Sal Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 I'm really new to bettas. And everywhere I go, I read different opinions on what the minimum tank size is to enable successful cycling. Both of my tanks are around 3-point-something gallons (12 litres, with the capacity for 13 or 14, but I keep it 12 for accurate - ie, easy - math on additives while I'm figuring things out), with coarse, smooth gravel substrate and a variety of live, truly aquatic plants. One is filtered, one is unfiltered (as that fish really, really hates any flow), and I currently treat both as uncycled tanks, with either 100% WC + total cleanout (unfiltered) or 50% water change + gravel vac (filtered) per week, plus a couple of smaller changes to both tanks (about 20-25%) every couple of days. If it's humanly possible to cycle the filtered 3.5g tank, I'd like to. I've been told that's a/ totally impossible, b/ possible but very difficult, c/ entirely possible with regular water testing, and d/ quite easily do-able, if it's a NPT. Any advice as to which is the most accurate of those would be gratefully received. Larger tanks are simply not an option right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 You can quite easily cycle these tanks and if they have been running a while I would bet they already are. Have you tried not doing 100% water changes but say only 50% and testing your levels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sal Posted March 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 Thanks for the reply - and yes, I have tried cycling the filtered tank. I did pretty frequent, small water changes and tested for ammonia a lot - it was sitting between 0 and 0.25, most recently. But as I haven't yet got a reliable test kit for nitrates and nitrites, etc., I'm a bit nervous about spikes occurring that I can't monitor. I intend to scrub the filtered tank out while Sid's in the hosp. tank, and start again. I may keep him in it until his tank has cycled properly - it's not so scary if he's not -in- there while it's in the process, and I should have a test kit before it finishes, Good idea? Or.. no? I can't put a filter on the other tank as Demyx freaks out at any water flow at all - and I'd need a filter to cycle that tank, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 How long did you try for? Levels that low for short periods shouldnt do permanent damage. You could try a sponge filter, they arn't conducive to growing plants but have hardly and flow. I wouldn't scrub the tank out, there will be bacteria growing on all the surfaces that will speed a cycle up, there may even be enough growing in there for it to already be cycled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sal Posted March 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 It'll have been running on 50% changes + gravel vac + 2x 20% changes per week for about... two weeks now. I scrubbed it after the ich treatment finished. I had to take the heater out to warm the smaller hospital tank - would that affect the bacteria? I'm also worried that there might be lingering ich/fin rot stuff in there - is it better to do a full cleanout when there's been illness like that in the tank (the ich is 100% gone, and no sign of it returning), or should I just leave it and pop the heater back in when his fins clear up? Sorry for all the questions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazell Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 Hmm, pretty much what matt said. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 P.S Don't forget that this forum is a bit like a libary, most start out questions have already been asked! Don't be afraid of the search function! http://ausaqua.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=2722&st=0&p=149205&hl=+cycle%20+tank&fromsearch=1&#entry149205 x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sal Posted March 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 (edited) Cheers, I spent most of last night reading the library section here, as well as a pile of threads on tanks (Matt, your nanotanks rock btw) and cycling, etc. I couldn't find anything really specific about what effect removing the heater the would do to the bacteria, though? I think I just really need more heaters, lol. I'm re-designing the filtered tank maybe tomorrow, with some driftwood pieces I've had soaking a while. I won't scrub it. The natural tanks posted here are such an inspiration, and it's not scary with all this information at hand. I'm really looking forward to trying out one with a soil substrate one of these days. Edited March 1, 2012 by Sal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kertaz Posted March 2, 2012 Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 Heaters shouldn't affect the bacteria. If anything, temperature may affect their activity a little, but shouldn't affect your cycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sal Posted March 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 Thanks for that. The tank hasn't any fish in it, currently, as my betta's in a treatment tank for fin rot, which is why his regular tank has no heater (I don't have a spare). Much appreciated, everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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