Question about 2.5 Gal cycling

[MeganL3985]

So when I get the 2.5 gal for my betta, do you cycle those like you do the other tanks? I read about fishless cycling and the ammonia dosing. But for a 2.5 gal and the fact that I already have the fish, do you think Biospira would be a better option? Also two questions about the Biospira.....does Petsmart carry this stuff, cause i've never noticed a refridgerated section in there? Also, what would be the dosing (?) for the 2.5? I dont even know what it looks like or how to use it. Help, thanks! lol

[cocoa_pleco]

if the 2.5g has a filter, you need to cycle. bio-spira is good, but pure ammonia can be used. if you have no filter on it, dont cycle the tank since its useless for 100% weekly water changes

[zackish]

Because that is so small and you only have 1 betta in there. I would just fill it and put your fish in there and do a weekly water change. Just feed it really little amounts so the excess food doesn't build up. The waste from a betta in a week I don't think will even build up close to toxic levels of water parameters. I am assuming you don't have a filter either so even when bacteria does form it is going to be very small colonies.

[MeganL3985]

I don't have a filter right now, since he's in a 1 gal temporary bowl, but the 2.5 i'm waiting to be delivered does have a filter. I didnt know whether or not cycling was necessary for a small tank with 1 betta, but I figured I would ask before I decided on or against anything.

[zackish]

I know cocoa said if you do have a filter then cycle it but I think just putting the fish in right away would be fine like I said. As long as you feed it very little each feeding the waste that will build up is going to be so slow that the bacteria is going to be able to keep up with it.

[cocoa_pleco]

when i had my hagen 2.5g with a top HOB filter i plopped in my betta immediately. he lived in there for almost a year with no water changes. i moved him into his own 5.5g but he died from old age within a month in there.

[RobbieG]

Ask the person that gets the fish for the biospira - they usually have live/frozen foods and such in a plain looking refrigerator - although some have a little ice cream type freezer.

The dosing should be on the package with increments of 10 gallons - use 1/4 of that - it doesn't much matter if you use a little too much you aren't going to OD your fish or anything - its not a chemical.

I would set the tank up, add the biospira, and leave it run for a day or so to make sure everything works/there is no leaks. Then in with Puffin to his new home. Keep an eye on the ammonia etc. and change some water as needed.

You can also rub some of the slime form your 5 Gallon filter onto the new filter to help get it going.

[SkarloeysMom]

I have a 5g and 2.5g Mini Bow with the same exact filter so I just put the filter from my 5g in my 2.5 and ran it for a while. I'm not sure if that was enough to cycle it or that plus the fact that our tap water has .50ppm of ammonia in it helped cycle it so quick. It took only 3 days! I was totally shocked. (had a test it again to make sure) I guess because it was such a small amount of water and my 5g filter had a nice little colony of bacteria on it.

I don't remember how long you've had your 5g running but if its been running a while and your filters are the same you could try this method.

[MeganL3985]

I never got the 5 gal, I was going to but didn't have enough room. So I ordered the 2.5 mini bow instead. It hasn't got here quite yet. I think i'm going to just try and scrape off some slime on my 5 gal. filter and see if that works (only if I can't find any biospira at petsmart). I think I am going to go ahead and cycle the 2.5....even though its small and only housing one fish, I want to do it right. I didnt cycle my 5 gal when I bought it and stocked it, cause I had no idea there was anything such as cycling until I came here. Again, I think I just want to do it right this time.

[RobbieG]

Do you mean a fishless cycle?

[MeganL3985]

Yep, fishless.

[RobbieG]

Thats great - keep us posted!

[MeganL3985]

Sure will :) My husbands friend Ben's wife works at Petsmart, i'm gonna have him get ahold of her and find out if they have Biospira before I go out. Hopefully the tank will get here in the next few days.

[RobbieG]

Just make sure you don't get a product called cycle - its expensive and doesn't do much of anything.

[MeganL3985]

Yeah def. won't be getting any of that junk. lol :)