Old Filter Media -- But...

[Autonerd]

I am such an idiot. I just realized that I *do* have old filter media -- from my former 10 gallon goldfish tank. I replaced the filter when I got the 15g tank (which is doing a fishless cycle as we speak).

But... the last time I had that old filter on a tank, I was using API Super Ick Cure. Both of the goldfish died.

Is there any danger in using the old filter media to cycle the tank? Could there be residue that is harmful to future fish?

Also,I don't have the charcoal insert installed in the filter for this cycle. Should I?

Aaron

 

[gforce17]

I'm not an expert but if it's been out of a tank for any length of time all the bacteria will have died. It dies very quickly - even turning you filter off to do jobs on tank can risk a spike I think. More experienced people on here will let you know if I'm right. Sorry to be negative.

 

[gforce17]

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I'm not an expert but if it's been out of a tank for any length of time all the bacteria will have died. It dies very quickly - even turning you filter off to do jobs on tank can risk a spike I think. More experienced people on here will let you know if I'm right. Sorry to be negative.

You got it partly right. The bacteria do die back at a rate somewhere around 12% every 24 hours, but this assumes that it remains wet the whole time, but without a good flow of oxygen and ammonia. Turning the filter off to do standard maintenance isn't an issue. As long as the filter remains wet, it's fine for several hours. Ultimately, even 4-6 hours isn't really a concern as the bacteria would be able to more than make up for any die back.


You are correct in this case, however, that the filter media is more than likely next to useless to help the cycle along though. I don't think that it would contain any significant number of bacteria and certainly wouldn't be worth the risk of adding ich to the tank.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

You got it partly right. The bacteria do die back at a rate somewhere around 12% every 24 hours, but this assumes that it remains wet the whole time, but without a good flow of oxygen and ammonia.

The research below appears to contradict this:

Keywords:

• Ammonia oxidising bacteria;
• Survival in soil;
• Desiccation;
• Nitrification;
• Extracellular polymeric substance

Summary
Natural populations of ammonia oxidising bacteria survived in air-dried soils for periods greater than 3 months. Recovery of a laboratory strain of Nitrosomonas europaea, grown and stored under similar conditions, was not possible after only 10 weeks. Pure cultures of natural isolates from the nitrifier enrichments possessed significant amounts of extracellular polymeric substances as capsular material, which was absent from cells of the laboratory strain, suggesting production of such material as a survival strategy during periods of desiccation stress in the soil.

From FEMS Microbiology Letters

or

Abstract
This study investigated a seven month storage and the subsequent reactivation of aerobic granules. The granule size and structure integrity were remained during storage, whereas some cavities and pleats appeared on the surface and further deteriorated the settleability. Along with the reactivation, the physical characteristics and microbial activities of aerobic granules were gradually improved. Activities of heterotrophs and nitrifiers can be fully recovered within 16 days and 11 days, respectively. Nitrifiers decayed slower during storage and reinstated rapider during reactivation than heterotrophs. In fresh aerobic granules, the dominated ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) were Nitrosomonas and Nitrospira, respectively. During storage, the initially dominated populations decayed rapider than the initially less dominated ones. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) significantly decreased within the first month, and then gradually accumulated during the last six months storage. Accumulation of EPS was an effective strategy for maintaining structural integrity of aerobic granules during long-term storage.

From http/www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960852408002009

or

Abstract
The effect of long term anaerobic and intermittent anaerobic/aerobic starvation on the structure and activity of aerobic granules was studied. Aerobic granular sludge treating abattoir wastewater and achieving high levels of nutrient removal was subjected to 4–5 week starvation under anaerobic and intermittent anaerobic/aerobic conditions. Microscopic pictures of granules at the beginning of the starvation period presented a round and compact surface morphology with a much defined external perimeter. Under both starvation conditions, the morphology changed at the end of starvation with the external border of the granules surrounded by floppy materials. The loss of granular compactness was faster and more pronounced under anaerobic/aerobic starvation conditions. The release of Ca[sup]2+[/sup] at the onset of anaerobic/aerobic starvation suggests a degradation of extracellular polymeric substances. The activity of ammonia oxidizing bacteria was reduced by 20 and 36% during anaerobic and intermittent anaerobic/aerobic starvation, respectively. When fresh wastewater was reintroduced, the granules recovered their initial morphology within 1 week of normal operation and the nutrient removal activity recovered fully in 3 weeks. The results show that both anaerobic and intermittent anaerobic/aerobic conditions are suitable for maintaining granule structure and activity during starvation.

rom

 

[Autonerd]

Regardless, the ich is still a concern, correct?

Aaron

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The potential risk isn't worth any possible reward, IMHO.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

No the ich is no longer a concern.

White spot disease (Ichthyopthirius multifiliis) is caused by a protozoan with a life cycle that includes a free-living stage. Ich grows on a fish --> it falls off and attaches to gravel or tank glass --> it reproduces to MANY parasites --> these swarmers then attach to other fish. If the swarmers do not find a fish host, they die in about 3 days (depending on the water temperature).

From http/fins.actwin.c...ase-fw.html#ich

That is why one method for curing ich that works but isn't recommended is mentioned on the above site

Finally, one can treat ich with a ``transfer method.'' Fish are moved daily into a different tank with clean, conditioned, warmed water. Parasites that came off of the fish are left behind in the tank. After moving the fish daily for a week, the fish (presumably cured) can be put back into the main tank. The disadvantage of this method is that it stresses both fish and fishkeeper.

And here is one more study I found regarding Nitrifying bacteria EPS and the ability of the bacteria to survive without fooid water or moisture.

Nitrifiers exist in most aerobic environments where organic matter is mineralized (soils, compost, fresh- and seawater, waste water). In general, cell growth is slow with regard to the poor energy sources but can be adapted to changing environmental conditions. Especially for Nitrobacter, mixotrophic and heterotrophic growth with organic compounds is an alternative to the oxidation of nitrite. Nitrifiers are also active in low oxygen and anaerobic environments like sewage disposal systems and marine sediments where they are able to act as denitrifiers [34]. Although they form no endospores, they can survive long periods of starvation and dryness. Therefore, nitrifying bacteria were also detected in e.g., antarctic soils [35], natural stones [36], heating systems [32] as well as in subsurface sediments in a depth of 260 m [37]. Especially ammonia oxidizers form dense cell clusters, where cells are embedded in a dense layer of EPS (extra-cellular polymeric substances). These microcolonies may protect the cells against stress factors like dryness. Another protecting mechanism is the production or accumulation of compatible solutes (e.g., trehalose, glycine betaine or sucrose, see Chap. 12, Kunte et al.). Due to salt stress and dryness an increasing amount of compatible solutes was found in cells of Nitrobacter [38].

from http/epic.awi.de/P...ns/Wag2001a.pdf (Refer to section 9.3.2 on page 6)
(Red color has been added my me for emphasis.)