Will Taking Out Fish Make Your Cycle Start Over

[loveforfhishies]

if i take the fish out of my tank for a while will my cycle star over again when i put them back.. and how long can they be out of the tank for this to happen?

 

[WILDER]

Yes it will, but to keep the bacterial colony going keep filter running and heater, just add some fish flakes daily.

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

The bacteria that participate in the nitrogen cycle in an aquarium require a constant supply of nitrogen containing compounds in order to carry out their life cycle. Needless to say, when the nitrogen provided by fish waste is removed, the bacteria drastically decline in number. However, using ammonia (NH3) cleaner is a viable substitute for fish, since the main nitrogen containing compound produced by fish waste is ammonia. You just have to make sure that there is only water and ammonia in the solution. I don’t know the bioload of your tank so I can’t recommend any specific dosage, but I would estimate (and please try to look this up before you try it) that you should add about one drop of ammonia daily for every fish in the tank while it is unoccupied. Of course you should take daily ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings, and perform regular water changes until your fish reenter the tank.
Can you give us any more information on the circumstances of this fish relocation?

 

[loveforfhishies]

im switching my 55 gallon tank to a cichlid habbitat so im taking all my community fish and putting them in my 20.. so for the time being my 55 gallon will be empty for a small period of time

 

[Tolak]

Run the 55 filter on the 20, that will keep it cycled. Once the 55 is set up add the filter.

 

[loveforfhishies]

so i can add a cycled filter to a non cycled tank with all fresh water and as long as the same amount of fish are in the tank it will stay cycled until im ready to put it back..

 

[thegnu]

yes it will but the new tank wont have the bacteria on the substrate and decor so you might have a tiny mini cycle, nothing to worry about as long as you don't add more fish or feed heavy for a few weeks