Beneficial Bacteria

[hartgirl]

Quick question...

How long does the BB live on a filter pad when stored in a bucket of tank water? It was from a water change so there is some fish waste and plant matter in there too. It was a week ago and I INTENDED on using the pad to start a QT and never got around to it until today...can I use that one or should I snag another used pad from my canister? Thanks!!!


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[dalto]

It should last 2-3 weeks as long as the conditions were appropriate. I would try it.

 

[ScotJudd]

That's not a yes or no answer. Lack of oxygen would start a die off of BB but if the pad was floating close to the surface it may have had enough dissolved oxygen for a portion of the BB to have survived. In any case the BB will be depleted. As you're setting up a QT why not use the old pad, dose with ammonia and see if it works. Any surviving bacteria would at least kick start a cycle. However, if you have a seeded pad from your other filter then use both if they fit.
I would be interested to know what you do and what the result was. It's all useful info for the future.


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[Mebbid]

That's not a yes or no answer. Lack of oxygen would start a die off of BB but if the pad was floating close to the surface it may have had enough dissolved oxygen for a portion of the BB to have survived. In any case the BB will be depleted. As you're setting up a QT why not use the old pad, dose with ammonia and see if it works. Any surviving bacteria would at least kick start a cycle. However, if you have a seeded pad from your other filter then use both if they fit.
I would be interested to know what you do and what the result was. It's all useful info for the future.


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You would have to go to great lengths to drop the oxygen enough to matter to bacteria. Its never gonna happen sitting in an open bucket of water. Even dropping the oxygen level will cause the bacteria to go dormant rather than kill it.

the bacteria is good for up to a month without food.

 

[hartgirl]

I think I'll use it and see what happens. Worse case scenario I monitor the water quality daily and do a PWC if things go crazy. It's going to house some small guppies until I know they're healthy and have grown up a little....thanks for the input!


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[aqua_holic]

You would have to go to great lengths to drop the oxygen enough to matter to bacteria. Its never gonna happen sitting in an open bucket of water. Even dropping the oxygen level will cause the bacteria to go dormant rather than kill it.

the bacteria is good for up to a month without food.

I agree, but I disagree on how long bacteria can go "without food". I put that in quotes because unless the media is clean, there's plenty of food there to sustain the bacteria for quite a while. I routinely leave quarantine tanks empty for months at a time and don't lose the cycle.

 

[Brookster123]

I've left a mesh pad in a bucket of tank water for 3 weeks, Temps got below 70, mailed it to some dude in Texas and instant cycled his tank.. a couple times, not Texas though.. maybe Indiana?? The bucket was the water I rung media out in so I'm guessing plenty of poo to snack on..

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[hartgirl]

After i get this set up I plan on using keeping it stocked with a few guppies just to maintain as normal a setting as possible. I'm going to recreate as much of a "natural" setting as possible. Unless something crazy happens (columnaris again, God forbid) having a normal setting with keep fish less stressed and have a good chance of fighting anything nasty off.

Will something like Prazipro kill the BB? Thought about dosing new arrivals with it...?


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[hartgirl]

I've left a mesh pad in a bucket of tank water for 3 weeks, Temps got below 70, mailed it to some dude in Texas and instant cycled his tank.. a couple times, not Texas though.. maybe Indiana?? The bucket was the water I rung media out in so I'm guessing plenty of poo to snack on..

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Awesome good to hear. Id like it to insta - cycle too


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[aqua_holic]

In my experience prazipro will not harm the bacteria.