30L/8G Nano Betta Home

[Raticataticus]

Hey guys, so as some of you may know I was gifted a little friend for my birthday. His name is Fred and he is a blue Betta. At the moment he's living in a 1 gallon glass box because that's all I have.
 
Here we have Fred's current home (worst. place. ever).
 

 
Some pics of Fred: 
 

 
Well today after much indecisiveness and research I gave into temptation and stumbled into my LFS and bought this 30L deal for the extreme ripoff price of $140 - and the filter came with it. They had a 60L version for sale too which I almost bought instead but decided that since this tank may eventually have to be put on top of a dresser that I'd better just get the smaller one for now. I do plan to get one or two bigger tanks in the future so I need to save room.
 

 
Now of course I need your advice because I really have no idea what the heck I am doing.
 
How should I cycle this thing? I don't have a test kit or anything (yet) because my LFS is just really crap to be honest. The staff are so un-helpful and have no interest in assisting you whatsoever and kind of just stare at you while you look at the stuff. So I bought my tank and hotfooted it out of that place. I might make an online order for a test kit and some sand for the bottom, other than that I can take a 2 hour round trip to the next LFS on the weekend.
 
I know it's early days yet but can anyone suggest some friends for Fred that can go in a tank this size? I would like a bottom-dweller (I will have sand as my substrate) and I wouldn't mind some shrimp or something but everyone keeps saying that Bettas like to chomp shrimp. Snails, perhaps?

 

[Ninjouzata]

You should cycle it using the article at the top of the page HERE is a thread that may help you find some ammonia as I know it can be hard to find where you are.
 
HERE is a list of smaller fish that can go in tanks such as these. I do recommend you research them first though to make sure that what is on there is accurate.
Also keep in mind that your betta may decide it does not want any tank mates.
 
Glad you've gotten him a bigger home! I'm sure he'll love it.
 
Shrimp are likely to be eaten, yes, though you could try it if you want with a cheaper shrimp maybe? And just make sure there are lots of hiding places that the betta can't get into.
Snails are really fun to watch IMO but am not sure what kind you can get there.

 

[hobby5]

Congrats to your new tank! 30l is more than enough for a single betta. It seems to have a decent lighting so imho you should definitely go for life plants.

 

[Raticataticus]

Well guys, I haven't thought much about tank friends yet although I have been thinking a lot about plants and landscaping. I really want to do a single tree type thing as the centrepiece, kind of like this picture. 

 
Can anyone tell me what kind of plants they think this person may have use for the "grass" and the "leaves" on the tree?

 

[Lillefishy]

The tree looks like moss, not java though, maybe Christmas or flame moss. Any moss will need regular trimming to get that effect.
Carpet could be glosso (glossostigma elatinoides)

 

[Raticataticus]

Hey guys

. So I managed to hitch a ride today to a bigger town a couple of hours away to get some fish related stuff. Got a net, test kit, flexible air stone, gravel vac, some plants and of course some gravel. Yes that's right, gravel, because nobody around here sells sand apparently. In hindsight I probably should have waited and got some sand online but I was too impatient as I want to get my tank set up asap. Here is a picture of my haul.
 

 

 
I paid $14.99 for that little packet of plants. I thought they were $2 as thats what the sign said but I didn't check my receipt until I was almost home. Whoopsie.
 
Some people hate air stones but at the moment I am not one of them. Looks pretty cool if you ask me.
 

 
The gravel is in. I will wait 'til it clears itself and then I will do some planting!
 

 

[guppy2002]

Looking good. I bet the finished product will be great

 

[phoenixgsd]

bettas arnt fans of fast moving water, can you turn your airstone down a bit, is it adjustable

 

[Raticataticus]

bettas arnt fans of fast moving water, can you turn your airstone down a bit, is it adjustable

 
Yeah I will turn it down and probably cut it to a shorter size before he goes in.

Looking good. I bet the finished product will be great

Thanks!

 

[Raticataticus]

Well I've put a couple of plants in. They are Gold Pennywort. The "Tree" feature will eventually be placed between them. I plan to probably have the front part in front of where the plants are open as that's where the most light is. The other front corner might get a little moss ball or something. Not sure what I'm going to do with the corner that has the filter.
 
Plants are a little crazy looking at the moment front moving them around and whatnot. Hopefully they will settle down to look normal sooner or later.
 

 

 

[Raticataticus]

Well after much deliberation, I've ended up putting Fred in the tank to do a fish-in cycle, as recommended by a few forum members.
 
 

 

 
 

 

[EllieJellyEllie]

Being in your situation once, I would also recommend a fish in cycle. Check ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates daily, and do a 75% water change if it gets above .50ppm for ammonia and nitrites. And for nitrites, if it gets higher then 80ppm do a change, but that shouldnt happen if you do daily changes.
 
Love your betta!

 

[Raticataticus]

Being in your situation once, I would also recommend a fish in cycle. Check ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates daily, and do a 75% water change if it gets above .50ppm for ammonia and nitrites. And for nitrites, if it gets higher then 80ppm do a change, but that shouldnt happen if you do daily changes.
 
Love your betta!

 
Thanks for your reply. I am doing daily testing and and all seems to be going well so far. 
 
In other news, I got home from work yesterday to find that the lights have stopped working. Have tried different plugs, etc. but to no avail.
 
What should I do? Pull it apart and take a look inside to see what could be wrong or phone/visit the store where I bought the tank to try and obtain an exchange or refund. Tank was purchased less than 2 weeks ago.

 

[Gizaroo2]

I would phone/visit the store or contact the company. That should still be well under the manufacturers warranty, if not the stores. Definitely worth looking into an exchange. 
 
I wouldn't pull it apart until after you've contacted them and see what they say. You don't want to void the warranty on it.

 

[Raticataticus]

I would phone/visit the store or contact the company. That should still be well under the manufacturers warranty, if not the stores. Definitely worth looking into an exchange. 
 
I wouldn't pull it apart until after you've contacted them and see what they say. You don't want to void the warranty on it.

 
I've worked out that it's the wall thingy that's faulty. The lights worked when I plugged the cable into a different wall thing that I stole from some Christmas lights, but they only flashed as the adaptor was the wrong voltage, but it's definitely the wall piece and not the lights themselves.