New beta tank cycling help

Hi, so yesterday I went and bought a 10 gallon tank for my beta. I went ahead and added in some of his gravel as well as some gravel from my 55 gallon tank. I changed my betas old tank water and put that into the new tank. I also took the filter cartridge from my 55 gallon and squeezed that onto the new filter as well as adding the excess water into the filter. Today I checked the water and it has 0 nitrites, 0 ammonia and 20-40 nitrates. Does that mean it is already cycled? I’m not sure exactly how it works within a day or so.

 

Possibly, but to get an instant cycle it would have been a better option to take some of the filter media from your 55 and add it to your new filter. Moving over decorations, gravel etc will have helped a bit but the readings you are seeing are probably just the readings from the previous tank. Do you have any media you can move over to make sure the cycle has moved across? Bio media or sponges?

 

There is very little beneficial bacteria in the water itself. But using your other water will help the fish transfer over better IMO. How much gravel did you add? Did you move any other deco over?

 

Possibly, but to get an instant cycle it would have been a better option to take some of the filter media from your 55 and add it to your new filter. Moving over decorations, gravel etc will have helped a bit but the readings you are seeing are probably just the readings from the previous tank. Do you have any media you can move over to make sure the cycle has moved across? Bio media or sponges?

^agreed since most beneficial bacteria lies in the filter.

 

Possibly, but to get an instant cycle it would have been a better option to take some of the filter media from your 55 and add it to your new filter. Moving over decorations, gravel etc will have helped a bit but the readings you are seeing are probably just the readings from the previous tank. Do you have any media you can move over to make sure the cycle has moved across? Bio media or sponges?

I do have some decor I can move over to the new tank. Also Should I just go ahead and try to fit the old 55 gallon cartridge into the 10 gallon filter? And let that run?

There is very little beneficial bacteria in the water itself. But using your other water will help the fish transfer over better IMO. How much gravel did you add? Did you move any other deco over?

I added in about half of the old gravel into the 10 gallon. I have not moved any decor into the new tank but i will do that now.

 

I do have some decor I can move over to the new tank. Also Should I just go ahead and try to fit the old 55 gallon cartridge into the 10 gallon filter? And let that run?


I added in about half of the old gravel into the 10 gallon. I have not moved any decor into the new tank but i will do that now.

You can just tear the fabric off and put it in the new filter with the new filters cartridge. You dont have to use the whole thing. Do you change the cartridges all the time?

 

Hi, so yesterday I went and bought a 10 gallon tank for my beta. I went ahead and added in some of his gravel as well as some gravel from my 55 gallon tank. I changed my betas old tank water and put that into the new tank. I also took the filter cartridge from my 55 gallon and squeezed that onto the new filter as well as adding the excess water into the filter. Today I checked the water and it has 0 nitrites, 0 ammonia and 20-40 nitrates. Does that mean it is already cycled? I’m not sure exactly how it works within a day or so.

Did you add ammonia before seeing the 0 ammonia and nitrite?

A tank is cycled only when you added ammonia (2ppm preferably), and then read 0 ammonia and nitrite 24 hours later.

 

Did you add ammonia before seeing the 0 ammonia and nitrite?

A tank is cycled only when you added ammonia (2ppm preferably), and then read 0 ammonia and nitrite 24 hours later.

I believe there is a fish in there. Her Betta

 

I believe there is a fish in there. Her Betta

I thought she just meant she's setting it up for her betta, but it is not in the new tank yet since she was cycling it.

Okbruhke can you clarify?

 

You can just tear the fabric off and put it in the new filter with the new filters cartridge. You dont have to use the whole thing. Do you change the cartridges all the time?

Ok that sounds good and no I do not change them all the time. I change them when they seem to be in need of a change

Did you add ammonia before seeing the 0 ammonia and nitrite?

A tank is cycled only when you added ammonia (2ppm preferably), and then read 0 ammonia and nitrite 24 hours later.

I have not added any ammonia. I’m not sure how to really do any of that manually. I’m still kinda new to all this. I got lucky with my 55 gallon.

I believe there is a fish in there. Her Betta

I do not have my betta in the new tank yet. He is still in his old tank

I thought she just meant she's setting it up for her betta, but it is not in the new tank yet since she was cycling it.

Okbruhke can you clarify?

I do not have my betta in the new tank yet. He is still in his old tank While I cycle the new one.

 

Ok that sounds good and no I do not change them all the time. I change them when they seem to be in need of a change


I have not added any ammonia. I’m not sure how to really do any of that manually. I’m still kinda new to all this. I got lucky with my 55 gallon.


I do not have my betta in the new tank yet. He is still in his old tank



I do not have my betta in the new tank yet. He is still in his old tank While I cycle the new one.

In order for the tank to cycle there needs to be an ammonia source for the BB to live on. That would be either a pure ammonia additive or the waste that the betta itself makes. The BB will slowly die off if there is not ammonia source.

 

In order for the tank to cycle there needs to be an ammonia source for the BB to live on. That would be either a pure ammonia additive or the waste that the betta itself makes. The BB will slowly die off if there is not ammonia source.

So should I go ahead and add my betta into the tank? Keep an eye on the ammonia and maintain it with prime?

 

If you add the betta you must treat it as fish-in cycling. If you do I recommend you add some filter media into the new filter just to keep the BB as high as possible. Do regular testing just to make sure there are no spikes in ammonia or nitrites along the way. Since it is only 1 betta you wont have a huge bioload so you may not have any issues at all.

 

If you add the betta you must treat it as fish-in cycling. If you do I recommend you add some filter media into the new filter just to keep the BB as high as possible. Do regular testing just to make sure there are no spikes in ammonia or nitrites along the way. Since it is only 1 betta you wont have a huge bioload so you may not have any issues at all.

I have already added in the gravel, decor, and filter cartridge from another fish tank. And I added in parts of an old filter cartridge into the new tank filter.

If you add the betta you must treat it as fish-in cycling. If you do I recommend you add some filter media into the new filter just to keep the BB as high as possible. Do regular testing just to make sure there are no spikes in ammonia or nitrites along the way. Since it is only 1 betta you wont have a huge bioload so you may not have any issues at all.

Shall I go ahead and just add my betta in and monitor the ammonia and nitrites everyday? And treat with prime?

 

There is no way that your tank is cycled already since you said you just squeezed water from the established cart onto new and used old water for your 10 gallon. Hardly any BB lives in the water column. Have you tested your tap water for nitrates? That could be what you are seeing or you old water was high in nitrates.

Regardless you can still add your betta if you watch your parameters like a hawk and do frequent WCs treating it as a fish-in cycle. That's how I ended up learning about cycling.

As a side note, don't change your filter carts instead look into DIY filter media. It will save you money and strengthen your cycle. Here's a link if you're interested: Diy Media Guide For Top Fin Silenstream, Aquaclear And Other Hob Filters

 

Shall I go ahead and just add my betta in and monitor the ammonia and nitrites everyday? And treat with prime?

The answer to this 100% depends on whether you want to do a fishless or fish-in cycle.

Fishless cycling is safer as if anything goes wrong, you have no live stock yet and can go with some more drastic fixes. However, it can take pretty long before you can add fish. Also, in the absence of live stock, you have to introduce ammonia some other way, personally I prefer dosing ammonium chloride.

Fish-in cycling means you get to have fish in the tank right away, but may require a lot of dosing Prime or some other ammonia detoxifer + water changes, and if something goes very wrong it might be way harder to fix it (while there is fish in the tank).

Either/or works, whatever sounds more like something you'd want to do. I have done both more times than I can count, and though I prefer to do fishless cycling just because to me it is less painful, I don't care which way anyone else prefer to cycle their tanks.

 

The answer to this 100% depends on whether you want to do a fishless or fish-in cycle.

Fishless cycling is safer as if anything goes wrong, you have no live stock yet and can go with some more drastic fixes. However, it can take pretty long before you can add fish. Also, in the absence of live stock, you have to introduce ammonia some other way, personally I prefer dosing ammonium chloride.

Fish-in cycling means you get to have fish in the tank right away, but may require a lot of dosing Prime or some other ammonia detoxifer + water changes, and if something goes very wrong it might be way harder to fix it (while there is fish in the tank).

Either/or works, whatever sounds more like something you'd want to do. I have done both more times than I can count, and though I prefer to do fishless cycling just because to me it is less painful, I don't care which way anyone else prefer to cycle their tanks.

I got the bigger tank because he seems stressed in his 5 gallon due to the size. So I think I am gonna add him in and just keep an eye on the water. Do water changes once ammonia rises and use prime. With my 55 gallon, I didn’t cycle it because I was new and stupid. But I learned the process. Did daily water changes and added in the prime as suggested and it cycled within a couple weeks. I’m hoping since I did add in old gravel, filter carts and decor into the new tank, it’ll speed up the process and make it less likely to go horribly wrong.

 

I got the bigger tank because he seems stressed in his 5 gallon due to the size. So I think I am gonna add him in and just keep an eye on the water. Do water changes once ammonia rises and use prime. With my 55 gallon, I didn’t cycle it because I was new and stupid. But I learned the process. Did daily water changes and added in the prime as suggested and it cycled within a couple weeks. I’m hoping since I did add in old gravel, filter carts and decor into the new tank, it’ll speed up the process and make it less likely to go horribly wrong.

Yes it will definitely help. How much who knows. At least you know how to handle it so thats half the battle.

 

Yes it will definitely help. How much who knows. At least you know how to handle it so thats half the battle.

Would it be beneficial to add ghost shrimp in?

 

I wouldn't add any shrimp to a cycling tank or newly cycled. They need some bio film built up to feed on. And they dont like the water to change too much.

 

I wouldn't add any shrimp to a cycling tank or newly cycled. They need some bio film built up to feed on. And they dont like the water to change too much.

Makes sense. Once the tank has been cycled for a couple weeks, or however long you suggest I should wait, would they be beneficial to my betta tank?

 

Makes sense. Once the tank has been cycled for a couple weeks, or however long you suggest I should wait, would they be beneficial to my betta tank?

I would wait about a month at least once the cycle is totally finished. My Betta was not nice to the shrimps....so that depends on the fish really. Maybe a Nerite snail? They seem to be the best friends for Bettas because they dont have long antennae's for the Betta to nip at.

 

I would wait about a month at least once the cycle is totally finished. My Betta was not nice to the shrimps....so that depends on the fish really. Maybe a Nerite snail? They seem to be the best friends for Bettas because they dont have long antennae's for the Betta to nip at.

So the water is at 0.25ppm. Shall I go ahead and change the water and add prime?

The answer to this 100% depends on whether you want to do a fishless or fish-in cycle.

Fishless cycling is safer as if anything goes wrong, you have no live stock yet and can go with some more drastic fixes. However, it can take pretty long before you can add fish. Also, in the absence of live stock, you have to introduce ammonia some other way, personally I prefer dosing ammonium chloride.

Fish-in cycling means you get to have fish in the tank right away, but may require a lot of dosing Prime or some other ammonia detoxifer + water changes, and if something goes very wrong it might be way harder to fix it (while there is fish in the tank).

Either/or works, whatever sounds more like something you'd want to do. I have done both more times than I can count, and though I prefer to do fishless cycling just because to me it is less painful, I don't care which way anyone else prefer to cycle their tanks.

So the water is at 0.25ppm. Shall I go ahead and change the water and add prime?

If you add the betta you must treat it as fish-in cycling. If you do I recommend you add some filter media into the new filter just to keep the BB as high as possible. Do regular testing just to make sure there are no spikes in ammonia or nitrites along the way. Since it is only 1 betta you wont have a huge bioload so you may not have any issues at all.

So the water is at 0.25ppm. Shall I go ahead and change the water and add prime?

 

I would wait until it was .50, but it is completely up to you.

 

I would wait until it was .50, but it is completely up to you.

Do you suggest I vacuum the gravel or should I just take 50% of the water out

 

Just do 50% of water. When you are cycling you should clean the least possible. It lets you have the most beneficial bacteria possible. After you are cycled you can do small clean jobs to fix it up more a little at a time.