Fry tank cleaning

[Cinnebuns]

How often should I be cleaning my bare bottom fry tank?  It houses both guppy and panda cory fry as well as some unexpected baby Japanese trapdoor snails. I have been cleaning that dust stuff with a turkey baster about 2x a week. Originally it didn't need much but as both my population grows and the size of the fry, I find I need more. So maybe the answer is just that. "More with larger fry and population.  When it builds up."  

Side question. What exactly is all that dust?  Is it in my main tank but just buried in the gravel?  Combo of waste and uneaten food?  A sign I'm over feeding perhaps?

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I clean my Accidental Oto tank every, single, day. It is a 10 gallon that was originally a grow out but I decided to keep them all (about 40-50 fish?) Mostly for me that means using a nano tank syphon and "vacuuming" the bottom every day taking out about a gallon, refilling and replacing food. There are 2 filters, a sponge and an HOB some days consist of cleaning those or algae on the plants or glass (you'd think the Otos would take care of that but no, lol spoiled brats!). 

Oh and sometimes if it doesn't look that bad I use one of my basters or coral feeders to clean up some. 

[Cinnebuns]

On 3/7/2022 at 9:00 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

I clean my Accidental Oto tank every, single, day. It is a 10 gallon that was originally a grow out but I decided to keep them all (about 40-50 fish?) Mostly for me that means using a nano tank syphon and "vacuuming" the bottom every day taking out about a gallon, refilling and replacing food. There are 2 filters, a sponge and an HOB some days consist of cleaning those or algae on the plants or glass (you'd think the Otos would take care of that but no, lol spoiled brats!). 

Oh and sometimes if it doesn't look that bad I use one of my basters or coral feeders to clean up some. 

I'm starting to think every day is the way to go tbh. The mess does fill up fast and I still have more eggs to hatch so it will only get worse lol

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Fry are messy and require access to food. Then for me all these bottom feeders eat when they want and what they want and most of the time leave some behind. The benefit of bare bottom tanks is they are pretty easy to "vacuum" you get your routine down and it will take you no time at all. 

It also gives you a chance to check in with all the fry, make sure everyone is healthy and spend time with your fish babies. Nothing wrong with that!

[Cinnebuns]

Yeah I'm learning they are messy beings. I originally was going to do gravel and only thought i would have guppies. I didn't expect my cories to be so, let's say, eager, and I didn't expect adult Easter eggs to be so fun. I figured with bottom dwellers bare bottom was safer. Now I don't regret it and would do it for all guppy fry too. 

[Minanora]

I keep my fry tank below 20PPM nitrate.

[modified lung]

To give the opposite perspective, I don't clean the fry tanks at all. 😁👍

[Cinnebuns]

@modified lung for you I won't clean the 2nd one I'm starting. 

[modified lung]

On 3/7/2022 at 9:23 PM, Cinnebuns said:

@modified lung for you I won't clean the 2nd one I'm starting. 

Lol there are many legit ways to do things. One big caveat though, I don't feed dry powdered foods. That stuff needs to get cleaned up.

[Cinnebuns]

On 3/7/2022 at 11:28 PM, modified lung said:

Lol there are many legit ways to do things. One big caveat though, I don't feed dry powdered foods. That stuff needs to get cleaned up.

Ah that's a great point. And yes I agree there are many right ways to the same end goal. I did feed frozen the first week and powdered the 2nd and noticed a huge difference. I didn't put together why until just now. 

[tolstoy21]

On 3/8/2022 at 12:13 AM, modified lung said:

To give the opposite perspective, I don't clean the fry tanks at all. 😁👍

I'm like-minded on this one, or I clean them as infrequently as I can.

The problem I encounter is that the fry always seem waaaaaay to inquisitive and want to go into the gravel vac and I have a hell of a time dissuading them form doing so. 

So, typically, I don't start cleaning until they are older and wiser, or if the tank looks like its in peril from too much organics.

To compensate for this, I do massive amounts of water changes on these tanks via a automated drip system so they they always have stable, fresh, clean water.

I have yet to encounter any deaths or illnesses as a result of these methods.

Well there is one exception to the rule -- Odessa Barbs. I clean those fry thanks a lot as they are very susceptible to poor water quality issues in the first two months.

[Cinnebuns]

On 3/9/2022 at 6:14 AM, tolstoy21 said:

The problem I encounter is that the fry always seem waaaaaay to inquisitive and want to go into the gravel vac and I have a hell of a time dissuading them form doing so

Another difference I'm seeing with cleaning fey tanks is that barebottom requires more. That's another factor between the 2

[pcb09]

I run a hang on tank fry box that sits outside the tank (fluval). I airline tube siphon the fry box daily. The water isnt really changed because its pulling in water from a 10 or 20 gallon tank depending. 

Once the fry are in a 10 gallon of their own, i change a gallon a day to ensure clean water, and encourage growth.

[Vince C]

I have used a fry tank inside my main one - and it also seems to get dirty fast, luckily it circulates the water from my full tank so I doubt they are in much risk, but I try and clean out the waste almost daily when I have a fresh batch just to be sure.