How Long Can The Bacteria Live With Out Ammonia?

[snowflake311]

I'm going on a small family vacation for 5 days. My tank is almost done cycling well I had problems but they are working out. My nitrites are still high and my ammonia is 0 . So I need to feed the tank ammonia still. How can I do this while I'm gone I don't trust my friends to do it. nitrites Or will it be ok for 5 days with no ammonia?

What should I do? Will the tank be ok with out ammonia for 5 days?

 

[snowflake311]

So I'm thinking if I put a bit of fish food in the tank before I go that will feed the tank while I'm gone ??

 

[Tolak]

Fish food might work. I've heard, but never tried, fishless cycling with prawn, a large shrimp. These are available at most any grocery store, toss it in, as it deteriorates it creates ammonia. This should last for 5 days.

 

[MrPurplePickle]

Go the large prawn, or even 2.
Put them in a small nylon stocking or something.

Will make it alot easier to toss out when you get back.

 

[BeNoM]

Hi,

The problem with the prawn method is that it might not actually start producing ammonia for 5 days after it is put in the tank (when it starts to rot).

What I would do is dilute the ammonia with water. I have done this at home, When i add 30ml of solution, it means i have 3ppm of ammonia in the tank. Maybe you could then trust your friend with it, or even seperate them into daily dosages in jars and just tell him to chuck 1 dose in per day..

 

[snowflake311]

I'm thinking the prawn is the way to go. seems like a waste of a tasty treat but oh well. I think it will start to put out enough ammonia for awhile.

 

[Amunet]

I would go with flake fish food myself.
I don't even want to imagine the stink the shrimp will make once it does start to break down.. bleh lol.
Just put some flake food in a bag or a fish net where the net is in the water but will keep the food from getting everywhere.
And *nodnod*

 

[BeNoM]

I'm thinking the prawn is the way to go. seems like a waste of a tasty treat but oh well. I think it will start to put out enough ammonia for awhile.

haha, your friend must be really untrustworthy

 

[snowflake311]

No they would not try and mess anything up. But they might forget about the tank altogether. I have someone to watch the dogs but I don't want to bother them with crazy instruction on how to care for a tank that only has plants in it.

We will see I have someone in mind that I think would be good about it.

I want to check out my options.