Preparing a cichlid fry tank......

[CraigMac]

Hat is the best way to cycle a 2nd tank to put a holding female and grow out the fry? If I add a filter to my main tank and then transfer it to the fry tank, how long does it need to be running to establish the beneficial bacteria? And once I transfer it to the fry tank, is that tank "instantly" cycled?

Any other advice?

 

[DragonFish71]

(mind you, this is for egg laying, not holding, but I think it could work for you)

What I do is keep a filter always ready to go on the main tank. Once the eggs have hatched and wigglers are about 3 days old, I suction out some tank water, fill the grow out tank, move over the filter, add some plants from the main tank, then suction up the wigglers.

With the tank water, filter and plants from the main, I haven't even had a mini cycle happen. Maybe something along the lines of this would work for you?

 

[CraigMac]

Thanks. This helps. Any idea how long a 2nd filter would need to run onmy main tank before its good to go? I was going to wait until I notice a female holding to add the extra filter and let it run for a week to ten days instead of adding now but not sure if that would work?

 

[toddnbecka]

Easiest way is to keep an extra air-driven sponge filter (or attached one to a hob or canister intake) in another tank. An air pump can then be used to run it in the fry tank. About 3-4 weeks is best for it to become well-established, but a week or two would be enough to get it started.