10 gal. tank

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Katome556

Large Fish
#1
Oct 16, 2006
365
0
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33
Russell,Kansas
#1
I got a ten gallon tank from a friend about a month ago and i was thinking of makeing it active,i was wondering will i have to cycle it and what else would i have to do for a old,used ten gal tank.*besides buying a heater,filter,plants,hideing spots,other misc items and cover wich was not inculded when i got it.*

it will only have 3-4 *also tell me if this many bettas is to much for a ten gal*bettas in it *divided* and maybe a cory or oto.

can anyone help me with this?
 

MissFishy

MissFishy

Superstar Fish
#2
Aug 10, 2006
2,237
5
0
Michigan
#2
First thing you need to do is read the stickies at the top of the beginners forum. That will give you information on cycling a tank. You can only keep 1 betta per tank unless you plan to put in non-see-through dividers in the tank. Bettas are good jumpers, so you'd need to make it pretty high too. I would suggest just getting 1 betta and 3 cory cats (they like friends). *AFTER cycling it of course! You might even be able to add a couple other easy going fish to this set up. But don't just go out and buy the fish and add them, make sure you read up on cycling it, otherwise the fish will suffer and die.
 

CAPSLOCK

CAPSLOCK

Elite Fish
#4
Jul 19, 2004
3,682
33
48
39
Cape Cod
#4
If you're going to use dividers, then there really wouldn't be enough room for cories. You could probably still have an oto, and just switch him between the sections occasionally to keep them all clean. Hold off on him until you've got algae for him to eat, and add him last because they're a lot more sensitive to the water conditions.

Which part of cycling don't you understand?
 

MissFishy

MissFishy

Superstar Fish
#5
Aug 10, 2006
2,237
5
0
Michigan
#5
Basically...Fish poop in the water, which creates ammonia. Ammonia is toxic to fish, so if the ammonia stays in the water, it's like the fish are just swimming in their own poo. To get rid of the ammonia, bacteria called "Nitrites" will grow and start eating it. Nitrites are also toxic to fish, so to eat the Nitrites, you need a bacteria called "Nitrates." Nitrates eat the Nitrites. It takes about a month for all of this bacteria to grow, that is called "cycling your tank." It is a lot easier to do this without fish by just adding some ammonia from the grocery store (just make sure it has no color, soap, fragrances in it!). The instructions for how to "fishlessly cycle" a tank are in the stickies. Ask any specific questions on what you don't understand, we're here to help. :)
 

Breene

Breene

Large Fish
#6
Aug 1, 2006
297
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Ohio
#6
Yea like missfishy said cycling is simply building up benificial bacteria that will turn the fish waste into a less harmfull substance. But since this sumbstance can still be harmfull if it builds up too much you do small weekly water changes to keep it low.

To cycle your tank go to a grocery store and look for CLEAR or PURE ammonia in a bottle. Its a household cleaner so it should be in that isle. You add tiny ammounts every day or two for food for the bacteria. If you dont add ammonia they will have nothing to eat and wont build up. If you dont want to buy a test kit you will have to wait a week or two longer just to make sure its cycled, but if you do buy a test kit you can figure out when the tank is cycled by seeing if the bacteria are eating the ammonia and turning it into the other chemicals.
 

geekrockgirl85

geekrockgirl85

Large Fish
#8
Sep 16, 2005
276
0
0
#8
Katome556 said:
may i ask one thing why do you need to cycle big tanks and not smaller ones like 1 gal.s and 1.5 and such?
Click to expand...
uhm... where did you hear that?

:eek:

ideally, a tank should be cycled before adding fish, no matter the size.


as to your original question... if you're going to be putting bettas in there with a divider.. i would say probably no more than two. and each of them could have an oto friend. dividing the tank up any smaller may be problematic.

also, if you cannot find opaque dividers to hide the bettas from each other, they will be constantly flaring at each other and become stressed. so in that case, a different idea (like a small community) may suit your tank better.

i am glad you are doing research and asking questions before you jump in headfirst. welcome to the tank! :)
 

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K

Katome556

Large Fish
#9
Oct 16, 2006
365
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33
Russell,Kansas
#9
o_O yo mean you have to cycle smaller ones o.o no one ever told me you have to ;_; the pet store lady that sold me my betta said 1-2 gallon tank with ... i forget what it's called to make the water safe for the fish, let it sit for 24-48 hours then let the fish set and such in the bag till i agusts and slowly add water in till you know it's about 75-80% of the tank/bowl's water in it then releash the fish.

Edit: i'm makeing home made divders so the betta's can't jump if i get them, and they won't be able to see hide nor hair of each other.
 

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Katome556

Large Fish
#11
Oct 16, 2006
365
0
0
33
Russell,Kansas
#11
we'll i've had a Betta in a 1.5 gallon for 1 month now with no signs of ammonia, or anything else that would harm her, i do twice weeky water changes for her and she hates betta pelets for some reason and only eats flakes,peas and i need to buy her some blood worms.

but i forgot to add i was planing to buy a betta thats why the water i had set for 24-48 hours i was gonna buy her after i read more about her and my grandma desided to surprise after 48 hours of haveing water sitting in the tank x.x i was so unprepared.
 

geekrockgirl85

geekrockgirl85

Large Fish
#12
Sep 16, 2005
276
0
0
#12
smaller tanks cycle more quickly, so some people assume that the shorter duration means it is safe for the fish... but it still exposes them to toxic ammonia and nitrite levels. they may survive this, but in the future, fishless cycling is far less stressful on the fish and you. :)
 

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