Cycling Question..Empty Tank

[poconoboss]

So I have a bare bottom 20 gal long that I use for my breeding tank. It has a sponge filter as well as a hang on that is filled with bio media.

Tank has been cycled long ago and running for quite some time.

I removed the fish from the tank and did a water 75% water change. If I do not put fish back in here any time soon, how long before the cycle would break? I assume with no ammonia as food the beneficial bacteria would dye off, correct?

Should I not do water changes while there is no fish in there? I plan on not having any fish in there for a month or so. Should I grab some cheap fish at the LFS to drop in there so as to not have the cycle break?

Thanks.

[Eddie]

Just add pure ammonia every few days to keep it alive, or you could just take a nice big leak in the tank once a week. :o

[poconoboss]

I'd like to see the look on my wife's face while I am draining the vein in the fish tank....Uh...Honey...what are doing? :confused:

:D

I'm always nervous about using chemical ammonia...maybe I'll stick some of my rainbows in there for a while, I'll tell them it's their winter vacation from the Discus...lol

[Don Trinko]

To be more specific I add 1/2 teaspoon of ammonia 3 times a week to keep a 20 cycled. As with fish the nitrates will eventualy build up so before I add fish I test for Ammonia and nitrates. The ammonia is ussed in a day or 2 but it's I good idea to test before adding fish. Don T.

[Eddie]

To be more specific I add 1/2 teaspoon of ammonia 3 times a week to keep a 20 cycled. As with fish the nitrates will eventualy build up so before I add fish I test for Ammonia and nitrates. The ammonia is ussed in a day or 2 but it's I good idea to test before adding fish. Don T.

Good call Don, the pi$$ing tactic would have been pretty good though. LOL A little youtube video of how a guy keeps his filters cycled. Dude standing on ladder, let'n it all out into the tank. LOL

[Don Trinko]

LOL! Not in my tanks! don't forget that you put your hands in there to clean and.... once in a while I get a little water in my mouth when starting the syphon!!! Don T.

[Eddie]

LOL! Not in my tanks! don't forget that you put your hands in there to clean and.... once in a while I get a little water in my mouth when starting the syphon!!! Don T.

ROTFLMAO !!!!!

[Elite Aquaria]

I agree with Don...Use pure Ammonia to keep your tank cycled. Do not add fish from your local Pet Shop...they could introduce bacterias or a virus that you will have to deal with down the road. Make sure that your ammonia does not have surfactants (soaps) in it...the ammonia from ACE Hardware is what I use...

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/eliteaquaria/m_002-3.jpg

[underwaterforest]

Usually the Ace brand products are so full of fillers that I avoid them, good to hear they actually have something that is pure. I might have to pick some up later today.

[poconoboss]

Thanks for the info everybody!

[Elite Aquaria]

Usually the Ace brand products are so full of fillers that I avoid them, good to hear they actually have something that is pure. I might have to pick some up later today.

Yea..this one is pure


Thanks for the info everybody!


Any time

[bs6749]

Don't want to buy ammonia? No problem! Add some fish food! No fish to eat it means that it will decay into.... AMMONIA! Then when you are ready to put the fish into the tank do a large water change and vac up the uneaten food and test for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Get the levels to a reasonable range and add Prime every day to lock up the ammonia until the bacteria can process it all. Can even add some aquarium salt to reduce nitrite toxicity if you so choose. The best part is that you already have the food. Add some every 3-4 days and do a 5-10g water change too.

[Elite Aquaria]

The only problem with this approach is that when the food decays you can also get some unwanted bacteria...

[underwaterforest]

I been trying the food method for cycling but after a day you can see a nice white layer (Bact/water mold?) growing on the food. I'm sure it is probably just doing it job breaking down the food to ammonia, but I like the direct chemical approach. It just seems cleaner. Plus I live in the redwoods and we have way too many molds present already.

[bs6749]

This may be true, but those types of bacteria would already be in the tank and their population will sharply decline due to competition for resources. They too will decay into ammonia, among other things.

[fishorama]

To be more specific I add 1/2 teaspoon of ammonia 3 times a week to keep a 20 cycled. As with fish the nitrates will eventualy build up so before I add fish I test for Ammonia and nitrates. The ammonia is ussed in a day or 2 but it's I good idea to test before adding fish. Don T.

Thanks for an actual quantity, beats having to do math each time:o.
I've done the food thing as well for a couple weeks but ammonia is a lot cheaper

[seanyuki]

You can have the tank running and put in discus and try to feed slowly for the first 2 weeks ...gradually reaching to normal feeding rate or the rate you prefer. By then, the biological filtration will be establishes and working effectively bi itself.......plus massive water changes daily.....just my 2 cents.

[April]

theres a whole thread in here about using miracle grow fertilizer..cuts the time in half. 18 days. youd have to look through the search function for it. or..get a sponge from the seller..then your set.