# New Tank for Captain Kaida



## fishfreak86 (Apr 2, 2016)

Hi everyone 

I've been using aquarium related forums for a while but until recently I hadn't posted anything. I've been a hobbyist on and off for about 10 years.

Anyway I have a beautiful male betta called Captain Kaida (little dragon) 
I've had him in my 64l planted tank for a couple of months now. 



















When I got him he had a small tear in his tail fin and very pale almost clear edges to all his fins, He also paces the tank none stop. 
Since then it's got worse. The tear is the full length of his tail he also has at least 3 more.
I treated the tank for fin rot with esha 2000 last week (I'm not sure if it's to early to tell but no changes yet still has pale edges and torn fins). I have redwood roots and dragon stones in my tank and I'm worried he has tore himself on them while pacing. I'm also worried the pacing will slow down recovery of his torn fins, vigorous movement? 

Parameters in planted tank; 

pH - 7-7.2
Ammonia - 0ppm 
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 10ppm

I've decided to setup a small 12l tank I have just for him and my rabbit snail bunny for company. I bought a dennerle nano corner eckfilter for it. 
I'm trying a fishless cycle for the first time. I bought kleen-off ammonia multipurpose household clear for the job (I read a few forums about it and it seems to be safe for the aquarium).









I couldn't wait for my gravel to arrive (I'm like a big kid) it will be here in 3 days I'm hoping it won't effect the cycle too much adding it later?

So I set it up a few hours ago. I used fluval water conditioner, api quick start and I seeded the filter with a little bit of filter sponge I cut off from my cycled tank.
I added 1/4ml of kleen-off and left it to run for an hour.
I then tested it.
parameters -

pH - 8.4 
Ammonia 4-6ppm 
Temp 30°c 

I then freaked out a bit about how high they were. Optimum pH for nitrifying bacteria is between 7.2 - 8 (fishless cycle forums) and ammonia no more than 3- 5ppm also a temp of 30°c is recommended.
I then decide to do a partial water change which brought the ammonia down to 3-4ppm. For the pH I added a cappata log and a peat/clay ball.
After an hour I retested the tank the parameters are -

PH - 8.2
Ammonia 2-4ppm

I'm hoping the pH will keep dropping. I will retest everything tomorrow.
If I can keep the optimum conditions it shouldn't take too long to cycle hopefully. Unfortunately the nitrifying bacteria are slow growing only doubling every 24 hours. 
Any ideas how long it might take? 

I really want to quarantine Kaida as soon as possible and possibly treat him with esha 2000 again. 

If you made it to the end thank you for pushing through my ramblings and I will update with parameters and any developments as I go.

Thanks for reading


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## fishfreak86 (Apr 2, 2016)

Update 










So the day after I set it up I tore it down and started again. My plan to lower the pH worked to well and it was down to 6.8 which is pretty close to stalling the bacterias grow I'm sure. 
I started again 
I tested my tap water the parameters are 

pH - 6.9 (api master test kit it was between 6.8-7) 
Ammonia - 0ppm

I've set the temperature at 30°c for the cycle. I added 6 drops f ammonia which changed the parameters to 

pH - 8.2 
Ammonia - 3-4ppm 


Yesterday I retested around the same time as the day before the parameters were 

pH - 7.8
Ammonia - 2ppm 

I added 2 drops of ammonia which brought the ammonia level back to 3-4ppm I didn't test ph and the temperature has been steady at 30°c 

Tonight when I came in I retested my parameters. The temperature is still 30°c 

pH - 7.4
Ammonia - under 2ppm but still to dark to be 1ppm 

I topped up the ammonia with 2 drops again, it was between 3-4ppm but closer to 3ppm and the pH was up to 7.8

My gravel still hasn't arrived, I'm hoping it will be here tomorrow. Once it's here and added I have a coconut hide for him, it has no husk left I've had it for a while so it shouldn't alter the pH. 
Once the tank is cycled I'm going to add some live plants from my other tank as well to make it a bit more interesting for him.
Kaida's fins are getting worse and he never stops pacing. I really want this tank cycled asap 

























Sorry they are blurry he's pretty quick 

Thanks for any feedback or advice


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## fishfreak86 (Apr 2, 2016)

I should have mentioned when I started this journal that this won't be his permanent home, it's a bit small.
Once he has healed I'm hoping to put him back in my 64l planted tank and just keep an eye on him. 
If his fins tear again I'll keep him in the small tank until I can buy and cycle a 5g cube tank for him.
Will that be big enough as a permanent home for him, I don't have space for anything much bigger? 

I checked the parameters earlier, it was pretty similar to yesterday. I added 2 drops of ammonia to the tank bringing the ammonia back up to 3-4ppm 
I think I'm going to leave it a couple of days before I retest it to see a bigger drop. The colours are so similar it's hard to decide.

Also my gravel finally arrived so it's been boiled and rinsed along with the coconut cave which will have java moss attached to it once the tanks cycled. 
The good news is Kaida is still eating fine and herding everyone around even with his torn fins. I just wish he would chill out a bit all that pacing can't be good for his fins 🐠


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