Before And After Adding Eco-complete

[jonnyf84]

well this is my future aquascape tank, its a old clear seal thats been sprused up, i got my arcadia on fri and got the substrate today. These are the before and after pics, the problem is my tank is a month into a cycle and i have had to turn my filter off until the dust settles, how long can i keep my filter off without causing it to set back my cycle or killing off beneficial bacteria?

you can enlarge the pics by clicking on them.

 

[Syphoniera]

Hi, jonnyf84,
speaking as a NON-EXPERT - people usually turn up their filters to help eliminate the dust from newly added substrate, and if you're fishless cycling and building nitrifying bacteria, with the filter shut shut off, they'll rapidly starve in what becomes an oxygen and nutrient-reduced environment.
Personally, I'd turn it back on ASAP, as it can sometimes take only hours of down-time to set the filter back drastically, if not create an environment where toxins are produced by the decidedly non-beneficial bacteria which can replace the ones you want.
If it's been off more than a few hours, I'd suggest rinsing it in tank/treated water in the hope of reducing any negative bacteria/fungus which may be colonizing the filter media.
If it's been off days, I'd actually sterilize the sucker - there are billions of nasty, opportunistic organisms you won't want in with your lovely new fish, as you begin adding them.
Bu, as stated, I'm no expert, and with any luck one wll be around shortly.

 

[drobbyb]

IIRC, a few hours and your bacs will stay alive as long as they are wet. I think they start to die off after that as the oxygen in the still water gets used up. Correct me if I am wrong.

I see that Syphoniera was posting at the same time. Oops!

 

[jonnyf84]

thanks for the input, i just didn't want the filter getting clogged up as i don't really want to clean the sponges until the cycle is complete otherwise it will set the process back and could cause a mini cycle, i've turned it back on now though. The eco complete looks good a little lighter than it looked in the bag but still looks nice n natural.

 

[Schmill]

thanks for the input, i just didn't want the filter getting clogged up as i don't really want to clean the sponges until the cycle is complete otherwise it will set the process back and could cause a mini cycle, i've turned it back on now though. The eco complete looks good a little lighter than it looked in the bag but still looks nice n natural.

I'd leave it on, (as I did with mine), even if you end up having to rinse your sponges through, it's better to have that little setback, than to have the whole colony die-off whilst you were trying to save them by having the filter off