Cycling My 5G

[LyraGuppi]

I'm going to be cycling a 5 gallon for a youngish betta pretty soon, I just need the filter to get in.
 
So I have some questions...
1. Should I add my plants/driftwood/rock to the tank at the very beginning? I've heard mixed views on this. The scape will be down below.
2. How much should I dose? Would 3ppms be overkill, since it is just a betta? Should I use this thingy? http/www.fishforums.net/aquarium-calculator.htm
3. If I add in mature substrate, will it speed up the cycle, or do an instant cycle? How much substrate should I put in?
4. Do you guys want measurements for these questions?
5. Should I do anything special to "aquarium rocks"? They are red, and in layers. I hope to ask her more about them, but they truly are lovely rocks.
 
EDIT: Forgot the scape! Heheh...
 
Spiderwood, a small piece
Anacharis
Java Moss
Maybe some Crypts
Those red aquarium rocks
Playsand, maybe some Flourite mixed in.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Basically i think 1 ppm of ammonia is all you would need in this situation. between the live plants and moving some substrate, you can probably get pretty close to the tank being fish ready pretty fast I would suggest you set up the tank as described and then use the calculator to add 1 ppm of ammonia to the tank.
 
Because this is a small tank you are able to measure the exact amount of water you add to get it filled so you will know the actual water volume of the tank. Use that number. If you use an external filter, fill it the same way so you know the volume of water it holds.
 
The other choice here is to simply use 4 gals as the volume.
 
I would set up the tank and let it run for a few days so the plants get a little time to settle in. Then add the 1 ppm of ammonia, wait 24 hours and test for ammonia and nitrite. Based on those number you should have a good idea how to proceed. In this case I would work with the following basic guideline:
 
1. Add ammonia and test in 24.
2. If you get 0/0, add the betta.
3. If you get anything above .25 ppm for ammonia, wait for it to drop back to 0 and add the same 1 ppm amount again.
4. Repeat step 3 until you get 0/0 in 24 hours. The one thing to avoid is allowing nitrite to build up to the 5 ppm level. Do not add a dose of ammonia unless nitrites read less than 5 ppm.
 
Basically, you are using the ammonia to test the ability of the tank to process that amount and if it cannot do so, then the ammonia additions should rapidly get the tank cycled.
 
You can also accelerate things if you can squeeze out a sponge from a going filter into the new tank. That nasty looking stuff will actually help to cycle a new tank. Do not forget to leave the lights off when you do the squeezing until the water has cleared. Yhis allows that good stuff to find places it will be happy. Those places tend to be darker as the nitrifying bacteria are photosensitive.
 
I think if you do as described- your use or plants and gravel and the squeezing- you are reasonably likely to find the tank is ready to hold the betta pretty fast if not immediately.

 

[LyraGuppi]

Thank you so much!
 
 
Sadly weather will slow this whole process down, but thanks again for the clear instructions!

 

[TwoTankAmin]

My pleasure. And I just came in from clearing 6 inches of snow off the driveway.
 
I really hate all this snow except for the fact it has got most of my plecos spawning. In the past 6-8 weeks I have had WC H. zebras, F2 L236, WC H. contradens and F1  L450 spawn, And the F1 zebras and the  F1 173b are acting spawnerish as well.
 
Good luck with the new tank.