Filter Breakdown...have To Re-cycle The Tank?

[miss_vinny]

I have a 10-gallon planted tank that's been up and running for almost a year and a half. Most recently, it housed a single male betta and some snails. When the betta finally died, I unplugged the filter because it was making a funny sound. Unfortunately, it took a while to fix and so the tank didn't have a running filter for about a month (kept it heated, though, at about 78 degrees and kept the lights on 9 hours a day). The plants are doing great, the snails are proliferating like mad.

I cleaned the tank and did a 75% water change and got the filter running again. While I know the beneficial bacteria in the filter media will have died off, is it possible the bacterial colonies in the substrate (Tahitian moon sand) may have survived? I'm just wondering if it will be necessary to re-cycle the tank from scratch again...

 

[Tolak]

There is probably some nitrifying bacteria in the sand, as well as on the decorations and such. I would stock slowly, similar to a traditional cycle with fish, 1" of hardy slim bodied fish per 5 gallons. Without a doubt I would be doing daily ammo & nitrite tests.

 

[miss_vinny]

There is probably some nitrifying bacteria in the sand, as well as on the decorations and such. I would stock slowly, similar to a traditional cycle with fish, 1" of hardy slim bodied fish per 5 gallons. Without a doubt I would be doing daily ammo & nitrite tests.

I'm hoping to eventually stock with 3 dwarf puffers (they should love the snails!). Im also using the product "Stability" by Seachem to get things going again...

I'm hoping to eventually stock with 3 dwarf puffers (they should love the snails!). Im also using the product "Stability" by Seachem to get things going again...