I dont really need my Bio-wheel 125 that is on my 5.5g fry tank bacsue as of now no fish are in it. How can I keep the bacteria alive in that tank/wheel. Should I add a small fish to keep it going? Can i dry it out and use it again? (Re-cycleing of course.)
Preserving a Bio-Wheel
- Thread starter Kasakato
- Start date
The simplest route, imo, is to put the 125 filter on another inhabited tank until you need it again. Is this an option for you?
Well the other tank that I can put it on is my 20g. However Im not sure that there is enoough room because my FilStar takes up most of the top.
my experience
I had a biowheel that I didn't need and I let it dry and stored it in the attic for 9 months. Then I got a new tank and set it up to test some heaters that I'd had some trouble with. Since I had some baby fish that'd be moving to tht new tank later, I decided to start cycling the old biowheel filter.
I cleaned the filter housing with Oxiclean and got it very clean. I probably used CLR on the white crusty stuff, maybe vinegar too. Anyhow, no bacateria survived all that I don't imagine. The tank was washed with salt and vinegar also, as it had been used. I added the new heater, and a Seachem ammonia alert tag. I added 4 tablespoons of ammonia, then found that I had no ammonia tester. (a later test indicated that was probably 8 ppm of ammoina) After running the Penguin with no cartridges, only the biowheels running, the ammonia had declined from "lethal" to something above safe in about 5 days. I think in another day or two it would have been safe for it was falling fast, but I had to move the tank inside and so the test was stopped.
So, I think that some bacteria do survive drying out on a biowheel. Not enough to consider it pre-cycled, but enough to give you a good start on a new tank if you will fishlessly cycle it or if you can import bacteria from an active tank at the same time, stock lightly, feed lightly and test often.
So, I'd say, dont worry about it, let the wheel dry out for storage (better dry than moldy)
I had a biowheel that I didn't need and I let it dry and stored it in the attic for 9 months. Then I got a new tank and set it up to test some heaters that I'd had some trouble with. Since I had some baby fish that'd be moving to tht new tank later, I decided to start cycling the old biowheel filter.
I cleaned the filter housing with Oxiclean and got it very clean. I probably used CLR on the white crusty stuff, maybe vinegar too. Anyhow, no bacateria survived all that I don't imagine. The tank was washed with salt and vinegar also, as it had been used. I added the new heater, and a Seachem ammonia alert tag. I added 4 tablespoons of ammonia, then found that I had no ammonia tester. (a later test indicated that was probably 8 ppm of ammoina) After running the Penguin with no cartridges, only the biowheels running, the ammonia had declined from "lethal" to something above safe in about 5 days. I think in another day or two it would have been safe for it was falling fast, but I had to move the tank inside and so the test was stopped.
So, I think that some bacteria do survive drying out on a biowheel. Not enough to consider it pre-cycled, but enough to give you a good start on a new tank if you will fishlessly cycle it or if you can import bacteria from an active tank at the same time, stock lightly, feed lightly and test often.
So, I'd say, dont worry about it, let the wheel dry out for storage (better dry than moldy)
Bacteria living dry for 9 months?!?! Thats neat. I may just end up adding a few fish to keep it going. Any ideas?
Seaman
Shrimp gumbo, shrimp salad etc...
go buy amonia, and an amonia test kit. Feed them that while there is no fish in the tank....then before you put fish in test it and make sure theres not any amonia. You dont need much to keep the colony alive, otherwise you';ll be overrun with nitrAtes.