Preserving Filter Media

[AlbertShipman]

Wasn't sure if this question is best suited for here or scientific section but thought it was more of a general enquiry.

As topic title suggests, is this possible to preserve the good bacteria, if so what is the best means of doing so?

I have only ever obtained basic knowledge in biology, any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Possible suggestions

Freezing the filter media
Placing in a container with used tank water at a similar temp. to that of the tank
Placing in a container with clean dechlorinated water at similar temp. to that of tank
???...

 

[techen]

Keep it in a running fish tank with a source of ammonia. That's it really. It does not travel well too and has a habbit of dying off easily

 

[Liz xty]

The useful part of the "media" is the bacterias which survive off ammonia and nitrite created from fish poo.
So they need ammonia or poo and warmth to survive - hence adding ammonia for the fish less cycle when setting up. Might be worth looking at the threads on fish less cycling - helped me understand the general idea of these filter thingies (I'd inherited a full tank set up so by luck, not management, I didn't poison my fish in the early days ;-) )

 

[lee420]

i beleive that without amonia to support the bacteria in the media that it dies away at about 10-15% a day and needs to be kept wet. it is also possible to send/ be sent established filter media

a question i have though is how do people send media to other people do you just put it in a bag with tank water? do you also put amonia in the bag with it?

 

[fluttermoth]

I've sent mature media a few times; this is how I do it.
 
Take some sponge or ceramic media, put it in a fish bag, wrapped in some filter floss and with some of the filter 'gunk' and a few tablespoons of water. Tie up the bag, making sure you leave some air in there; don't squeeze it all out. Upend it into another fish bag, tie that up and put the whole lot in a jiffy bag.
 
Send it first class, or next day delivery.