Tanks cycled, but can't add fish till the weekend

[Barliman]

Hi all,

My 20-L was cycled a week to 10 days ago and ready for fish, but I was giving the plants time to root before adding fish, which I can't do until this weekend. Should I have been feeding the bacteria with a little ammonia in the meantime? If so, how much?

 

[Fresh2o]

I think you should have been providing something (like 1-2 ppm daily or every other day) just to sustain it. You still have a BB population, it just may be less than it was a week and a half ago. This close to the weekend MAYBE 1 ppm tonight. Do a water change before the new fish are introduced and don't stock too much this weekend.


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[Barliman]

I think you should have been providing something (like 1-2 ppm daily or every other day) just to sustain it. You still have a BB population, it just may be less than it was a week and a half ago. This close to the weekend MAYBE 1 ppm tonight. Do a water change before the new fish are introduced and don't stock too much this weekend.

That's what I thought, thanks. Live and learn.

 

[Mebbid]

I think you should have been providing something (like 1-2 ppm daily or every other day) just to sustain it. You still have a BB population, it just may be less than it was a week and a half ago. This close to the weekend MAYBE 1 ppm tonight. Do a water change before the new fish are introduced and don't stock too much this weekend.


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Beneficial bacteria can live up to a month without dying off. The entire BB population of the tank wouldn't even blink at a few days without available ammonia.