Setting Up A New Tank - Advice Needed

[pablothebetta]

I'm buying my bettas new 7.4 gallon today, and I just wanted to see if I was setting things up right.

I plan on having a couple of kgs of sand and some silk plants. I plan to thoughraly wash out the sand using buckets/hose, then place it in the tank. When it comes to water, I was thinking of putting some of the filter sponge from my Biorb (my bettas current tank) in with the new filter sponge for the new filter to kick start the bacteria colony and possibly some of the biorb ceramic media too. I've got a bottle of bacteria boosting stuff that I was also going to put in there. Don't worry, I'll condition the water too.

My question is when I can add my fish (I may be getting some shrimp too, when should these be added?). Obviously, there will already be a bacteria colony growing in there from the bacteria booster & biorb media, so will it be safe for him after just a few days or so to let the bacteria grow a little more and allow the tank to settle down? I don't want any ammonia spikes etc, but equally I don't have the money at the moment to buy a proper testing kit (about £30, or just short of $50, from what I've seen).

Thanks.

 

[Noahs ark6]

i use tetra 6 in 1 test strips, yes, people will say there unrealiable, but there only £6-8 and ok for what u need. What i would do is set up the tank like you said, and over a few days keep checking the parameters, if there stable and in good condition it will be fine to put fish in.

 

[KISSfn]

Let your LFS test the water.

 

[pablothebetta]

Had never thought of asking my lfs - they do it for £1. Think I'd be alright to set it up as above, then go back in a couple of days to see if the levels are alright? Should I be aiming for 0, 0 and less than 40 for for readings of ammonia, nitrate and nitrite (sorry, don't know which way around the latter two go). What sort of levels would be acceptable to start adding my fish/shrimp? Thanks for all the advice

 

[KISSfn]

They test for free here! Zeroes for Ammonia and Nitrite. Nitrates are said to be more tolerable but the lower the better. Mine were 40 yesterday. Your setup and waiting a few days sounds good. I hear shrimp are less tolerant of less than perfect water compared to fish.

 

[pablothebetta]

Would it be a good idea to add the shrimp before my betta to reduce the risk of conflict?

 

[KISSfn]

In theory they are compatible. Make sure the water parameters are perfect for the shrimp and give him good places to hide. Glad I could try to help.

 

[pablothebetta]

I bought the tank today and got it all set up, it's currently sat with the (quite noisy) filter on settling down. Would you recommend I added some fish food tomorrow for some ammonia, or should I just leave it until I get some water tested in a few days?

 

[KISSfn]

Add some now. Gotta feed your mature media or it will die.

 

[KISSfn]

Why not transfer all your mature media and fish. This is your betta's new home right?

 

[pablothebetta]

I Have put a pinch of some half sinking/floating food in (not my bettas food), sound ok?

 

[KISSfn]

I thought this tank was for a new fish, sorry! Transfer your fish and all mature media.

 

[pablothebetta]

Didn't see your last post there. Good point actually. Only thing is that his old home (which he's in atm) is a biorb, so the sponge doesn't fit into the filter exactly. One question though, when you replace the filter sponge on a filter, does that mean you lose all your benefitial bacteria? I've had tanks for a few years now, but the ideas never struck me before.

Adding to the previous post, part of the biorb filtration is the ceramic media, whereas in the filter my tank has come with, there's only one compartment where there is a sponge. Are you saying that if I transfer my whole filter sponge, I'll be able to put my betta into the tank?

 

[Noahs ark6]

You won't need to replace the sponge (unless its falling apart). IF you do need to replace, you can cut in half, put one half of the new spong with one half of the old one, wait a few months and then replace the old, old, sponge with the other half of the new sponge

 

[pablothebetta]

Thanks for that confirmation, Noah. I can't understand why it's never struck me before. If sponges never need replacing, why do companies such as BiOrb say to replace them every so often?