# Water change in new 2.5 gal tank?



## kumi (Apr 23, 2011)

Hi, guys. Thank you for all of the wonderful information on this site. I, uh, of course, wish I had read it all before making a (very untypical for me) spur of the moment purchase, but I am sure that Kenpachi is happy to be out of the pet store!

Kenpachi is in a 2.5 mini bow aquarium with a heater, thermometer, a whisper 3i filter, a 10 watt fluorescent light (changed out the incandescent), gravel, hiding places, and 4 or so live plants. I've seen information about eventual water change (in the range of 25% twice a week or 50% once a week?) but what should I expect for the first month or so? I will keep an eye on the ammonia levels in any case, but would like some idea.

There's seems to be some disagreement about whether a 2.5 gallon tank will cycle and reach a nice balanced state (causing Kenpachi and owner less stress), but I'm hoping that with the filter and live plants, it will. What do you think?

Thank you!
Kumi


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## gbose (Dec 2, 2010)

kumi said:


> Hi, guys. Thank you for all of the wonderful information on this site. I, uh, of course, wish I had read it all before making a (very untypical for me) spur of the moment purchase, but I am sure that Kenpachi is happy to be out of the pet store!
> 
> Kenpachi is in a 2.5 mini bow aquarium with a heater, thermometer, a whisper 3i filter, a 10 watt fluorescent light (changed out the incandescent), gravel, hiding places, and 4 or so live plants. I've seen information about eventual water change (in the range of 25% twice a week or 50% once a week?) but what should I expect for the first month or so? I will keep an eye on the ammonia levels in any case, but would like some idea.
> 
> ...


Kumi,

I believe a 2.5G will cycle, though its cycle is more delicate than a larger tank. I suggest initially you change 25% of the water 3-4 times a week. As your tank cycles, you can reduce to 50% once a week.

Your tank sounds great!

Good luck,

GB


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

Welcome to the wonderful world of bettas & to the forum!!! 

Personally, I do 50% PLUS water changes twice a week even on my cycled 5 gal. tanks - if that helps at all. I do the same on my 2 gal. bowls (heated & filtered with small internal filters) and all is well. So I believe water changes/tank cleanings along those lines would work well for you also.


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## BluInk (Mar 14, 2011)

kumi said:


> Hi, guys. Thank you for all of the wonderful information on this site. I, uh, of course, wish I had read it all before making a (very untypical for me) spur of the moment purchase, but I am sure that Kenpachi is happy to be out of the pet store!
> 
> Kenpachi is in a 2.5 mini bow aquarium with a heater, thermometer, a whisper 3i filter, a 10 watt fluorescent light (changed out the incandescent), gravel, hiding places, and 4 or so live plants. I've seen information about eventual water change (in the range of 25% twice a week or 50% once a week?) but what should I expect for the first month or so? I will keep an eye on the ammonia levels in any case, but would like some idea.
> 
> ...


Hi Kumi, As stated in another thread, I have two Mini Bow 2.5g tanks, set up similarly to yours. One has cycled and the other is in the nitrite phase (fishless cycle). I'm doing once-a-week 50% water change in the cycled tank and my little guy is extremely happy/active, ammonia & nitrite @ zero and nitrate within safe level or zero. I've added additional media to my filter to promote more beneficial bacteria and actually considering adding a 2nd water change because I can't believe how lucky I am to have gotten my tank to cycle so easily on the first try and don't want to lose it.


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## kumi (Apr 23, 2011)

I was hoping that you would find this question as well! Thank you. As you might be able to tell from my original post, all of this started because I wandered into a pet store when I had an hour before I had to do something else. I did not cycle the tank beforehand. From having fish before, I had vague recollections of stressful beginnings, but didn't remember the details. However, I once had to bring a bunch of pond goldfish inside in an emergency and managed to get them all through it, so I figured I would be able to do it with one Betta. I certainly would have gone about it differently if I had remembered everything and/or read the information on this site first. All seems to be going well, however. Kenpachi is seems quite happy and healthy. I'm in the middle of finishing end of term projects for some courses I'm taking, so for the time being I'm just doing the every other day water changes suggested by another poster with minimal testing--it's faster to just change the water. When things settle down in a week or so, I'll start doing more testing and trying to figure out where the tank is in terms of getting it cycled.

I'm happy to hear how well your tanks are doing! It gives me hope even though I didn't go about it in the right order. Is one that you are cycling now also going to be home to a betta?

Kami


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## BluInk (Mar 14, 2011)

I also did not start off very well-informed and not fully appreciating the care that needed to be taken when keeping bettas. Coco started off in a 2g unfiltered bowl and I was not doing water changes as frequently as I should have. Once I started learning how to properly care for him, I wanted to get him in a filtered tank as soon as possible as he was already showing signs of stress, so I didn't have time to cycle it properly (at that point I didn't even fully understand how to cycle anyway, but I wanted him out of the bowl, so I transitioned him to the tank).

It sounds like you have a good plan and you're going in the right direction with you water changes until you have the opportunity to sit down and devote some quality time to your tank.

Yes, my second tank will also be devoted to a betta, but I'm taking my time with this one. Good luck!


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