How To Cycle A New Fluval Chi For My Betta. (Fishless Cycle)

[alstermania]

I was hoping that someone has already cycled a fluval chi(not that the specific aquarium really matters in cycling)so that I could have some feed-back on the proper ammount of ammonia I should place in this tank and how long the cycling prosess should take.Also, some really nice links to sites that have some fishless-cycling tips would really help!

 

[omega59]

Hi, and welcome. I found this bit of information that may help you... Cycling a new tank can take 6 weeks to 12 weeks depending on the tank/setup.

30 drops =2.5ml, Which equals 4ppm in 5 gal of water.
That equals 5ml per ten gallons.
10 gal x3 =30 gal. 5ml x 3 = 15ml per 30 gallons.

 

[CezzaXV]

There's a calculator at the top of this forum for how much ammonia to use. You can't rely on drops because whatever you use will have different sized drops to everything else.

I would say though that if you're only having a betta in here and nothing else that you probably don't need to be cycling to 4ppm. I suspect 2ppm would be overkill. Do you have a friend you could take some mature media from? A single betta wouldn't produce an awful lot of waste and you could probably skip the cycling process completely if you had some mature media.

 

[smartdev]

I always had trouble keeping betta's when I first started out. My reason I think was the case was because of the tank size. A tip get yourself a second hand heater and thermometer to raise the temperature of the water you are going to add to the tank when cycling to exactly the same as in the tank, as the less water the more easy it will be for the temperate to fluctuate;

 

[omega59]

smartdev for a 5gal tank what is the required heater wattage? i know a 30-40gal requires atleast 150watt, does a 5gall work well with a 10-15watt heater?

 

[danele]

You need a 25watt heater, i rang fluval when i got my chi and they said 1watt per 1litre. I cant help you with the ammonia question as i used fish food (which wasnt a good idea)
Have you got the lid? If not get one, helps with evaporation and stops your betta from jumping out.
I used media and it only took 8 days to cycle.

 

[alstermania]

You need a 25watt heater, i rang fluval when i got my chi and they said 1watt per 1litre. I cant help you with the ammonia question as i used fish food (which wasnt a good idea)
Have you got the lid? If not get one, helps with evaporation and stops your betta from jumping out.
I used media and it only took 8 days to cycle.

Thanks for the replies!I was wondering though if anyone every used a product can quick start to "speed-up" the nitrogen cycle sucessfully?

 

[danele]

There is a media donor list on this forum, that would be your quickest option. Or do you know anyone with a running tank?
Not tried quick start products but you wont come accross many people suggesting to use them.

 

[alstermania]

There is a media donor list on this forum, that would be your quickest option. Or do you know anyone with a running tank?
Not tried quick start products but you wont come accross many people suggesting to use them.

I have another aquarium with a totally different filter model.Should I just cut a piece of my older carbon media and place it in my Fluval?

 

[McCool]

There is a media donor list on this forum, that would be your quickest option. Or do you know anyone with a running tank?
Not tried quick start products but you wont come accross many people suggesting to use them.

I have another aquarium with a totally different filter model.Should I just cut a piece of my older carbon media and place it in my Fluval?

That's what I did with my Chi. I took two mature filter pads from 55gal and just stuffed them into the tank, and the next day the tank was ready!

 

[danele]

You can do that, or what im doing with my tank is washing the filter from my tank in the new one

 

[pablothebetta]

If you took some of the media from your other tank and put it in this one (if you had enough to spare) then you'll be ready to add fish - your bacteria colony will be there. Remember to use dechlorinator in the tank water though - we wouldn't want any dying

If you aren't able to donate enough media to fill it (I'm not sure what the media compartment in the chi is like), you could just put as much as you could manage in there - it'd still help. If you aren't able to put any media into the chi's media compartment in the filter, I think I once saw something where the tank owner put media in lyrica socks/tights (that sort of thing) just in the tank while cycling (maybe place it near the part of the filter where the water flows in if you did this?) It helped to introduce bacteria onto the new media and sped up the cycle from what I remember

 

[alstermania]

So I purchased substrate for planted aquariums,plants,and some freeze-dried bloodworms.I already have water conditioner and test kits from my 30 gallon angelfish tank.I was wondering if I needed anything else.Also, with carbon filter media won't exactly fit into the Chi.Would it be safe to cut the carbon media in half and place it in the Chi's media compartment?

 

[danele]

Freeze dried bloodworms are great as a treat, but you will need betta pellets or flakes for their everyday food.

 

[alstermania]

I'll be sure to get betta flakes too, I know bettas love variety.Once the tank is setup and cycled, I will post pictures on these forums!Thank you!!!!