Fishless cycle

Hi everyone,

So I read the article on the fishless cycle but unfortunately I am a complete idiot and I don't exactly understand it all in like a followable way. I'm trying to set up my 2.5 gal tank (Please don't give me crap about it, it's the best I can afford right now. My family is SUPER tight on $$$) for my 3rd and final betta fish. Here's what I have from my previous experiences with Bettas:
-2.5gal tank
-1gal tank
-Marina heater
-AQUA Expert aquarium air pump 600
-Seachem Prime (water conditioner)
-Betta Bits(betta food)
-castle decor
I also have 2 fake plants but I'm going to leave them out because my 2 previous bettas never used them and I've heard they rip fins And I don't want that to happen. When I get a job I'll get real plants or silk ones and then hopefully a bigger tank. So my question is can anybody post like step by step instructions on how to do a fishless cycle? Kinda in a school project format with mostly exact measurements? I know it's a chore but It's kinda how I can set things up the best and I'm trying to at least keep this 3rd betta alive and happy longer than the other 2. Anything is appreciated. Right now the tank is sitting on my desk away from sunlight, no lid(doesn't have one), and completely empty of water. I also cleaned it today to get rid of anything the last dead one had. I'm not planning to get the 3rd betta until I'm positive the tank is ready.

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Oh and how often does the cycle need to be done and how can I maintain the water condition to stay where it's at for mr Betta?

Hello AerBear2,

If you want my honest opinion, I have to say that your 2.5 gallon tank is too small and unsuitable for any fish.

The minimal recommended fish tank size is 5 gallon in order to have stable water conditions, as well as to have the room to install proper equipments. So you are on a tight budget, but a 5 gallon tank only cost about $11 in most shops I have seen. A 10 gallon goes for only $14 here.

The basic set up for a proper betta aquarium should be:
1. A 5 to 10 gallon fish tank,
2. An adjustable heater
3. An aquarium filter
4. A thermometer
5. Water conditioner
6. Fish food.

Everything else is optional.

I have noticed you did not mention a filter in your post. It is the next most important thing aside the fish tank itself.
No filter = no aquarium nitrogen cycle, and the ammonia produced by the fish will not go anywhere if there is no nitrogen cycle going on in your fish tank. It will kill the fish for sure just the matter of time.

You also do not need the air pump. Betta has the labyrinth organ, which allow them to breath directly from the air.

Please reconsider your plan if you truly care about the well being of your next betta.
Once you have all the proper setup, then you can do a fishless cycle. Without a proper setup (no filter, too small of a tank), it will be quite impossible to cycle the tank for the fish.

Sorry I have to mention it too. We only want to give you the best advices. The 2.5 gallon tank is indeed too small to be safe for fish keeping. You can't maintain water conditions at stable levels in a tank that is too small. You may want to check out our article on fish tank size requirements. http://petskeepersguide.com/fish-tank-size-requirement
It is the very first step to get things right.

As for the time required to cycle a new aquarium, it is usually 6~8 weeks if without heavy bacteria seeding. The article on the fishless cycling should have explained it.

wow thanks for your honesty. I just went out and bought a filter with a carbon component. I also want to get better decorations than what I have which is a measly little castle. I'm going to buy a better "home" and some silk/live plants with the $$$ I've saved up. Should I put those in first before cycling the tank or during?

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I also looked at 5gal and 10gal tanks... ranged from $30-$60.. If you know of any shops that are nationwide that sell them for cheaper let me know please!

You are welcome.

Walmart sells 10 gallon tank for $14 the last time I checked. Pet Supplies Plus had the same price. I am sure PetSmart and Petco's prices must be close. Do not buy the package deal. I was talking about the bare tank.

What filter did you just get? Activated carbon isn't really needed. I removed my carbon pads from my canister filter a long time ago, and added more filter media into it for more biological filtration.

Yes, you can cycle with everything set up including the real/fake plants. I cycled my aquarium with full tank of real plants.
The most important thing to set up before cycling is the filter. It must run 24/7.

Good luck!

yaaaay! I'm getting there! I got a Penn Plax Smallworld Filter. The lady at Pet House said it would work best.

I'm also debating a bristlenose pleco for my betta because my grandfather won't stop insisting the betta gets lonely(he was thinking neon tetras but I've done enough research to know they could nip at mr betta's fins!). Yay nay? Or do i have to tell gramps that it's not happening?

Bristlenose pleco will reach the size of 4~5" long. Even a 10 gallon tank is not recommended for them.

Betta fish will not get lonely. In their natural habitat, their are loners.
You are right, it is not recommended to have middle level swimmers in the same tank as betta. Either betta will be aggressive to them, or they will nip at betta's long fin.

If you absolutely have to get a tank mate for your betta, I recommended zebra nerite snails. No more than 2~3 in a 10 gallon tank along side of the betta fish.

For now, you should focus on getting the tank set up and have it cycled properly. It will take many weeks to cycle the tank, and you will have plenty of time to think about what fish to put in there. In case you change your mind on getting a betta fish, please let us know.

well thanks for the good argument on the 'betta fish don't get lonely' Maybe it'll convince old gramps. and ya I should focus on the cycle my mind just gets excited

I am curious.

How do you plan to do your fishless cycling? Do you have a water test kit? Do you have a source of ammonia to use? The aquarium nitrogen cycle article has explained it all if you need to find the right products to use.

Yes I am trying to find the article. I let my mother use my computer and the article was in a tab and then she shut down my ENTIRE browser -__- so I'm searching for it through my history. I'm going to look through the article and see if I can find the suggested items and see if I can understand it more (Not the smartest science person).

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I FOUND IT!!!!!!!! Yay happy days!

The article is quite technical. It can be confusing for a lot of people who have never heard of aquarium nitrogen cycle.

If you have a problem to understand something in the article or have any question in general, do not hesitate to ask. This is why we made the forum.

Your 2.5 gallon tank is too small for a Betta fish let alone for a Betta fish and a Bristlenose Pleco. I would recommend either setting up a cherry shrimp aquarium, or trying and save up your money and get the proper equipment for setting up a betta aquarium. Best of luck.

(08-20-2013 09:13 AM)cpwebsite Wrote:  Your 2.5 gallon tank is too small for a Betta fish let alone for a Betta fish and a Bristlenose Pleco. I would recommend either setting up a cherry shrimp aquarium, or trying and save up your money and get the proper equipment for setting up a betta aquarium. Best of luck.

I would not even recommend it as a shrimp tank. Red cherry shrimps require stable water conditions too, and they are more sensitive than many fish species to the sudden changes in the environment. A 2.5 gallon tank is too small to have a proper filter and heater, the remaining room is too tiny to have enough water for stable conditions. I wouldn't have a shrimp tank of less than 5 gallon, and that is the minimal size. A 10 gallon is recommended.