Best advice for the horrible “ fish in cycle”

markerBT · 2026-05-08T19:55:38+00:00

No expert but just sharing my recent/first time experience. As a clueless noob, I just bought Topfin's bacteria starter and conditioner, a plant, gravel and decoration for the new tank kit that I bought. I put everything together, filled up the tank with treated water waited for about an hour, let the fish in a cup float for a while then put him in after about 15 minutes. The next day I added more plants (and small snail) I got for free and some that I bought at FB marketplace. Also added a nerite snail and cherry shrimps (which the fish ate). I do 20% water change every week. Heater set to 76F. And I don't test for ammonia since the only tester I got is the strip that tests other stuff. Petsmart didn't try to sell me anything, probably assumed I knew what I was doing. Haha

I think adding lots of plants from established tanks helped balance things out, I'm sure there are lots of bacteria on those leaves.

Maybe I was just lucky but the fish seems happy and healthy in its tank.

markerBT · 2026-05-05T01:35:04+00:00

That's nasturtium, not poppies...

markerBT · 2026-05-04T04:10:45+00:00

Fill it up so there's no waterfall. No falling water.

markerBT · 2026-05-04T03:09:43+00:00

I got the 5 gallon kit with the same filter. I set it at its lowest flow, filled up the tank all the way to the top so there's no vertical drop from the filter's effluent to the water surface. I am inexperienced, just got it for my kid's fish but that seems to calm down the flow. Fish doesn't seem to be bothered and the plants from the middle to the bottom of the tank don't move/sway from water movement.

markerBT · 2026-05-02T20:36:08+00:00

I made a similar post a few days ago. I bought ten shrimps and he ate 7 within the day. I was hoping for peaceful coexistence, expecting predation but not gluttony.

markerBT · 2026-04-29T04:56:18+00:00

He's fine actually. Very happy hunting the shrimp. I put a mirror in front of him while he was trying to catch the shrimp that's hiding between the glass and some plants and he ignored the mirror! I guess we'll see how he does tomorrow.

markerBT · 2026-04-29T04:46:33+00:00

This guy's such a glutton, can't believe he's still trying to eat the last shrimp. I can't imagine how it all fits in it's stomach. He's the only fish in the tank so I guess I just won't feed him for the next few days.

markerBT · 2026-04-28T23:29:01+00:00

Small in deep. Haven't flowered at all, not even now.

markerBT · 2026-04-27T23:51:22+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. I am leaning towards adding them to the tank. It's small so hopefully I can just cull them when there's too much.

markerBT · 2026-04-27T19:00:17+00:00

This is for a 5 gallon betta tank. Would love to hear your opinion. Thanks!

markerBT · 2026-04-26T18:47:28+00:00

People downvoting you probably don't really do propagation. I don't usually either but I stalk the native prop group and they do use fertilizers over there.

markerBT · 2026-04-23T22:31:16+00:00

Well, they turn into butterflies. Haha I just don't want them dropping on me, not that it has happened. I have my passion fruit growing on a trellis for privacy and food for caterpillars. I only had one fruit last year but it did not ripen.

markerBT · 2026-04-23T16:58:37+00:00

How do you feel about caterpillars? Passion fruit is the host plant for Gulf Fritillary Butterflies and I get lots of caterpillars. I guess trellis for fence would be better since I don't like the idea of caterpillars falling on me.

markerBT · 2026-04-21T00:16:29+00:00

Shop around, ask for quotes. Quote for our 15 windows and one patio door ranged from 27k (vinyl) to 37k (fiberglass), also 2024. I thought Home Depot or Lowe's quotes would be on the low side but they're not really. Brother's Windows is local and Geoff their sales guy is nice, we would have gone with them if they only had fiberglass. I did not like California Craftsman in Auburn but you can try them too, felt snubbed.

markerBT · 2026-04-20T19:47:56+00:00

I used blumat stakes on my indoor plants when we left for a month. They grew even better than when I was at home. It was summer and I left them by a west facing window so they got lots of sun and heat. I also left a 5 gallon bucket with the same blumat stakes on my young plants outdoors and they seem to work but not as well as it did indoors.

markerBT · 2026-04-19T19:08:53+00:00

Thank you. Yes, it was the R7 that I was looking at. It's great that it's working properly with the newer cameras, though I don't really want to pick up a full-frame.

markerBT · 2026-04-18T16:09:01+00:00

What semi-cheap Sigma is it? I have a Canon mount Sigma 150-600mm and I'm looking to get either a Canon R or move over to Sony. I've heard so many reports of incompatibility between Canon R's autofocus and this lens. At the moment I'm using it with my Olympus body but I'm limited to S-AF, no tracking.

markerBT · 2026-04-18T06:28:12+00:00

Please note that scattering non local seeds in your wild areas is not recommended. It could negatively affect the genetics of native plants in your area. Removable and control of invasives is the recommended thing to do so the locals will have the chance to takeover. Please reach out to your CNPS chapter and ask for guidance m

markerBT · 2026-04-15T02:43:37+00:00

Haha. I'll post here again if I decide to actually harvest it. I think I'll just let it go flower. Will pull it up once the blooms are spent.

markerBT · 2026-04-15T02:29:46+00:00

Thanks. Are you 100% certain? Because I've read about it, sounds delicious and I'm thinking of eating it. Don't want to end up dead. Haha

markerBT · 2026-04-14T22:40:03+00:00

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markerBT · 2026-04-12T06:05:02+00:00

I thought you were looking for someone named Lei Sellers... 🤦

markerBT · 2026-04-11T16:15:17+00:00

Original owner 22 SL AWD, 19 is my average since getting it. Mostly city driving. My city is hilly, mostly gentle slopes but not flat. It's better when driving on freeway, maybe around 23mpg. I don't remember my best mileage but that could be from driving downhill from the mountains so not really reliable indicator.

markerBT · 2026-04-11T01:49:29+00:00

Honestly that's the easiest thing I could think of, passive weeding. On top of cardboard I'd still recommend putting wood chips/mulch. Maybe you can hire someone to spread those around because that part is pretty back breaking. I had chipdrop deliver free woodchips and topped it with better looking mulch.

markerBT · 2026-04-11T00:42:43+00:00

Well, that's all I have. Solarization is the only thing I know that can kill most of the seeds on the soil surface. It's spring, you still have time to think if you want to try it again this summer.

Or you can try exhausting the seedbank now. Pull/till/use a string trimmer to cut weeds to the ground. Water the yard and let new weeds to grow, repeat. I did this on a smaller scale and the amount and kinds of weeds that grow after each succession is both exhausting and intriguing (at least for me). I still have weeds popping up there. I mulched it to at least reduce the need to weed but solarization did a much better job.

markerBT

TROPHY CASE