Please Help me get going!!

Okay, Dave "dahlink" - this should probably be on Nitrogen thread, but no action over there.

I set up the 10 gallon last night, it is pristine , warm and ready to go.

Do I just dump in the Bio Spira? All of it? When does Tiny go in? Can he go in Today? Do I keep testing it? Does it matter if we are away on Sunday/Monday?

Some one please help and I will get off the computer and get some work done???

Thanks.

 

I remember Rose saying many times that you put in the BioSpira (shake it up really well so the bacteria isn't lost being stuck to the sides of the packet) and then put in the fish right away. You can't overdose on BioSpira so you can use all of it. No water changes for 7 days. There will be a spike in ammonia but not enough to worry about. This is normal.
You can still do testing if you want but try to resist doing water changes for 7 days or you may break the cycle.

 

Good morning Val!
good luck with your bio spira ;D btw I believe it depends on what size of the bio spira you bought. There are measurements for the amount you put in the tank and with the ten gal you have I would read up first before putting the whole thing in. I'm sure that once you use the bio spira you will be able to drop wink into the tank.
I'm so happy for you and wink now that you are able to use the ten gal!!

 

Thanks so much ladies..........I dumped the whole thing into the tank. (??????) It says for 30g, but if you can't overdose, I thought what the ****, I am so tired of dinking around. I also added a bit of Fish Protector, since on the Marineland website they say add Bio Aqua or some thing like that - their product, same as Fish Protector. I conditioned with Aquasafe of course, last night. The temp is nice, I have a 25w heater in either end, and that seems to be working fine right now. I also put a piece of filter material into the water flow out to slow it down. I have a plant underneath there, and it doesn't seem to have that much movement.

So I am going to put Tiny in first, I want to be sure Wink's tail fray isn't active...........course the nice clean undisturbed water could only be good for him.

Decorations are kinda weird for now, since I have to order them, and had all for individual tanks. It will be interesting to see the two of them at the divider, since Wink flares at everything and Tiny is much more selective!

I will post pics when things settle down. Here I go to put Tiny into his container to float for awhile.

Thanks a lot!! YYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Val

 

hmmmmm... a thought came to mind, it may be wrong but.... By using that large amount of bio spira ( enough for a 30g) would you now have to make sure you have enough ammonia for all that beneficial bacteria to eat? By using a third of the bag which would have been a better bet, you would have been able to better balance out the bacteria to ammonia. Just a thought??
~ kate

 

, don't tell me that now???? Maybe the bacteria will die off to the point that it can support? I am just about to put Tiny in.....................I read all over people have put in the whole bag...............I am going crazy now. Hope it will be okay??? ??? :'(

 

It'll be fine. Whatever bacteria is needed is there and the rest may die off. Your cycle will still happen the same way whether you put in a third of the pack or all of it. You have two fish going in so you should be fine.

 

Well Tiny is in there, and already I don]t like that filter although I love how quiet it is - virtually silent! I have the outflow stuffed with a large piece of filter material, and still when he goes back there, he gets pushed down. At least he is smart enough to swim away...LOL. :-\ The plant underneath is a long horizontal one, and lots of good swimming through places, and sleeping places, but it looks like there is even some current down there.

Any other suggestions for stuffing that hole???? He was just used to the undergravel filter and bubble stone in his little tank, so perhaps with a little time he will build up those little swimming muscles. Otherwise he is exploring, and flaring at his reflection in the filter ( I don't have a back on the tank yet) Can't wait til he finds his swim through cavey thingee!!

Neptune on the other hand, hasn't left the end of the tank where Tiny used to be....misses him already, I think? He is so cool, should be a different story when Wink gets in.............Storm will be happy and Wink will have to flex his fins!!

Well, still haven't gotten anything done...............should start....................... Val

 

Thanks for the reassurance Phlox...any ideas on the filter flow? The commercial divider seems to be doing the trick, just need to put another plant by it, to block out some of the visibility.

Val

 

I just cut a piece of bonded filter pad and wedge it between the filter output and the tank hood. It still allows the same amount of water to come out but keeps it from splashing and causing a current. I find it also extra cleans the water as you'll notice it get dirty after about 2 weeks.

 

I just cut a piece of bonded filter pad and wedge it between the filter output and the tank hood. It still allows the same amount of water to come out but keeps it from splashing and causing a current. I find it also extra cleans the water as you'll notice it get dirty after about 2 weeks.

Ok, I have that white stuff, bought a sheet of it from F&S. I will try a bigger piece or double it up. When I had it really stuffed, the water started coming through on the right of it as well, where the intake tube comes out.

The deed is done and amongst much posturing, flaring and games of "I am bigger than you are" they are both in the tank. And as a surprise to me, Wink is smaller than TK - so TK really is a tiny king! Could be all those big fins making him look that way, also.

So as I was watching them face off, I found two more things to change/be watchful about. The tank canopy has 2 incadescent lights,( that I will try to find small flourescents for). This will heat the tank. I have two heaters, which I had at 80 degrees, but am turning them both down to make sure I don't cook those little guys. The second heater is a Hydor Theo, I had it for my emergency heater. I will eventually get one 50w.

Phlox, did you tell me you had a sponge filter in one side?? Right now all looks pristine ................course aren't all of our places like that when we first move in??

Second,the tank divider comes to the top of the tank, of course, I have the water one inch down from that. They are very visible to one another, no arguement there! Should I worry about one of them jumping over, or should I just get one with it and quit worrying about every little thing. This divided tank has me back where I was when I first started the betta bug!

Still haven't done much today............can't focus on anything except watching those two. LOL

Val

 

HI Val
Congratulations... its been loooong over do! I hear you on that filter flow. Its always one of the bettas that's going to get that side of the tank. I thought of maybe switching them off from time to time. Maybe once a month... then they can experience the tank from both sides lol. I have a aquaclear HOB filter and would love to try something to slow the flow down, tho I do have it at its lowest flow position. I just ended up putting the divider in the tank with Precious and I brought Gypsy over from the 29 gallon community tank. Not that she was bad there or anything, but figure there is a lot of fish there and I wanted her in a more calming tank. So now for a change Precious has another fish to be near. They seem to be getting along fine looking at each other from time to time, not the constant flaring that the males do.
Its fun watching their reactions to new tanks isn't it? Hope your boys will be happy there! ;D

 

Oh Kate, after reading how bad some boys are in a divided tank, I wonder what I got myself into!! Wink is backing down, and swimming over on the other side of the tank sometimes, but I swear TK is swimming up and down the end of the divider looking for a way to squeeze through!

He is bad! He won't quit flaring and hasn't even seen his beautiful cavey thing that I am so excited about! Darn kids!!! I have kept the light off all day, and maybe tonight they will stop for a while. Meanwhile I am ordering the floating plants.

If I would have know this would go on for so long ( and it has not even been a day - LOL ) I would have held out for a little girl, but this little monkey was calling my name. And the little girls who were in quarantine were all gone the next day - what does that tell you? Dead I am sure.

I finally seem to have things in order, the counter tops are nice and neat again, and the tanks ( all 3 of them) are cleaned, dried and sitting now on the table waiting til I can find a place for them. I suppose this means getting rid of my decorative painting supplies - what is left after making room for my scrapbooking supplies : to make room for my fish supplies ! I feel like I have ADD today...........

Being optimistic, I even put my Amquel Plus back into the cupboard.

Well the day has flown, I think I am going to mix a cocktail, sit on the deck with my patient husband , think of what to have for dinner, and ignore my fish for a while.....at least an hour or so!!

Thanks for the good wishes, Kate. As far as filter, I am a rookie fish keeper, but I think I am sold on the Eclipse...and may consider buying an Eclipse hood/filter/combo in the future to cover the 10g. Just so easy, and I do love easy! I am glad to hear that your little ladies are playing nice..........isn't that always the way. As far as their reaction to the new tank...TK kept swimming under the filter flow , never did get to see his cave and Wink was so happy to be out of the cup - until he realized the enemy was his neighbour - so he hasn't really been all around his tank either.

Let's keep track of each other and see how things go. I hope you have a wonderful weekend , it is hot and humid here and we will probably head to the cabin tomorrow, since hubby is on vacation for a week.

Val

 

HI Val
it sounds like you had quite the busy day cleanning! And I'm sure the counters look great now lol.. ;D It is so much easier to have them in divided tanks for sure. I think that if plants are placed all along the divider that it can work as camofluge and I will be picking more up and do the same thing with my tank. I'm betting that will be a good solution for your tank. Just to let you know, it just doesn't let up. They will continue to flare at each other. 8cents was relentless, Phoenix not as much. Its just the way they are.
But if there were enough plants... well, it sure would help to hide the view of each other. Good luck with that. I ended up putting gypsy in the divided tank with Precious. I didnt realize how much Precious has grown, she is much bigger than Gypsy. Also her fins are much longer than the average female as well. But I enjoyed setting up the tank and its coming along nicely.
enjoy the week to come with Hubby! ;D And be sure and check in from time to time to let us know how the boys are doing!
~ kate

 

I would not worry overmuch. The Bio-spira dose is fine. The 30 gallon pouch has gone into each of my tanks from the 3 gallon to the 25 and not a one was upset by it. I was dumb enough to try to divide it one time and it was a disaster so be fine with using it all. That is always the best choice. Yes, some of the bacteria will die off but they are not needed so don't sweat it. Yes, you will have an ammonia spike but not one serious enough to hurt your fish. It only means the bacteria are settling into your filter. This is why I do not recommend the constant testing because you can make yourself crazy with positive readings on ammonia and such when they are NORMAL. In 7 days your tank will be ammonia=0, nitrite=0, and nitrate can be controlled very easily with a small water change if it should be over 20. DO NOT do any water changes for 7 full days or you will ruin the cycle process. Bio-spira needs that 7 days to work on the filter. If you do not have a bio-wheel in both of the filters then you should not take all the filter media out at any one time. Just change half of it at a time.

It is okay for them to see each other and they will get used to each other at this young age. Soon they will be going about their own side of the tanks and ignoring each other with only an occasional notice of the other one. All the flaring will stop and they will go bother the other fish on their own side. Putting plants up along the divider on BOTH sides is a good idea.

Good luck and remember we do love pictures. and keep the water levels down for the first couple of weeks until they get used to the divider and then never get them much closer than 1 1/2" from the top of the divider. Feed them at opposite ends of the tank also.

Hope some of this helps.

Rose

 

Hey.. been getting behind in the posts here, keeping up with our bettas this weekend.. sounds like an event there.. how are things now?