# 5 Gallon Cleaning



## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

As some of you may have seen on my other post, I'm upgrading from a .96 gallon tank to a 5 gallon tank.

With the .96gal one, I usually take the Betta out (and put him in the cup he was purchased in), and then completely empty the tank. I scrub it (without soap), rinse it, pour new water in, put drops in to take away chlorine, and then I let the Betta sit on top of the water for fifteen minutes to get used to the temperature. As for the gravel, I take it out and rinse it in hot water.

With my tank, I'll have a power filter. I'm completely in the dark about how to clean the new tank, with this filter. How often do I do it? Do I continue doing complete water changes? Please walk me through this! Thank you so much!

Here's the tank I'll be purchasing:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hawkeye-5-gal-Tank-Aquarium/14660258


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## Canuck Fins (Oct 5, 2010)

That is a great tank. Are you planning to cycle your tank? Are you putting in any live plants or just silk ones?


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

I think to start with I'll just have silk plants. I'd like to adjust to the bigger tank before learning how to have live plants. 

As for cycling my tank, I don't really know how to do that. I've read things about it, but they all implied using an already cycled tank. Since I don't have an aquarium with a filter already, I just kind of skipped that concept.


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## Canuck Fins (Oct 5, 2010)

I know someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but on a 5G/non-cycled, you need to do two water changes a week - one 50% and one full - and one of them should involve vacuuming the gravel.


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

Congrats on your upgrade, I'm sure your fish will love it! As long as you have a filter your tank will basically do a fish-in cycle on its own. Until it's cycled (about 1-2 months, but it's a good idea to buy a test kit so you know for sure), do two 50% water changes per week. Use a gravel vacuum (they are inexpensive, found in the fish section at the pet store) just to siphon out half the water for one water change, and actually use it to vacuum the gravel as well as siphoning out 50% of the water for your other water change. That's all you really need to do.  Once it's cycled you can do one 50% water change + gravel vacuuming per week. 

Something that I like to do with filter cartridges that are the kind with carbon: cut them open and pour out the charcoal, then stuff the empty cartridge full of aquarium sponge. This provides a great place for the nitrifying bacteria to grow, and you don't have to change your cartridges every two weeks if you get rid of the charcoal (just swish it around in the bucket of old tank water once it starts to get too full of gunk). You can use the cartridges as is if you want, but if you keep the carbon in-tact you'll need to replace the cartridges often (as often as the directions say).


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

Is there anything I can do that would enable me to go longer without water changes? Plants, equipment, etc? I'm not just being lazy, I promise. haha I just want to know what wil cause the least amount of stress for my Betta.

Also, is it true that 5 gallons is too small for even TWO fish?


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

As your tank is cycling nitrites will build and it is imperative that you do a couple changes per week in order to keep them in check. Once the tank is finished cycling, ammonia will build if you do anything less than a weekly water change. If you add a lot of plants you MIGHT be able to get away with changing less water, but you still have to change it weekly; a five gallon is very spacious for a betta, but it's still not a _huge_ tank. Weekly and even twice weekly water changes shouldn't be too stressful on your fish as long as you make sure the new water is conditioned, and the same temperature as the water in the tank. Clean, warm water is the most important thing to ensure a healthy betta.

When you ask if a five gallon is too small for two fish, do you mean dividing it and putting in two bettas? Both would have 2.5 gallons, which is perfectly fine. If you mean another species, the smallest betta-compatible fish are schooling fish, and the number you would need for them to be happy would overstock your tank. The smallest tank for a betta to share with another species of fish is ten gallons. You could add shrimp and/or a snail though.


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

Not even algae eaters would get along with a Betta? Such as: Hifin Spotted Pleco, Plecostomus, or Otocinclus?


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## Canuck Fins (Oct 5, 2010)

A cycled tank with live plants requires less changes. The cycle provides bacteria which convert ammonia to nitrites to nitrates. The plants can use ammonia as well.

A 5G could house 2 bettas technically (2.5 gallons per fish), but you would need to divide it so they could not see each other. I love my 5G with one fish because it's a great amount of space for my very active Ninja.


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

etanico said:


> Not even algae eaters would get along with a Betta? Such as: Hifin Spotted Pleco, Plecostomus, or Otocinclus?


Those fish are generally compatable with bettas, but only in a much larger tank.


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

So what I basically need to know is....
Without cycling, and without live plants: 2 water changes (1 50%, 1 full) per week.
With cycling and live plants: one full per week?

No other fish will fit in this tank, aside from a snail or ghost shrimp.


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## Canuck Fins (Oct 5, 2010)

etanico said:


> With cycling and live plants: one full per week?


You never do a 100% water change in a cycled tank. It's only a partial in a cycled tank; you don't want to lose all the bacteria that is clinging to the surfaces within the tank. In my 5G/cycled/planted tank, I do about 30% every 5 days. I don't know if I could go longer between changes (like once a week). This is what is working for me and my water parameters are steady.

It's a good idea to have a liquid test kit for checking your water, especially if you plan to cycle. The liquid test kits are more accurate than strips; the API master kit is a favoured one. 

As well, consider the food. Pellets tend to float and be cleaner than flakes. Flakes will sink and are messier as far as keeping the tank clean.


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

So how does this list for Petsmart look?
-Gravel vacuum
-Ghost shrimp
-2 live plants?
-1 silk plant
-1 heater
-1 thermometer
-5lb aquarium gravel


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## Canuck Fins (Oct 5, 2010)

Looks good although I'd also add water conditioner. Prime is the one that many of us use; it's a bit more concentrated so although it costs a bit more than some brands, you use less at a time.


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

Well right now I use BettaSafe water conditioner. I also use TopFin pellets for food.

Do you know of any quality discount stores online that might sell more decor for the tank?

ALSO! Would Moneywort be an okay plant to put in various places around the tank?


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

I own three of the Hawkeye 5 gal. tanks & they are GREAT, IMO!! 

You NEVER, EVER do 100% changes on a filtered tank. I do two 50% changes a week on mine, but many others only do one 50% a week once the tank is cycled - approx. 8 weeks, I believe.

Also, Prime is the best conditioner, IMO/E - just 2 drops per gal. & it takes care of all KINDS of stuff!


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

Lion Mom said:


> I own three of the Hawkeye 5 gal. tanks & they are GREAT, IMO!!
> 
> You NEVER, EVER do 100% changes on a filtered tank. I do two 50% changes a week on mine, but many others only do one 50% a week once the tank is cycled - approx. 8 weeks, I believe.
> 
> Also, Prime is the best conditioner, IMO/E - just 2 drops per gal. & it takes care of all KINDS of stuff!


Awesome!!
How's your tank stocked? Feel free to PM me.


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## russalka (Mar 23, 2011)

For plants, I recommend getting anachris and letting it float. Petsmart does not usually have it. Petco does but make sure that it looks health, i.e. it should not look brown. Petco also has java ferns. You tie them onto a log. You could also get a small sword plant or a wendtii plant since you will have a substrate. Moneywort is good. It's roots are very small, so it tends to float. Either tie it to something with some thread or keep the lead weight on if it comes with one.

Buy either Prime or Amquel to condition the water. 
You need a test tube type aquarium test kit so that you know when you need to change your water. I do a partial water change once the amonia goes above .25 ppm. I noticed that Petsmart sells a test kit for just amonia that is less that the complete test kit. I'm a couple of weeks into starting a new 5 gallon. Initially, I was changing water (2 gallons) every other day. Now I'm changing about every third day.


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## Tisia (Mar 15, 2011)

last I saw if you get some of the tube plants at petco or petsmart, java fern is called something like tropical fern, but you can just look for the scientific name microsorum pteropus


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

etanico said:


> Awesome!!
> How's your tank stocked? Feel free to PM me.


Live plants, driftwood and one betta only in each tank. I have never been a big fan of putting male bettas with any other fish. I have found when I have tried it that the bettas are either bullies or get bullied.


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## FloridaBettas239 (Jun 29, 2010)

The best way to have a clean tank, Something you dont have to scrub all the time. Is to follow some basic guide lines.. 

1) Have your lights on a timer. 8-11 hours of light is fine. Anymore and you get algae blooms..
2)Cycle the aquarium. You can do this with a fish or without. Doing it with a fish gives you a stronger bacteria. You can use your betta fish or a cheap gold fish.. I have cycled all my tanks with fish..
3)Make weekly water changes.. Every week they say you should do a 20% water change. To much water taken out puts a stress on your good bacteria. Not enough and you get build up of nitrates... etc...
4)Have a fish for every part of the aquarium. I know its only a 5 gallon.
but they have cory catfish that will get any left over food. They only get 2 inches usally, Mine havent got over 2 and its been 1.5 years in a 29 gallon.. Anyway get you a small pleco, Something like a chinnese pleco they are very small. Dont get fish that get so big they cant turn around in the aquarium. You can go over the rule of thumb a little, The 1 inch of fish per gallon. If you had a small pleco, 1 betta and a 2 cory's. That 5 gallon would run itself pretty much...
Also make sure to replace filter cartridges...


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## Harley (Mar 20, 2011)

Everybody has different experiences and opinions on water changes. Once the tank is cycled, I do 25% water changes a week as per http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/betta-fish-care/betta-fish-care-49160/#post445950 . As mentioned, plants are a help to the water. I currently have 1 Java Fern. Its my first attempt at a plant but it hasn't died yet. I also agree on the importance of water tests, better safe than sorry. As mentioned, the liquid tests are much more reliable than the strips are. Good luck!


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