cloning a tank for fry

[gale]

I have 3 molly fry in a 2.5 gallon minibow with a whisper mini filter (carbon filters, so I will cut off the media and stuff it into the filter compartment when I change the cartridge). It's not cycled (they've only been in there for 2 days) and I'm going to put some filter media from my 20g plus some gravel in a sock (there's no substrate in the fry tank) but I wasn't sure if 3 little fry would poop enough to keep the bacteria fed. Anything else I should do? I'm feeding 3-5 times a day if that makes a difference and will be suctioning out the junk on the bottom every few days to keep it clean (plus weekly 25% water changes as usual). There is one fake hornwort suctioned to the side near the top (for hiding space) but no ornaments or plants. I can add more fake plants or an ornament if that will help with keeping it cycled.

 

[gale]

Oh btw I have lots of snails so I can add a snail or two to the tank if that will help. I have trumpet snails and nerites.

 

[Kiarra]

Admittedly, I don't know much of anything about cycling, but what little I know has the suspicion that adding a snail would help. Besides, the snail can help clean up the extra food the little fry don't eat.

 

[Tolak]

Whatever small amount of waste they produce will keep the tank cycled with a correspondingly small amount of bacteria. Bacterial growth in your filter grows, within reason, to the bioload it has to handle. That is why you can start with a fully stocked tank after a fishless cycle, you are maxing out the amount of bacteria by maxing out the amount of ammonia added.

Cycling with fish, you are letting a small amount of fish produce a small amount of ammo to start the cycle, with the hopes of keeping the ammo low enough that you don't kill or damage the fish you are using to cycle.

Tolak

 

[gale]

Whatever small amount of waste they produce will keep the tank cycled with a correspondingly small amount of bacteria. Bacterial growth in your filter grows, within reason, to the bioload it has to handle. That is why you can start with a fully stocked tank after a fishless cycle, you are maxing out the amount of bacteria by maxing out the amount of ammonia added.

Cycling with fish, you are letting a small amount of fish produce a small amount of ammo to start the cycle, with the hopes of keeping the ammo low enough that you don't kill or damage the fish you are using to cycle.

Tolak

Good point-hadn't thought of it that way. OK I will put in just a snail or two to keep the algae at bay and clean up old food and I will go ahead and put some kind of stuff (filter media or gravel) from my cycled 20 gallon tank in there.

 

[gale]

OK I'm not liking this idea of no gravel. It looks icky in there. I suctioned up the extra food last night, and then put in a snail to keep it cleaned up. Got up today and checked, and the snail poop-ugh. I'll be suctioning a few times a day and the hard part is trying to estimate water conditioner for just a pint or so of water (since that comes out with the turkey baster). I can't use water that has been sitting because it's not warm enough and the tank has no heater. Would it be better to just put some gravel in it?

 

[Tolak]

Most of my tanks have no gravel, it took me some time to get used to the look. The tank will be ok with a little less than the maximum water, just make sure the heater, if you decide to use one, is low enough to match the water level. Then just add water after it is low a couple quarts. If the tank has no heater, then it is room temp. Mix up a gallon of dechlored water, & let it sit until it is room temp. Use that to top off the tank. Mix a new gallon as necessary.

Gravel hides an amazing amount of waste, the advantage to a bare bottomed tank is that you can see exactly what is, or isn't in your tank.

Tolak

 

[gale]

If the tank has no heater, then it is room temp. Mix up a gallon of dechlored water, & let it sit until it is room temp. Use that to top off the tank. Mix a new gallon as necessary.

Actually it's not. There is an incandescent light in it which heats up the water. Our room temp right now is 70 degrees and the light is keeping the tank at around 78-79 degrees. Then at night when I turn out the light I wrap a fleece blanket around the sides of the tank. I've been doing this on my betta tank since I've had him. The light is enough to heat it a little but it won't heat it enough to control a temperature fluctuation like a heater would. I did get a heater for this small tank today but I don't like it-there's no indicator light (I posted about it in the hardware forum). So I'll probably take it out and order one online (no decent stores around here).