Staying Cycled

[PrairieSunflower]

I am working towards moving a large portion of fish to a new tank... eventually, my small tank will no longer have fish in it (I intend to use that one for purposeful pairings). I've not had a tank with no fish in it before (unless if was cycling). So, my question is... will that tank remain cycled without fish in it if I leave it running? Is there anything I would need to do to keep it cycled?

 

[fluttermoth]

no, it won't stay cycled unless you feed the bacteria with a source of ammonia. It would be much easier to put the media from your old filter in the new one and then you can take it out and set up the smaller tank when you need it.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Thats what I was suspecting but not sure about. I think I might pick out a few residents to keep in there to keep the tank stable... I think that would be easier for me than moving stuff around all the time. Either that are seeking out a much larger breeder net for those purposeful pairings... though... wouldn't want the male jumping out into the all female tank! LOL

 

[RossC]

Ye you need to provide a source of ammonia just add enough ammonia to about 3ppm everyday so long as it drops to 0 within 12-24 hours

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I had another thought... would this work?

If I removed my filter and placed it into one of the other tanks and ran it there... then when I wanted to use the small one just refill it with tank water and put the filter back. That would work, right?

 

[daz4321]

there will only be enough bacteria alive to cope with the ammonia that is there so be aware providing 2 filters in one tank would split the bacteria 50/50 (as long as all thing equal) it would be best to dose the empty tank with ammonia this would provide adequate food to keep a large population of the media ready for what ever stock you add.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Ah, didn't realize that about filters... thought they would just each have their own bacteria. Good to know!

I think I may either go back to the idea of keeping a couple fish in there permanently or doing away with the small tank for breeding and find a solution with a mesh breeder that I can make a cover for... so no one escapes. It won't be something used very often as I want to limit my guppies breeding.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Do you suppose cherry shrimp create enough biomass to keep the tank cycled? That would be another option for me.

 

[Tolak]

I'd just run the filter or the media on the existing tank. With multiple filters the nitrifying bacteria is pretty evenly distributed in the media by the surface area provided. Mature nitrifying bacteria is capable of doubling every 24 hours, so if you need to set up another tank you just clone it from mature media that is running on a stocked tank.

Take up to 1/3 of the mature media, eyeball your stocking in the donor tank, and figure that you can stock the new tank to 1/3 of that stocking to start, no problem. Knowing that the bacteria can double every 24 hours you can stock up the new tank pretty well if you do some daily water changes to compensate for the increased stocking. This is how folks with fishrooms set up & break down tanks whenever needed, without even bothering with water tests.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I'd just run the filter or the media on the existing tank. With multiple filters the nitrifying bacteria is pretty evenly distributed in the media by the surface area provided. Mature nitrifying bacteria is capable of doubling every 24 hours, so if you need to set up another tank you just clone it from mature media that is running on a stocked tank.

Take up to 1/3 of the mature media, eyeball your stocking in the donor tank, and figure that you can stock the new tank to 1/3 of that stocking to start, no problem. Knowing that the bacteria can double every 24 hours you can stock up the new tank pretty well if you do some daily water changes to compensate for the increased stocking. This is how folks with fishrooms set up & break down tanks whenever needed, without even bothering with water tests.

You've lost me a bit. I'm not all up there with terminology. I tend to invent my own terms and remember then not the actual terms other people us. LOL

Are you saying "run in existing tank" being the tank its currently in or one of my others I will be fully maintaining?

What does "clone it from mature media" mean? I am using sponge filters so cannot remove bits and transplant it into other filters. If possible I want to keep my current filter active, possibly even the sand as well...

I'm looking to have my small tank able to house 2 guppies at a time for 1-2 week periods... now and then... not even monthly. The filter I have in there at the moment is a very small fluval sponge filter (far smaller than the filters I am using in my two other tanks.)

 

[Tolak]

Run the sponge filter in the tank that is always running, remove it for use with 2 guppys as needed.

I run mostly sponge & box filters, and have no problem running multiple sponge filters in a stocked tank, removing a spare as needed to start up another tank.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Run the sponge filter in the tank that is always running, remove it for use with 2 guppys as needed.

I run mostly sponge & box filters, and have no problem running multiple sponge filters in a stocked tank, removing a spare as needed to start up another tank.

Great! Thanks! I will get on top of all this fish talk one day! It will be about 2 months yet until I will be pairing any of my guppies and thus need that tank again.