Keeping A Tank Without The Fish?

[lowee]

I am currently in the process of completely re-doing my tank. I will be completely emptying it and getting rid of everything. But i wont be getting the new tank running for at least a month. And i would like to keep 50% of the current tank water for the new tank and some of the gravel (to save cycling it). In the mean time i am getting rid of my fish, plants and anything else in there. Will i be able to keep my tank water OK for a month without fish or plants?

Thanks

 

[Neo8223]

Hi, i think as long as the filter is on, it will be fine. Stagnent water is bad. At the end, do a decent partial water change though

I'm no expert by any means, but thats my beliefs. (after keeping fish for 7 years)

Paul.

 

[iairj84]

You need to keep the source of ammonia in the tank, add a couple flakes of food per day at least.

 

[cheesy feet]

I would say with a good filter there is no need

 

[lowee]

Ok, thanks guys.

 

[Squid]

I would say with a good filter there is no need

The water doesn't make a lot of difference, the gravel makes a tiny bit of difference if you added fish within a day or so.

Without fish in the tank, the tank WILL uncycle. With no ammonia source in the tank, the beneficial bacteria have no source of food and WILL die off.

So.. with no fish for a month, there is no chance that you will avoid a cycle.


Feel free to disagree, but i can't see any other outcome...!

Squid

 

[Themuleous]

The water doesn't make a lot of difference, the gravel makes a tiny bit of difference if you added fish within a day or so.

Without fish in the tank, the tank WILL uncycle. With no ammonia source in the tank, the beneficial bacteria have no source of food and WILL die off.

So.. with no fish for a month, there is no chance that you will avoid a cycle.


Feel free to disagree, but i can't see any other outcome...!

Squid

Ditto

 

[lowee]

Ok, would 4 adult tetras be enough?

Tom

 

[Squid]

Enough is a funny one really. It basically keeps the filter with enough bacteria to support 4 tetras and the waste/food associated with that many fish. It will however keep the filter cycled to a degree, which means that getting it up to the level required to support your future fish will be easier. You will need to add any further fish slowly to ensure that you have manageable mini-cycles or no noticeable mini-cycles.

What are the plans for adding fish later on.. which fish and how many?

Squid

 

[lowee]

Well im actually completely re-doing the tank, so i will be fully emptying it and adding CO2, EI and lights. But i dont want to add to many fish during this because its my first proper 'high tech' tank. So i was thinking maybe having the 4 tetras from the start of it and maybe adding a few ottos.

 

[Squid]

Well im actually completely re-doing the tank, so i will be fully emptying it and adding CO2, EI and lights. But i dont want to add to many fish during this because its my first proper 'high tech' tank. So i was thinking maybe having the 4 tetras from the start of it and maybe adding a few ottos.

Then you might be ok with the 4 tetras.

The other consideration is that in a heavily planted tank (heavily!!!), you may not even notice a cycle in the same way. With plants consuming ammonia as part of their lifecycle, in a heavily planted tank some people have not even encountered a cycle due to the plants consuming all the ammonia and not cycling in the normal way through to nitrites...

Perhaps thermoman/SAM (sorry chap), george, or one of the other more experienced plant people could expand on this possibility as i have never gone high tech or heavily planted.

Good luck
Squid

 

[lowee]

Ok, thanks for your help squid

 

[plantbrain]

A well run plant tank will suck out all the NH4 as fast as the fish load produces it.
If CO2 is added correctly, then you will not need to consider NH4 issues unless you plan on really overstocking the tank.

Plants can and do leach out some NH4........so even without fish, some leaves will fall off and rot etc, these are sources of NH4 in most cases, not like a dead fish or fish food, but still a source.

If plants are stressed and not doing well, then they will leach a lot more and you will get algae due to CO2/NH4. So if you take good care of the plants=> no NH4, good CO2 and no algae.

Then lots of O2 and no NH4 which is better for fish.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Squid]

A well run plant tank will suck out all the NH4 as fast as the fish load produces it.
If CO2 is added correctly, then you will not need to consider NH4 issues unless you plan on really overstocking the tank.

Plants can and do leach out some NH4........so even without fish, some leaves will fall off and rot etc, these are sources of NH4 in most cases, not like a dead fish or fish food, but still a source.

If plants are stressed and not doing well, then they will leach a lot more and you will get algae due to CO2/NH4. So if you take good care of the plants=> no NH4, good CO2 and no algae.

Then lots of O2 and no NH4 which is better for fish.


Regards,
Tom Barr

Thanks Tom.. i wasn't too far off then.

Squid

 

[cheesy feet]

Forgot about the whole cycling thing then lol.