How long can a cycled tank stay established?

[peterac]

Hi all,

I have a cycled 29g tank I use for QT. However, I have not had fish in this tank for a few weeks. I am concerned that the lack of a source of ammonia would cause a destruction of the aerobic bacteria. I am quite certain that this would happen eventually, but what is the general experience out there with this?

Thanks,
Pete R.

 

[Macrosill]

The tank needs a constant source of ammonia to keep the bacteria alive. I would break down the tank and thoroughly clean it. What type of filter are you using in the QT? Take some NEW filter media and keep it in the main tank. This will allow it to gain the same bacteria that is in the main tank and main filter. Leave it in there until you need the QT again. Then just fill the QT and place the media in the filter and you have a cycled tank.

Good Luck,
Brian

 

[reefbound]

The tank needs a constant source of ammonia to keep the bacteria alive. I would break down the tank and thoroughly clean it. What type of filter are you using in the QT? Take some NEW filter media and keep it in the main tank. This will allow it to gain the same bacteria that is in the main tank and main filter. Leave it in there until you need the QT again. Then just fill the QT and place the media in the filter and you have a cycled tank.

Good Luck,
Brian

another thing you can do is "feed" the QT once in a while... meaning throw some food in every so often to keep it alive.

 

[TCTFish]

And that's the very reason why bio media in a QT just ends up being wasted...when there isn't waste being produced. Frequent water changes and the use of bio from other sources as a temporary basis that can go back to another tank are ways ammonia and nitrite levels are controlled in QT. I opt for barebottom tanks with just a heater, thermometer, sponge filter and something for the fish to hide in. Keeps it simple.

To keep the bio going without using fish would be to sprinkle a little bit of fish food in the tank every now and then and when you do need to put a fish in there, just make sure ahead of time that the water parameters are safe and perhaps use a bio additive like NitroMax Marine for the duration the fish are in there.

 

[reefbound]

And that's the very reason why bio media in a QT just ends up being wasted...when there isn't waste being produced. Frequent water changes and the use of bio from other sources as a temporary basis that can go back to another tank are ways ammonia and nitrite levels are controlled in QT. I opt for barebottom tanks with just a heater, thermometer, sponge filter and something for the fish to hide in. Keeps it simple.

To keep the bio going without using fish would be to sprinkle a little bit of fish food in the tank every now and then and when you do need to put a fish in there, just make sure ahead of time that the water parameters are safe and perhaps use a bio additive like NitroMax Marine for the duration the fish are in there.

You just explained my QT tank to a T...

 

[melosu58]

I agree with just add a little food and keep the cycle going. I would not break it down. It will take too long to get it back going again.

 

[spinman]

$8 bucks will buy you 500 grams of Ammonium Chloride powder. Basically pure ammonia. I feed my QT every other day when its empty. Now I'm feeding the main while its fallow for the 6 week hypo treatment. About a 1/4 of 1/4 tsp every other day seems to keep the bio filter going.

Spin

 

[oyf709]

QT tank should keep dry until u need to use it, just simply move part of your display tank's water to it and add some fresh mix water. Or, you can try move a filtration contain with some display water to the QT and let it start to run. However, as I said QT usually should keep dry since u won't have fish in there all the time the bacteria will start to die and the water become really bad.