Can I quicken the cycling process?

[Guppy lover]

Hi I am new to the forum, so sorry if I am doing this wrong.
I have a crowntail Betta in a 15l tank, that is just too small for him and means more water changes. Therefore I have decided to to get my old 40l aquarium out of the loft.
I plan to make it a low tech planted aquarium, eventually adding endlers or shrimp perhaps.
As the aquarium is going in the spot of the old aquarium, so they can't be running simultaneously. Is it safe to onlt cycle for a week?
I could run the filter in my other 70l aquarium and I also have a aquarium filter starter. Also would ageing the water be any help? Thanks for reading this long post.

 

[seangee]

If this is practical...
Set up the new tank using fresh dechlorinated water and run it for a couple of days. It would also help to plant it up at this time. On the day you move your fish also move the old filter into the new tank and run the filters side by side. You should obviously keep monitoring the water in case extra water changes are required.

 

[Guppy lover]

Thanks for the reply and clearing things up. I was just worried about killing my Betta fish, as I am rather fond of him (as well as all my other fish.)

 

[Byron]

If you have live plants that are growing, a single Betta will not have issues anyway, so you are probably safe.

You mention later adding Endlers...Betta are not community fish, and the Endlers will likely get eaten. Colourful fish tend to antagonize a betta even more than plainer fish. But they should not be combined regardless of the fish.

 

[Guppy lover]

Thanks Bryon for replying especially about the endlers. I was worried about adding endlers because of their colour but as they have no long tails I thought I would be ok, think I will just stick it safe though, don't want any dead fish on my watch

 

[Byron]

Thanks Bryon for replying especially about the endlers. I was worried about adding endlers because of their colour but as they have no long tails I thought I would be ok, think I will just stick it safe though, don't want any dead fish on my watch

I forgot to welcome you to TFF.

A male Betta as I mentioned is not a community fish so it will always fare better on his own. The larger tank will make him very happy no doubt.

I had a Betta many, many years ago that ate neon tetra with no trouble. I've learned much in the intervening years. Individual bettas can have somewhat different temperaments, but it is always wisest and safest to assume the Betta will be normal rather than hoping it will accept other tankmates--and they him. Which is the second issue, small fish frequently find sedate fish with flowing fins too great a temptation for fin nipping. So either the Betta or the Endlers (or any other fish) could lose out.

 

[Guppy lover]

Thank you for the welcome and reply I will see how his tempremet is in the new tank and if he seems okay I will see if he is fine with tankmates (starting with a snail maby) I have a 70l community tank if things don't work out.

 

[Byron]

Thank you for the welcome and reply I will see how his tempremet is in the new tank and if he seems okay I will see if he is fine with tankmates (starting with a snail maby) I have a 70l community tank if things don't work out.

Please don't risk the fish like this. There is no way to tell how a fish is going to react until you do it, and then it is too late. The Betta deserves to be "happy," not stressed, no matter his temperament. And I can assure you he will be happier and healthier alone, always.

 

[zain611]

You could look at adding a portion of filter media from your tank already set up into the beta tank. This will speed up the process as you've introduced bacteria already into the tank and as you only have one fish it'll hopefully mean you don't have to wait for the colony to grow bigger.