't need to cycle the carbon. Just the media and/or sponges.

 

How fun! I love building tanks! Lol

The media you get can depend on the filter you choose. I suggest the best one you can afford, and double check prices on amazon to see if you can save a chunk of money. The canister filter I bought was literally half the price on amazon as they had it for at petco.
They should have media bags you can use with loose media, which is definitely cheaper than ready to use cartridges, etc. I don't use carbon in my betta tanks, just a sponge and biomax. Definitely use some kind of sponge for mechanical filtration.
Don't forget a heater!
If you get prime you don't need another conditioner, and I suggest tss+ or Dr Tims one & only bacteria, but seachem stability works well with prime, it just doesn't seem to work well with my water.

Are you going to do a fishless cycle or move him right in? Does he have a cycled filter in his current tank?

Can't wait to see how it turns out!

 

Have fun, quick question, can any fish go with bettas?

 

Hi, agree you don't need a water conditioner as Prime is your water conditioner. For your ceramic media I would just get Seachem Matrix as it will house both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and help keep nitrates down.

Your betta's tank is already cycled right? If so, you can just take him and his current filter and move him straight over to the new tank. Run the old filter alongside the new filter for a couple weeks and this will seed your new filter and you'll have an instant cycle.

Also, not sure what filter you'll be buying but I like the Aqueon Internal minI filters for my betta tank. They have an adjustable flow and also an adjustable/moveable output so you can aI'm it wherever you want to, away from the betta. I just aI'm mine toward the side wall. They filter really well.

For decor I'd go for silk plants.

 

Hey everyone! My tank is currently running! I was able to score a deal at PetCo, for a 20% off sale on all Aquarium Kits! I got a 10g, just like I said I would.

However, I didn't find any media there, but they did have prime which I got, but for another tank primarily.

The tank is currently running now, and it has the conditioner, and the TSS+ bacteria running as we speak, it's right behind me, and I love it so far! It'll be another week or so before anything goes in. I'm doing amano shrimp later on after I get the tank at good balance with just the betta. If you'd like pictures, I can post some in right away!!

 

If you added tss, make sure to add an ammonia source or it was pointless . Whether it's a fish, fish food or pure ammonia, just make sure you feed it.
You could also add your betta and his old filter to the new tank.

Edit: And yes to pictures!

 

The bacteria as mentioned will just die without an ammonia source. You can move your betta and filter like I mentioned above and have an instant cycle

 

I'll go ahead, and add the ammonia now. How many drops for 10g?

The old filter from my betta tank wasn't strongly cycled. I'd rather re-cycle a new aquarium.






My filter also has an ammonia absorber, should I remove it while dosing ammonia?

 

Yes to removing it while cycling.

 

Yeah I would remove it.

I see you got the external aqueon quietflow there. I have the same 200gph filters on my 33g tank (two of them). I put matrix in the empty area where the water comes in and I use these for my DIY filter cartridges so I don't have to buy their expensive ones and the sponge I never toss out. The floss, maybe every 3-6 months when it starts falling apart.
Here is some links if you end up doing the DIY.
You get about 9 foam cut outs with this:


and this is the sponge I buy:

 

Yes to removing it while cycling.

Alright, will do!

How do you like my tank? Black sand looks great! This is my first time with sand, and I'm not used to it's naturalistic looks!

 

Yeah I would remove it.

I see you got the external aqueon there. I have the same 200gph filters on my 33g tank (two of them). I put matrix in the empty area where the water comes in and I use these for my DIY filter cartridges so I don't have to buy their expensive ones and the sponge I never toss out. The floss, maybe every 3-6 months when it starts falling apart.
Here is some links if you end up doing the DIY.
You get about 9 foam cut outs with this:


and this is the sponge I buy:

Thanks! Yes, I won't be removing the cartridges very often, but soon I'm switching to biological ceramic media.

 

The tank looks great! I have become a real fan of black sand as well! Love the real looking plants and great piece of driftwood!

 

Thank you! I'm excited to get my betta in there, as he's going to love the upgrade!

Alright, I took the absorber out, and 5 drops are in the tank! I don't need to cycle past 1.5ppm because my stock isn't heavy, and I'm routinely on water changes.

 

I checked in on the tank, and all the bubbled on the glass have cleared off, except for the plants.

pH: 8.4
Ammonia: .25ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm

Looks like I will be reducing the ammonia to a stronger state, I'll do a full dose of 10 drops instead of half.

 

This site will help you calculate how much ammonia to add to your tank to hit your target.

Ammonia Cycling Calculator

 

Hey, a little update. The tank's bacteria has eaten all the ammonia from last night!

I'm getting ready to dose more, which is a full dose. We'll see how it goes!

 

How's your nitrite level?

 

Just checked the ammonia 10 hours after dosing, and it's .50ppm. Nitrates, are 5-10ppm

Edit: I still want to do Amano Shrimp in the 10g, with my betta. He has an extremely kind temperament, and won't flare at mirrors. Only does he flare sometimes when the lights are on, and sees his reflection.

 

That's great progress! Did you test your ammonia in the tank after you dosed it? What ammonia are you using?

 

It was about 1ppm after dosing. I'm using Ace Janitorial Ammonia, works like a charm.

 

Here's a second little update.

Last night was when the ammonia was dosed, and I think it actually went higher, because I checked in the morning and it was 1ppm. That means it must have been a tad bit higher than 1 last night. Currently, it's at .50ppm again, and this is the weird thing.

I checked the nitrates this morning, and they were 5ppm, but they have gone back down to 0ppm?! Nitrites are still 0, and I don't expect them to spike with TSS+ I did add a couple more capfuls today (I just couldn't resist) to make the bacterial growth really strengthened. Any ideas on why the levels are weird with Nitrates?

 

Sometimes with fishless cycling nitrates disappear. This has something to do with anaerobic bacteria munching on them. It's ok and not to worry about. You can add phosphates in the form of fish food to feed these bacteria, or not worry about it.

 

I'll just continue to add the ammonia in a regular dose, 10 drops was ideal so I'll go with that.

I added a total 40ml of TSS+ and that's all I will need!

 

Nothing to worry about.

Sometimes with fishless cycling nitrates disappear. This has something to do with anaerobic bacteria munching on them. It's ok and not to worry about. You can add phosphates in the form of fish food to feed these bacteria, or not worry about it.

What happens is when there are no organics present for the aerobic heterotrophs to eat (organic decomposers), some of them have the ability to change roles and consume nitrates. Once organics are in the water column like food or fish waste or plants they go back to doing their original job.

 

Ammonia has nearly dissolved. Once it's back to zero, I'll re-dose it and hope for a nitrate spike.

 

When your ammonia is gone, test your nitrite (different from nitrate) you will want it to drop to .25 or 0 also before you redose ammonia.
That may have been auto correct switching nitrite to nitrate in your post...

 

It's currently at .25 now. I'll test the nitrite again, and see what happens.

 

I was wrong about the ammonia. It was at a full 1ppm, and now it's pretty much cleared! Now, to test the nitrates.

 

AngelTheGypsy | The ammonia has vanished within 28hrs I'd say. Nitrates are still zero, but they are bound to spike once I add a few more doses of ammonia. Adding the next one now, 8 drops.

 

I'm still confused. Are you testing nitrite as zero or nitrate? Using tss it's not unusual to have 0 nitrite, but if ammonia and nitrite are converting you should have nitrates. Also the nitrate test is a pain with all the shaking...

 

Ok, so. I'm always having 0ppm Nitrites, because I never have seen a spike. Nitrates are 0 - 5ppm after the ammonia gets converted. How much should I be shaking the bottles, and vials?

 

Fanatic I didn't read back. So I have a couple questions. Is your tank planted? Are you using Seachem Matrix in your filter? Both of those things can cause there to be little to no nitrates at first.

Also with the nitrate testing bottle. Bottle #2 you need to shake forever. I personally shake it for a minute before I start my testing. Then when it comes time to actually use the bottle I shake it really hard for 30 more seconds. You need to bang it on your hand. It is a suspension. So you need all those little particles to be moving around in the liquid while you do the test. The second the bottle stops moving the particles sink back down to the bottom. So you really need to shake that thing.

Then once you have it added to the test tube you need to be shaking that vial for 1 full minute. It doesn't have to be shaken very hard. Just so long as it is moving the liquid.

You only have to do this with the nitrates. The other test tubes you just invert a couple times to mix. No need to do it for more than 5-6 seconds.

 

Ok, so. I'm always having 0ppm Nitrites, because I never have seen a spike. Nitrates are 0 - 5ppm after the ammonia gets converted. How much should I be shaking the bottles, and vials?

Ok I understand a little better now. . Like Allie said shake the dickens out of nitrate bottle no 2. I do bang it against my hand for 30 seconds, then shake the vial for a full minute. I do actually time it with my watch. My counting is not reliable... if you don't shake it enough, it will show a false 0.

As long as the ammonia and nitrite are disappearing, for a fishless cycle I don't feel the need to test for nitrates every day. Once or twice a week is enough. As long as they are present, and don't get over 100 ppm it's fine. After you add fish, you want to keep them around 10-20 ppm, depending on if you have live plants. Nitrate was the first test I ran out of, plus all that shaking...

 

Fanatic I didn't read back. So I have a couple questions. Is your tank planted? Are you using Seachem Matrix in your filter? Both of those things can cause there to be little to no nitrates at first.

Also with the nitrate testing bottle. Bottle #2 you need to shake forever. I personally shake it for a minute before I start my testing. Then when it comes time to actually use the bottle I shake it really hard for 30 more seconds. You need to bang it on your hand. It is a suspension. So you need all those little particles to be moving around in the liquid while you do the test. The second the bottle stops moving the particles sink back down to the bottom. So you really need to shake that thing.

Then once you have it added to the test tube you need to be shaking that vial for 1 full minute. It doesn't have to be shaken very hard. Just so long as it is moving the liquid.

You only have to do this with the nitrates. The other test tubes you just invert a couple times to mix. No need to do it for more than 5-6 seconds.

Alrighty, so my tank has silk plants, and I do not use Seachem Matrix. I'll remember to shake it very good this time. Ammonia has been added this morning, went to 1ppm. It's now down to .50ppm this afternoon, so I hope it's gone by tomorrow, or even sooner.

 

Hey, it really worked better this time! Nitrates are now 8-10 and rising slowly! Nitrite remains at 0 still.

 

Hey, it really worked better this time! Nitrates are now 8-10 and rising slowly! Nitrite remains at 0 still.

Perfect. Sounds like you are progressing then.

 

Once its completely cycled, I'll add my betta in within an hour of changing the water, and re-scaping with river rock.

 

I've got good news! Ammonia is barely hanging on at .25ppm 23hrs later. Nitrates have risen since last night, and are now at 20ppm.

Hoping the ammonia goes away within the next few hours, and redose causes nitrates to spike!