moving my Betta question

[freemoney]

Moving my betta out of 20 gallon community tank into 10 gallon tank he will share with 2 snails. Want to get him out of the 20 gallon, because the 8 neon tetras are nipping at his fins. My 10 gallon has been cycling with the 2 snails and gravel I moved from the 20 gallon.  My issue is the nitrite is reading at 3 on the 10 gallon, 0 on the twenty. 

  The question, is it better to move him into a tank with elevated nitrite or leave him with the tetras? Also KH at zero, I have crushed coral being delivered this weekend. Both tanks have a good amount of plants with red root floaters.

[Colu]

I would wait you can add a little bit of fish food daily to help provide an ammonia for your benefial bacterial till it's cycled you could put him in a breeder box if your worried about his fins 

[freemoney]

Thanks for the reply, should I wait until I add the coral, or can I move him when my nitrites are lowered?

[Odd Duck]

On 3/15/2022 at 3:45 PM, freemoney said:

Thanks for the reply, should I wait until I add the coral, or can I move him when my nitrites are lowered?

Add the crushed coral as soon as you get it, but double check your KH.  Are you using test strips or API master kit or other drop system?  Test strips are not always the most accurate.  If using drops, make very certain you follow instructions exactly including all the bottle shaking, etc.

[freemoney]

On 3/15/2022 at 6:15 PM, Odd Duck said:

Add the crushed coral as soon as you get it, but double check your KH.  Are you using test strips or API master kit or other drop system?  Test strips are not always the most accurate.  If using drops, make very certain you follow instructions exactly including all the bottle shaking, etc.

I'm using API test strips They test nitrate, nitrite GH, chlorine, KH and ph, should I be using a master kit? I have old seashells and pieces of coral, can I add that to the water, or can you add too much coral?

[Odd Duck]

On 3/15/2022 at 7:11 PM, freemoney said:

I'm using API test strips They test nitrate, nitrite GH, chlorine, KH and ph, should I be using a master kit? I have old seashells and pieces of coral, can I add that to the water, or can you add too much coral?

The API Master test kit is considered more accurate for hobbyist testing.  I use the test strips to double check if I think a tank may be a bit off.  If it is, I run a drop test or make immediate changes if indicated.  I can usually tell I need a water change without seeing results, and sometimes they need a water change even if results say things are fine.  I routinely use test strips on new tanks, reset tanks, or quarantine tanks as a “just in case”.  There are also parameters we don’t have tests for that can affect fish well-being.  If in doubt, change it out.

There is a finite limit on what you can achieve with crushed coral/shells.  They aren’t likely to budge my hard tap water at all, but when I mix my tap with RODI, then they can be helpful if I haven’t added remineralizer.  Keeps my snail’s shells in better shape.  As pH and hardness climbs, the less percentage of change you can achieve with coral/shells.  Very soft, low mineral, and acid water will change the most, but it’s still a gradual change.  Neutral, alkaline, and hard water will show minimal to zero change.

If your shells and coral are very clean and haven’t ever been soaked in any chemicals, they should be safe but they aren’t likely to give you a lot of change in your KH over a couple days.  They just don’t have enough surface area compared to crushed coral.

The KH is only a worry because very low KH means minimal buffering capacity in your water and it can make your pH less stable and more prone to fluctuations.  If your pH is stable, then don’t worry about your KH for now.  I would pop the Betta into a breeder box in your 20 to protect him, and wait for your 10 to cycle before you move him.  The KH isn’t going to affect your nitrites.  Your bacteria just need time to grow in your biofiltration so they can handle the bioload and convert your nitrite to less toxic nitrate.

[freemoney]

Thanks for the advice, I'll be picking up a breeder box today, and continue my water changes and testing.