Keeping Filter Cycled In A Bucket?

[minxfishy]

Hi,

My fluval tank is being replaced under warranty due to a bad condensation leak down the front/sides of the tank.

Will it be ok to keep my filter cycled by using a bucket of water, topped up with the appropriate amount of ammonia? Im currently running a fishless cycle on it, due to a recent tank wipeout, so no fish will be involved in the move.

As the online store I bought it from want the tank returned so I wont be able to keep it running in the old tank whilst the new is set up.

Im pretty sure it will be ok to do so, any advice welcome though. Oh will also keep the heater in it to keep the temp right for the cycle.

Oh btw its a fluval 305 external.

 

[RedeyesUK]

I don't see why not - I assume you're using a clean bucket (ie one for aquarium use, rather than the one you use for washing the car)?

Technically, you could use a bucket for a fish tank (wouldn't look very nice though!) - I've used one as a temporary QT for a couple of weeks once, didn't have any problems.

The only drawback would be that your cycle will be knocked back slightly when you put everything back in the new tank, but there's not a great deal you can do about that.

Sounds like the best solution to an annoying problem.

 

[minxfishy]

Bucket will be one thats only been used for the aquarium

Will the cycle be knocked back because of the smaller volume of water in the bucket, as I didnt think the tank, sand itself holds any bacteria?

It will only be an overnight thing really, just while I remove the tank/cabinet out, to make room for the new tank/cabinet the next day, that way the courier can collect and deliver at the same time.

 

[RedeyesUK]

The filter will hold 90-95% of your bacteria. There will be a decentish amount in the sand etc, in a mature setup this wouldn't really be a problem, but the colonies in a part-cycled setup will be fairly fragile.

That said, if it's just overnight, it shouldn't be a problem - I was envisioning a week or two!

 

[kj23502]

Would the filter be sitting in the bucket? or running off the bucket?

If it could run off the water in the bucket, it'd be better! That would keep water flow over it, which is what delivers the oxygen to the bacteria.

 

[minxfishy]

LOL no hopefully no more than 24 hours, depending on how long it takes me to make the cabinet up

The filter will outside the bucket (its external) so the intake and outtake pipes will be the only things in the bucket.

 

[kj23502]

That would be alright to run it off of the bucket. The trick would be to find out how much ammonia to put in to keep it growing/fed.

 

[minxfishy]

Well its only a 10 litre bucket LOL, so only a tiny amount The filter is at the nitrite spike stage at the moment, so by next week when the new tank is being delivered it should (fingers crossed) be almost finished

 

[joecoral]

Well its only a 10 litre bucket LOL, so only a tiny amount The filter is at the nitrite spike stage at the moment, so by next week when the new tank is being delivered it should (fingers crossed) be almost finished

Assuming you have a 9.5% ammonia solution, which is what most places sell, you would need 0.5 ml to get 5ppm (assuming the bucket had a full 10L of water in it)