# Setting up/cycling a fry tank quickly



## confused cichlid owner (Feb 11, 2010)

Hi all,

I'm new to this site and fairly new to cichlids (since Oct 09) and just when I think I have the hang of it I find that my female is holding and I just want to make sure I'm doing the right things for having it all go as easily and smooth as possible..

I discovered my situation on Monday night and since then I've been trying to read as much as possible but there are some things I just couldn't find on the net (maybe I didn't look hard enough  ) so I figured I'd ask the pros and please feel free to give me any and all advice you think is needed.

So here are my questions...

1) I went out last night and bought a small 10 gallon complete set up. I cleaned everything and set up the filter in my current community tank to get the bacteria bulding up in it. How long should it take to get the filter up to snuff as far as being ready for installation on the new tank?

2) I plan on doing a water change this weekend (5 gallons) and if the filter is ready I would like to put the water from the change in the new tank along with 5 new gallons of water. Would this be acceptable in helping getting the tank to cycle.

3) Once the new tank is cycled when should I put the female in it? I've read within a week of determing she's holding fry to two weeks of finding out.

I know I ramble but I hope this makes sense and like I said any and all advice will be very much appreciated and if I missed anything please throw that in too, it couldn't hurt.

Thanks everyone!

Ted


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## josmoloco (Aug 23, 2008)

The tank will have a minimal bio load because you wont feed the female, and the babies will be tiny, so cycling shouldn't be too much of an issue. I would change 3 gallons of water in the tank at least 2x per week.

You can put the female in right now, to take pressure off her. :thumb:


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> How long should it take to get the filter up to snuff as far as being ready for installation on the new tank?


Typically I like to go 4 weeks, but go as long as you can. The water addition will do little to help cycle as it contains few of the bacteria that you're looking for. Best to move some media from the established filter to the new one. Move as much as you can. Fish excrete ammonia via the gills even if they're not eating and even small amounts can be harmful, particularly to fry.

I couldn't find anything in your post regarding what species of fish that you have. Holding times can vary.


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## Pali (Dec 22, 2009)

Use 10 gal of water from the tank the female comes from, and follow as mentioned above ^^^^ with water changes.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

*The water addition will do little to help cycle as it contains few of the bacteria that you're looking for*
:thumb:

*Use 10 gal of water from the tank the female comes from*
Waste not-Want not?
For what purpose?
Temperature, PH, any other buffering agents?
*****
You would be smart to use some media from your current tank in the ten G, even if you simply hang it in the tank.


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## Pali (Dec 22, 2009)

Ummmm....... The water contains a good bacteria culture and helps to colonize the new filter alot faster then with tab water.

I just moved, so my lab is not setup yet but if you have a desent microscope. Try checking your water for micro organisms/particles and grow a petri dish and see what happens :thumb: There is alot of life in your water you can't see!

Now I use liquid media so for me it gives even more sence as my water contains more micro particles that beneficial bacterias lives on, so no it's not to buffer or anything like that.

Shure if he can take some media from a colonized filer that works faster the water alone, but the new filter will soon be colonized as the bacteria from the water or moved filter material, will start growing in the new filter media.


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## confused cichlid owner (Feb 11, 2010)

Wow, thanks for all the replies!

Here's some specific information in response to some of the questions and comments.

I currently have a 20 gallon set up consting of 4 Malawi Cichlids and 1 Pleco so putting 10 gallons from that tank into the new tank isn't really an option, is it? Wouldn't taking 50% of the water out of that tank potentially do more harm than good? If not then I would be more than willing to do that.

As far as moving some media from the established tank into the new tank goes; I just repalced the filter about a week and half ago so it's pretty new. Should I change it again and hang the older filter in the new tank or would I be able to take some of the gravel that's on the floor in the existing tank and put it in the new tank in hopes of moving some of the good bacteria over with it? I do have the new samller HOB filter in the established tank running but I just don't know how long it's going to take the new filter to develop enough of the the beneficial bacteria needed. As it was mentioned before, the bioload of the single fish won't be much but I just don't want to take any chances beacuse if I mess this up I'm going to take it pretty hard.

I wish I had a microscope to see what was really going on but I don't and don't even have access to one 

Again, I really do appreciate all of the suggestions and comments.

Ted


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> I currently have a 20 gallon set up consting of 4 Malawi Cichlids and 1 Pleco so putting 10 gallons from that tank into the new tank isn't really an option, is it? Wouldn't taking 50% of the water out of that tank potentially do more harm than good? If not then I would be more than willing to do that.


There's certainly microorganisms in water, but the nitrifying bacteria colonize surfaces and aren't found in great enough numbers free floating in water to warrant using 10 gallons or any amount of water from an established tank to attempt to seed the new tank. It just won't make a difference IME and IMHO.



> As far as moving some media from the established tank into the new tank goes; I just repalced the filter about a week and half ago so it's pretty new. Should I change it again and hang the older filter in the new tank or would I be able to take some of the gravel that's on the floor in the existing tank and put it in the new tank in hopes of moving some of the good bacteria over with it?


Use the gravel. If the filter media was all swapped out 1.5 weeks ago, I'd leave it where it is, so you don't end up in a bad situation with the established tank. Is that the only filter on the established tank other than the new one intended for the new tank?

You can also move rocks or other decor.



> I do have the new samller HOB filter in the established tank running but I just don't know how long it's going to take the new filter to develop enough of the the beneficial bacteria needed.


Go a few weeks.



> As it was mentioned before, the bioload of the single fish won't be much but I just don't want to take any chances beacuse if I mess this up I'm going to take it pretty hard.


Fishless cycle the tank using ammonia. Then you'll know for sure that it's ready. Don't use a lot, just bring it up to .25-.5ppm. See if it goes to 0 (and nitrite as well) after 24 hours. That'll tell you if it's ready for the fish, or if you need to wait.


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