how long should this take?

[ericsc]

I already have an established 46 gallon that has been cycled for a few months now, and I just got a 10 gallon for some kuhli loaches and some ghost shrimp.
I live in a small town in South Carolina and cannot find pure ammonia anywhere, even at Tru-Value Hardware or Wally World. So I put the sponge and filter for the ten gallon inside my Emperor 400 on my 46 gallon. How long will it take for the bacteria to establish itself on them so I can put them in the little Aqua-Clear filter with the 10 gallon and do a fish cycle with a few zebra danios? Will probably add some gravel from the cycled 46 gallon to the 10 gallon to help out.
THANKS!

[Lady Hobbs]

Good idea and it won't take long at all. But........you need to get some danio's in there (or feeder goldfish) or the bacteria you transferred over will die out. You could also grab a bacteria booster when you go to get your danio's. Add the old gravel on top of the new rather than mixing it up.

[ericsc]

Thanks Lady Hobbs, but how long should I leave the sponge and filter in the Emperor 400 in the established tank that is running now for the good bacteria to establish itself on them for the Aqua=Clear filter for the 10 gallon. In other words, I have the filter and sponge crammed into the tank filter that is running now, how long will it take for that to happen so I can put them in the filter for the 10 gallon, them i move them into the filter for the 10 gallon?