Cycling 10g Betta Tank - Advice welcome!

[Frittercrittern]

Hello!

I am cycling my first tank in forever, and I have a lot of questions and ideas for how it's going to go. Here's the current build:

- black diamond sand
- plastic rock cave hide
- rounded gravel rocks in the middle of the tank
- a larger zebra striped rock
- a medium fake green plant near the front of the tank
- a tall fake grass plant with orange flowers near the back

And of course, the lights, the heater, the filter, etc.! Last night I put in stability and prime and I've kept the light on for the whole night to hopefully help with bacteria growth, and surprisingly after doing two different types of tests, it seems to be cycled? I don't trust that at all, so I will probably wait a while longer before putting anything in there, but if it truly is cycled, that's impressive.

I plan on adding live plants scattered around the mid ground, and also have some sort of drift wood or spider wood. Live plants will probably include...wisteria, anubias. Maybe a sword if there's any cheap. Then I want at least one decoration that looks more human made as a fun touch! I may change it out depending on the holiday, such as a pumpkin for Halloween, something beachy for summer, etc. I think it may be a fun enrichment opportunity for them.

Finally, as far as what's going in the tank! I don't do many community fish, and I really love how friendly they are, so I plan on keeping a betta. They're just very good fish! Other options may include killifish or dwarf gourami, but it depends as I know some of them can get pretty big and I don't plan on upgrading this tank for a long while, if ever.

Other tank mates include a nerite snail or two, potentially shrimp, and otocinclus catfish. I have heard that otos can be kept in a ten gallon, put I want a more experienced opinion-- they're a schooling fish and I'd feel most comfortable getting at least six of them, but I don't know that they would do well in a ten gallon like people claim if there's that many, especially with other animals in the tank. My partner is really excited for them, though, and I also love how they are! They're very cute. If they'd do well in the tank, I'd love their company.

So, what do you all think? Here's the TL;DR:
1. Should I try getting at least the betta early to see how the tank's cycle holds up, since it seems to be level already and bettas have labyrinth lungs that would allow them to be able to tough out most cycling issues? Or should I just wait out the full week despite good readings? Either way, I would be waiting out the rest of the animals, I just want to know if I should test the cycle with the betta to see if the readings are actually going to stay good in the long run.
And
2. Should I go with the oto catfish, and if so, should I keep the school at 6? Or go down to 5-4? Additionally, I'd like to know if you think it would be overstocking to add in shrimp as well-- I love shrimp and was thinking of adding amanos in to really bring out the tank life, but with the otos and snail(s) I don't want to overwhelm the tank or stress any of them out.

Here's a picture of the tank so far. I also may have some questions about the filter system, but that will probably be for later on in the post. She's still a bit foggy from the sand settling.

 

[Byron]

Last night I put in stability and prime and I've kept the light on for the whole night to hopefully help with bacteria growth, and surprisingly after doing two different types of tests, it seems to be cycled? I don't trust that at all, so I will probably wait a while longer before putting anything in there, but if it truly is cycled, that's impressive.

It cannot possibly be "cycled," for two reasons. First, you add ammonia to get the first stage nitrifying bacteria going, and you have not added any ammonia. Second, once you do, it take the nitrifying bacteria time to establish. This can be days to weeks. Once they do and they start producing nitrite, then the second stage nitrifying bacteria will establish. You will have an ammonia rise at first, which will reduce as the nitrite appears. Eventually that will reduce and nitrate will appear.

Another point...Stability does not contain nitrifying bacteria. It may sometimes speed up the process by a couple days, but that is all. If you want a true bacterial supplement, get a small bottle of Tetra's SafeStart. The other true product is Dr. Tim's One and Only.

However, since you intend live plants, I would forget "cycling" completely. For one thing, ammonia can harm plants and I would not risk it. For another, plants once they are growing will "silent cycle" the tank. Plants take up ammonia/ammonium, and they do it faster than the nitrifying bacteria. The cycle will still establish but in the background. Plants do not produce nitrite, and thus no nitrate with respect to the "cycling."

If this is a 10g tank, it is small space so fish will have to be carefully thought out. Bettas are solitary fish, other fish in the same tank is a real serious risk. Otos I would wait for several weeks even months, as they should go into an established tank in order to have natural food--algae--to avoid starvation; they will usually accept sinking green food disks but not always immediately.

On the fish, what are the source (tap) water parameters, namely GH, KH (Alkalinity) and pH? Small fish have somewhat more sensitive issues with parameters.

Welcome to TFF.

 

[sharkweek178]

There are a lot of plants that would be great in a 10 gallon. But a sword would get too big for one. A lot of nice crypts that would fit well though.
If you're going to have a betta, then it should just be the betta. Sometimes they can work with other fish. But it's iffy at best. And the chances of that working in a limited space like a ten gallon are even worse.

 

[sharkweek178]

Hello!

I am cycling my first tank in forever, and I have a lot of questions and ideas for how it's going to go. Here's the current build:

- black diamond sand
- plastic rock cave hide
- rounded gravel rocks in the middle of the tank
- a larger zebra striped rock
- a medium fake green plant near the front of the tank
- a tall fake grass plant with orange flowers near the back

And of course, the lights, the heater, the filter, etc.! Last night I put in stability and prime and I've kept the light on for the whole night to hopefully help with bacteria growth, and surprisingly after doing two different types of tests, it seems to be cycled? I don't trust that at all, so I will probably wait a while longer before putting anything in there, but if it truly is cycled, that's impressive.

I plan on adding live plants scattered around the mid ground, and also have some sort of drift wood or spider wood. Live plants will probably include...wisteria, anubias. Maybe a sword if there's any cheap. Then I want at least one decoration that looks more human made as a fun touch! I may change it out depending on the holiday, such as a pumpkin for Halloween, something beachy for summer, etc. I think it may be a fun enrichment opportunity for them.

Finally, as far as what's going in the tank! I don't do many community fish, and I really love how friendly they are, so I plan on keeping a betta. They're just very good fish! Other options may include killifish or dwarf gourami, but it depends as I know some of them can get pretty big and I don't plan on upgrading this tank for a long while, if ever.

Other tank mates include a nerite snail or two, potentially shrimp, and otocinclus catfish. I have heard that otos can be kept in a ten gallon, put I want a more experienced opinion-- they're a schooling fish and I'd feel most comfortable getting at least six of them, but I don't know that they would do well in a ten gallon like people claim if there's that many, especially with other animals in the tank. My partner is really excited for them, though, and I also love how they are! They're very cute. If they'd do well in the tank, I'd love their company.

So, what do you all think? Here's the TL;DR:
1. Should I try getting at least the betta early to see how the tank's cycle holds up, since it seems to be level already and bettas have labyrinth lungs that would allow them to be able to tough out most cycling issues? Or should I just wait out the full week despite good readings? Either way, I would be waiting out the rest of the animals, I just want to know if I should test the cycle with the betta to see if the readings are actually going to stay good in the long run.
And
2. Should I go with the oto catfish, and if so, should I keep the school at 6? Or go down to 5-4? Additionally, I'd like to know if you think it would be overstocking to add in shrimp as well-- I love shrimp and was thinking of adding amanos in to really bring out the tank life, but with the otos and snail(s) I don't want to overwhelm the tank or stress any of them out.

Here's a picture of the tank so far. I also may have some questions about the filter system, but that will probably be for later on in the post. She's still a bit foggy from the sand settling.

A fishless cycle takes 6-8 weeks. Prime dechlorinates water. It doesn't cycle it. Stability might accelerate the cycle but it will still take much longer than a few days.

 

[Ellie Potts]

I agree that cycling hasn't happened. The way stores will tell you it happens in a week is just unfortunate. What I do when I'm too antsy to get fish into the tank is absolutely fill it with plants. All live--ones that take up ammonia fast. Salvinia or another floater, sure Anubias, definitely cryps. I then wait about two weeks and see how the tank is doing. Silent cycling for the win.

For stocking, a ten gallon is hard. It's just too small for a lot of things but big enough that you feel you should be able to fit more in. A betta is a great idea, although best kept alone.

 

[Essjay]

Last night I put in stability and prime and I've kept the light on for the whole night to hopefully help with bacteria growth,

As already said, Stability contains the wrong bacteria. And leaving the light on won't help as the bacteria prefer darkness.

it seems to be cycled?

The reason it seemed cycled is because you were just testing tap water since you haven't added anything to start the cycle yet.



There are 3 ways to cycle a tank, though one is not recommended as it harms fish.

Fishless cycle involves adding ammonia to feed the bacteria, a process which takes several weeks. The method is written up here

Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!

Cycling Your First Fresh Water Tank What is Cycling and Why is it Important? Fish waste, and especially fish breathing, plus uneaten food and other organic matter breaking down in a tank all produce Ammonia. This can quickly become toxic to fish if it is allowed to build up to any measurable...

www.fishforums.net

The second way is by planting the tank with fast growing plants and waiting until you are certain the plants are growing and not about to die. Taking a photo of the newly planted tank gives you something to compare the plants to. Just the odd slow growing plant or two is not enough, there needs to be a number of plants, and floating plants are particularly good for this. Plants take up ammonia as fertiliser and unlike bacteria they don't turn the ammonia into nitrite or nitrate.


As you intend live plants at some point, the easiest way would be to get them now, then when they have established get the fish. Alternatively, wait before getting the plants and use the fake for now, but do a fishless cycle following the method in the link.