seeding my new tank to jumpstart cycle

[rubysoho]

I have a dirty filter "pad" (not sure on the technical term for that one) that I plan to seed my new 55 gallon tank with in the next week... however, I had to replace the filter pad in my current 10 gallon tank because I didn't feel comfortable leaving the dirty one in much longer (it was overdue for a change anyway). So my question is, how long will the bacteria on the pad survive in a bowl of water? It has been out for a day right now, and hopefully I will have the tank up and running by the end of this weekend (just need to finish the stand).

 

[FawnN]

Your bacteria will eventually all die off if you don't provide any O2 or any food (ammonia). So I would put it in your new tank as soon as you can, but in the mean time, I would put an airstone in the bowl and throw in some fish food.

 

[TankGirl]

There also needs to be some heat there so I would say no more than about 36 hours, but I have never tested this. I'll bet there are people who have moved cross-country with tanks torn down and just kept wet, and they can say how many hours a biofilter will remain alive if it is wet but otherwise not oxygenated.

The only experience I had was having the power out for 6 days after a hurricane last summer. The tanks were filtered sporadically after the third day when we got a generator, about an hour a day, and I had no hint of a die-off of bacteria in any of the tanks. Of course it was plenty warm then, being the dead of summer, so heat probably helped a bit.

 

[Billsgate]

If i were you, clean your 'dirty' filter pad in some tank water, and put it back in your 10 gal filter until it's up and running. If you cant put it in your filter.....uhm, i'd put it somewhere in your tank anyway....maybe you'll have some small debree coming from this pad, but i think it's best if you can't quickly transfer it to your new tank/filter.
If you already have, then nooo problem i guess. Just don't let it sit too long, or bacteria will decrease and eventually die.

 

[Billsgate]

You could also put the dirty pad in an old nylon or something to keep the bigger pieces from floating out of it....

You could also put an airstone or pump in your bowl of water, and keep it someplace warm....and throw in a tiny piece of meat or something, so that the bacteria have something to break down........(this only when you see your setting up of 50 gal takes too long)

 

[rubysoho]

well, it has certainly taken me a bit longer than I expected (the tank is still dry, but has substrate now!) My plan for a cement block stand kinda fell through because I was warned they aren't the most "stable." So, I am going to fork our the cash to purchase a real stand, which I guess in the long run will be better. Oh well

 

[TankGirl]

My husband is a building inspector and a construction project manager, and he says a concrete block stand would be extremely stable. As long as you are building it solid and not open underneath, it will be extremely strong, without mortar. Lay the blocks out like a block wall (go look at a concrete block wall and see how they are laid out) and you should be good to go. Get a piece of plywood to put between the tank and the stand.