Beneficial bacteria question
- Thread starter giar
- Start date
I can't give you an exact amount of time, but you are 100% fine during a WC to not even have to worry one bit about it, even if you were slow as molasses on a winter day 
When this conversation comes up most people say anywhere from 2 - 5 Days. I don't know about that but I know I have done it in tanks for about 36hrs with no ill effects what so ever.
When this conversation comes up most people say anywhere from 2 - 5 Days. I don't know about that but I know I have done it in tanks for about 36hrs with no ill effects what so ever.im planning to use another pump, so the sump is still running as usual.
The media will be submerged, oxygenated, and get constant flow, just like normal. the difference is that they dont get the food supply (ammonia) from the main tank.
The media will be submerged, oxygenated, and get constant flow, just like normal. the difference is that they dont get the food supply (ammonia) from the main tank.
It's not measured in hours, but in days for most tanks, and it would even be weeks under low temps and low pH.
Hello; I have thought about this a bit. I have a WAG about it. No real evidence, just the risky process of possibly incomplete logic.
First case I considered is when we have an established long term tank and either a large fish dies or we remove a substantial amount of fish mass. All of a sudden the ammonia and nitrite levels are reduced. My WAG is some of the bb eventually die off, perhaps after a dormant period. ( Not sure about the dormant period but seem to recall bacteria can do this.) As they die off they add some ammonia during the decay process.
Added to this ammonia source would be other ammonia being generated by the ongoing decay of organics in a tank. Excess food, bits of food from messy eaters, plant bits, organics in fish feces and such.
Over enough time the bb population will adjust to the reduced amount of ammonia and get back into a dynamic balance at a much lower total population. My unsupported guess is this working down to the smaller bb population takes longer than building up a bb population.
I tend to go along with those who say a large decline in the bb population is likely to take a day or few.
By the way
giar
I like the way you have hung in over time. You are clearly thinking about aspects of the hobby. So many start in the hobby then have problems. Some do not enjoy the comments on these threads and we never hear from them after a while. Don't know if they quit the hobby or just go somewhere that folks tell them what they wish to hear.
Ok cool... because i only get around 5 gph flow from my RO unit (mineral buffers included in the unit). I take out around 100 gal of my tank water every WC, so i figured i would need 20 hours more or less to fill in the tank back in. For that time being i cant use my sump. Hence this issue bothers me.
But i guess i can say it is safe from yall feedbacks and experiences?
Hehe im here to learn.
Why ask if you only wish to hear what you wanna hear
I dont mind critics as long as it is constructive
But i guess i can say it is safe from yall feedbacks and experiences?
Hehe im here to learn.
Why ask if you only wish to hear what you wanna hear
I dont mind critics as long as it is constructive
I 've always curious when people said bacteria will last hours/days/ even week without running when it shut off from tank and have it sit in the sump.
I always see many different answer to this question. I want to know when people provide the answer of hours/days and week. Do they even know this for a fact? how do they measure bacterial life? is there is proof or chart or any data to back up the answer?
I am not putting anyone down or going toward above members, i just wanted to know myself as well as other that raise the question. Solid answer would be nice, not from what you "think" how long it last. i Wanted to know how long does it really last as a fact.
I always see many different answer to this question. I want to know when people provide the answer of hours/days and week. Do they even know this for a fact? how do they measure bacterial life? is there is proof or chart or any data to back up the answer?
I am not putting anyone down or going toward above members, i just wanted to know myself as well as other that raise the question. Solid answer would be nice, not from what you "think" how long it last. i Wanted to know how long does it really last as a fact.
Good question.
I've never seen someone post (from research) the "life-span" of a nitrosomonas or nitrobacter species of bacteria. (Both of course are terrestrial and aquatic organisms.) One can only deduce that either no one cares about that or because it's span is not significant in how they operate or are used.
If it lasted just a few hours, that would be critical to know for farmers who depend on them in the soil. It would also be important to water recycling companies who depend on them in the recycling process, since plants periodically might have to shut down for maintenance or repairs. From this one can presume it's certainly much longer than a few hours.
My personal experience was with a tank that lost complete power for 3 days. When it came back, I had no experience with any problems due to a mini cycle of complete cycle. I dare say innumerable people have had the same experience because while a lot of people lose power, very few people keep back-up generators or report massive die offs.
So at least several days seems the "best fit" for this anecdotal data.
Scientifically, what has been tested is the effect of low temperature and low pH on BB. In both cases, BB cellular division rates can be slowed dramatically to a point of near stasis. Cellular division rates of weeks implies a life-span of weeks or longer, since a cell that dies before it divides will not reproduce. It's therefore correct to say that under certain conditions it can be weeks or longer.
Use a small pump to periodically move water from the tank to the sump. When the sump is nearly full, turn on the main pump briefly to return some water to the tank.
When I used RO, I liked to collect RO water in a spare tank or barrel. Heat it up and remineralize it before starting the water change.
When I used RO, I liked to collect RO water in a spare tank or barrel. Heat it up and remineralize it before starting the water change.