How long do u cycle a 2 gal?

Question

how long does it take to cycle a 2 gal quarentine/medical tank with 3 stage filteration and no gravel

Answer 1

2 gallons can't really be cycled. use some stress zyne or cycle and that should work fine. if you are really concerned grow a lot of java moss in it. a small clump can help even out ammonia and nitrates even in a gallon betta bowl.

Answer 2

It will take the same amount of time to cycle two gallons or twenty gallons. (About two weeks, depending on bioload) You could speed it up by just filling the quarantine tank with clean water from an established tank.

I recommend you get a larger quarantine tank. Two gallons of water is such a small amount that even after it is cycled it would be very unstable as far as water chemistry. For example, one small dead fish in a 55 gallon tank would cause a brief spike in nitrite but the bacteria would eventually break it down. The same fish in a two gallon tank would completely throw off the chemistry of a two gallon tank. Its a matter of diluting pollutants. Just as it would take several hours to make deadly temp. changes in a large amount of water, two gallons could quickly become to hot or too cold due to a heater malfunction. A good size for a quarantine tank would be 10 gallons. Small enough to accommodate larger fish and not require huge amounts of medication but not so small that it would be unstable.

Answer 3

The tank will be cycled when ammonia and nitrites go back down to zero after a spike, and then nitrates start to climb. Then you can add the fish. http://freshwater.fanatics.googlepages.com/cyclinganaquarium

Answer 4

well you have to put fish in it first for it to cycle. start with something hardy and it should take the same time as a regular tank 4 weeks maybe longer

Answer 5

5 howers