How Long Will Media Stay Cycled In Inactive Filter?

[Gvilleguy]

Hello folks,

I have not needed to post on here in a while...smooth sailing for over a year. But I came home from work tonight to see the water level of my aquarium (which had been cleaned the day before) had dropped two inches. I found a leaking Fluval 205 under the cabinet. Luckily I had it in a plastic container for just such an occasion, so water on the floor was minimal.

It appears the lid has lost the seal - perhaps the rubber O ring - and I could not get it back sealed tight after playing with it for a while. So I plan to purchase a new canister filter. I have a cycled hang on back filter running that should get me by for a few days without worry to my fish.

My question being will my cycled media in the canister remain okay for a couple of days? I left tank water in it and sealed the lid. I don't think I can pick up a new filter until Wed night (I type this Monday night).

 

[Tolak]

Old school broken filter trick; get a large plastic cup or other container suitable for holding the filter media. Poke, drill, burn some holes in the bottom. Put your media in this container, clip it to the inside rim of the tank so the media remains submerged & wet. Every so often pour some water through it with a cup or whatever may be available.

While the nitrifying bacteria will remain viable for quite a while as long as it remains wet, by doing this you have a bio filter for your tank, with you being the pump. You also provide the bacteria with a source of O2 & food.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

What Tolak said, except use a mesh bag (or old stocking) and hang it near the output of the hang-on filter.

 

[Gvilleguy]

Thanks for the help here. I was actually so busy at work that I did not have time to try and hang my media in the tank. It ended up sitting in the filter for two days with tank water. Last night I installed a new Fluval 206 and transferred the old media into it. I will test the tank water tonight to see how it is doing. At least I kept it wet!