Filter Bateria Life?

[Vancar]

I'm going to be changing my fish tank set up to cichlids, while setting up the tank the filter will have to be taken out of the tank. What I was wondering was if I put the filter unit in a bucket with some of the old subtrate and all the stuff breaking down in it with the heater, how long would the bacteria in the filter survive? WOuld it survive indefinatly if i dropped a little food in once every couple of days?

 

[afremont]

I'm going to be changing my fish tank set up to cichlids, while setting up the tank the filter will have to be taken out of the tank. What I was wondering was if I put the filter unit in a bucket with some of the old subtrate and all the stuff breaking down in it with the heater, how long would the bacteria in the filter survive? WOuld it survive indefinatly if i dropped a little food in once every couple of days?

If you leave it in the house, you probably won't need any heat. I would add an airstone to keep the water well oxygenated. Use water from the tank. I don't know how long you could make it live that way though.

 

[CezzaXV]

Bacteria generally die off at a rate of 12% every 24 hours.

Is this an empty tank? Where are all the fish that are currently in it going during the change?

 

[Vancar]

I will be giving the fish to the local lfs one weekend then the next weekend I will be wanting to put the new fish in. I have got neons otos and rasboras at the moment and will be swapping to shell dwelleers