New 10 Gallon Fishless Cycle Tank Questions

[njrock]

Hey guys. As the title says, I'm attempting to start a fishless cycle in a new 10 gallon tank with an AquaClear 20 filter. I want to get it started over my college Christmas break, but am concerned I will be gone too long and all of the beneficial bacteria will die off before u return. I plan to leave on the 15th or 16th, and won't return until around New Years. I had planned on adding a healthy dose of straight ammonia (if I can find it), but am afraid one dose won't be enough to keep the bacteria alive until I get back and can add more. What should I do?

If I add a a pretty heavy initial dose of ammonia (~8 ppm), as well as a few good sized pinches of fish food that will break down a few days later to add additional ammonia, will that be enough to sustain the bacteria until I get back?

I know the cycle won't be complete in that short amount of time, but I just want to be sure I can start the cycle and continue it when I get back.

Any comments or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[sinibotia]

You'll probably have to find a continuous source of ammonia. The bacteria might die off after 2 weeks without food. Try the shrimp-in-pantyhose fishless cycling trick?

 

[henningc]

You may want to get a few snails and add them to the water as is. If you feed them 1/2 blanched pea everyother day until you leave they will do the rest. The excess food and snail poop should do the job. I'd look for 3-4 pond or ramshorn snails.