Question about cycling fry tank

[sarah5775]

I now have eleven molly fry - pet store gave me more- and I have two pregnant fish. I think all these babies will need a fry grow out tank. I have a five gallon tank that has had a single betta living in it for a month and a half. I want to move the betta and use it as a fry tank.

I have two questions.

1. Cycling the tank. When I put the betta in I used gravel from the established 29 gallon in an attempt to cycle. How can I tell if I need to further cycle the tank? I just bought an ammonia and nitrite test kit. What should my readings be? If I do need to further cycle the tank, would putting in the filter elements from my established tank do it? Can I just put it in the tank? (I don't have the same kind of filter in the little one)

2. The filter in the five gallon is a submersible one. How do I prevent fry from being sucked up into it? If it were a box filter I'd just put netting over the intake, but I don't know how to do it with this one. Do the fry have to be a certain size before I put them in the tank to avoid a filter accident?

 

[BrianNY]

A sponge filter is all that's needed in a grow out tank. It is ideal because it not only protects the fry, but has best capacity to handle the bioload as the fry grow. Seeding a sponge filter can be done by running it in an established tank for a week. There are limits however and a 5 gallon tank is insufficient to grow out any species.

The ammonia and nitite readings should be zero. Any readings at all indicates a mini cycle might be in progress. The younger the fry, the less tolerant they are to cycling.

 

[sarah5775]

I can buy a sponge filter at the pet store, right? I will pick up a ten gallon tank instead of a five gallon. I have a heater already- but its for a 20 gallon, will it be ok if I run it low? Or do I have to pick up a new one? (I'm trying to save cash- Christmas presents to buy and all) I also have a five gallon heater....I have only eleven fry so far, but I am hoping (finger crossed) to have more soon. I also have java moss for them to hide in, do I need an extra source of light for that or will it grow in a tank w/o light? I know its low-light but I don't know how low-light.
Thanks.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

All you need is something like this. Great filters. And all you need to run them is an air pump.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=3940&N=2004+113424

Also, the heater will be just fine. No problems there as long as it's not run dry, above the water.

Is the tank a 5.5G? Does it come with a hood? If it does, then try finding a screwin florescent. I have one in my 5.5G hood, and it's all you need. The 10W bulbs are in the aquarium section at Walmart, and a lot of LFS's should carry it too. The one here does. And if no hood, some people use a used desk lamp over the top of the tank. They sit the lamp on the desk next to the tank with the light fixture going over the top of the tank.

 

[ksfishguy]

Do people put a timer on the desk lamp or run it all the time? I have an empty ten gallon and want to setup a grow-out tank as well. I was going to just throw in an airstone and do frequent water changes, or do I have to put in a filter?