Why do you have to cycle aquariums that are 10 or 15 gallons but not a 1 gallon?

Question

I have a beta in a one gallon i added water waited 24 hours - my beta is now almost one he is happy, healthy and as crazy as ever. Only thing i do is change the water every 7-10 days.

Im worried I just got a 15 gallon tanks i added gravel that was used in a tank previouslly as well as some used gravel fresh from an aged tank. I also fed the tank for a week and a half and left the heat up abouve 80 with the lights on. After about 10 days I added 2 Neon tetras (which was just 3 days ago). They seem happy they swom around in a pair all day zippin through the little tunnel and around the plants. I feed them only a couple flakes and figered they will produce only a little amonia - do you think they could be in danger? They seem content?

Guy at the petstore said the neons would be 'tough as nails'. Then again he reeked like pot - should been my fist clue heheheh.

Answer 1

As was mentioned, you are changing water so often, the ammonia doesn't have time to become lethel. However in a larger tank, the biofilter is much greater. Technically you should still cycle a 1 gallon.

Your fish should be fine. Keep an eye on theammonia levels by testing. Some tanks will cycle in 7 days, some seem to take forever!

Answer 2

You can cycle a one gallon. They need the water changed so often though, that there's no need to cycle. You should be changing the water twice as often as you are in the 1 gallon tank.

The neons may or may not make the mini cycle. You are lucky to have gravel with established bacteria. Neons are a fragile species.

Answer 3

It is good that you had some gravel from an established tank that should get things going faster.If you don't have one you should get a test kit for ammonia and check your levels regularly till the tank is established.If ammonia level are high you can do more frequent water changes.

Answer 4

Heres a tip.
Get plants, they will do wonders in consuming the nitrogenous chemicals and many other harmful chemicals that are produced from fish food and fish poop. Its like a trade-off, your fishes poop creates chemicals that the plants thrive on. In return the fishes get cleaner and more oxygen in the water.
Heres some plants that are very common in stores;
1 - anacharis - the best for water quality, fast grower.
2 - java fern - slow grower, low maintenance.
3 - java moss - same qualities as anacharis.

Answer 5

Usually when keeping one gallon tanks, you use small fish that cna survive constant water changes, but when you buy large aquariums, there is a bacterial bed that settles in and will stop the tank from getting cloudy.

Answer 6

Because they are harder to clean out and can gather up more dirt and grime than a small 1 gallon tank that you can carry and clean out.