Emergency! Please Help...

[Ebbo]

Hi,

I was sorting the tank out last night and my fluval 405 would not pump the water through once it was all back together, the clamp had broken and now new parts are required.

Problem is, the filter has been off all night and the 15 years mature bacteria colony I'm assuming is now all dead. I'm off work this morning to get the new filter parts (thankfully my boss is also a fishkeeper and completely understands).

Is there any tried and tested method of re-newing the bacteria colony or have I completely killed off any hope of stopping the tank from having to go through a re-cycle??

I have a fully stocked tank (hence the 405) and I know my angels, rasboras, loaches & BN's will not survive a re-cycle.

I have a 30g which is all set up and has a lonely angel, which they can move in to while the tank re-cycles, would that be recommended?

Please help, I'm a fishkeeper in distress!

Thanks,
Paul

 

[gavnlisa]

Hi,

I was sorting the tank out last night and my fluval 405 would not pump the water through once it was all back together, the clamp had broken and now new parts are required.

Problem is, the filter has been off all night and the 15 years mature bacteria colony I'm assuming is now all dead. I'm off work this morning to get the new filter parts (thankfully my boss is also a fishkeeper and completely understands).

Is there any tried and tested method of re-newing the bacteria colony or have I completely killed off any hope of stopping the tank from having to go through a re-cycle??

I have a fully stocked tank (hence the 405) and I know my angels, rasboras, loaches & BN's will not survive a re-cycle.

I have a 30g which is all set up and has a lonely angel, which they can move in to while the tank re-cycles, would that be recommended?

Please help, I'm a fishkeeper in distress!

Thanks,
Paul

hi, our tank downstairs has been up and running for over 5 years but ive only bin taking care of it for about 4 months didnt know much about tropical fish when i first started n our plus4 fluval has packed in twice, fist time was about a week after i started looking after the fish and i very cleverly took the hole thing apart and washed every bit in the kitchen sink then we had a 5h power cut while i was at newcastle and it packed in and wasnt fixed til i got back about day n a half later but its still running fine ant theres nothing wrong wit the fish, dont have any loaches or angels in the tank but if you put the old filter pads in the new filter it should be ok, but make sure to get some help from some one else that hasnt washed there filter in the sink

 

[Davo86]

Just an idea but try adding an airstone to the bottom of the external so that the bubbles push up through the media, this just may keep some of the bacteria alive,

However all is not lost as you say you have another tank, which enables you to clone that tanks filter if required

 

[gavnlisa]

Just an idea but try adding an airstone to the bottom of the external so that the bubbles push up through the media, this just may keep some of the bacteria alive,

However all is not lost as you say you have another tank, which enables you to clone that tanks filter if required

is what i said a load of rubbish cos the 405 is an external filter? if it is soz now i feel a bit daft think ill just go hide now

 

[Jdubz]

could you not swap some of the filter media around say 60% from the angel tank and put it in the other filter so the colony can spread?

 

[Ebbo]

Thanks for your responses,

I managed to obtain the replacement parts that I needed and the filter has been running since 10 this morning, hopefuly I have managed to save the bacteria.

I was told the bacteria should mostly still be alive, I added some cycle to help it along a bit.

Reason I didn't clone other tank is due to the filter having an issue a week ago with a bloom of algae - it's still recovering with a minimal stock.

Thanks,
Paul