Maintaining levels in a tank without fish (for a few days)

WaterBaby

WaterBaby

Senior Member with Senior Moments
Sep 23, 2002
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I have just transferred all my fish from my 20gal to a larger tank. Since the 20gal is already cycled, I would like to use it for a observation/quarantine tank for the fish that I'm going to get for the larger tank.

I'm not going to look for new fish for a few days (2 at the most). Will the bacteria die off in that time? I would't think so, but I need to ask anyway ;)

Michele
 
If you don't do anything it will. However, if you keep adding food and keep the water circulating to ensure some transfer of oxygen you should be fine. Can you move the filter from that tank over to the new tank for a couple days? That would help keep the bacteria on it alive as well as help cycle the new tank.
 
I actually put 1/2 of the filter medium from the 20gal into the filter in the new tank when I moved the fish into it.

I left the other half in the 20gallon.

Maybe we'll go fish shopping today...... I don't want to take any chances.

Thanks,
Michele
 
I prefer to move the filter to a tank containing fish, but I just throw in a few algae wafers when I have an empty tank. They seem to do the job of feeding the bacteria. Anything used in a fishless cycle (fish food, raw shrimp, pure ammonia, etc.) would work just fine.

The best thing would be to hook the old filter to a tank with fish until you need to use it on a different tank. If you don't want to do that, just "feed" the bacteria.
 
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