how long can bacteria survive power outage

[Jgray152]

If the filter was not in use for 3~6 days... and the moment you plugged it in there was no sign of ammonia or nitrite...

Then this is proof that the vast majority of the bacteria in your system is in the aquarium, not in the canister filter...

Things like this make ya wonder how important bio media is doesn't it?

This is pure assumption. You can not say this for fact at all. Although, bacteria to thrive in the aquarium, even in the tubing after the filter which is weird.

 

[Gobrian44]

Are power outages that common for all of you guys?

 

[jcardona1]

This is pure assumption. You can not say this for fact at all. Although, bacteria to thrive in the aquarium, even in the tubing after the filter which is weird.

yeah if that theory held any water, we would be able to run our tanks without any sort of filtration. im sorry but i just dont see that lasting too long.

 

[Toby_H]

I forgot to replug in an XP3 that was the only filter on a 55G for at least 3 days, maybe as much as 6. I tested right after plugging in and params were fine, tested a few days later same thing. The tank never kicked into a cycle.
I do have a lot of rock and sand in the tank and there was a powerhead running so that could have kept the levels in check

If the filter was not in use for 3~6 days... and the moment you plugged it in there was no sign of ammonia or nitrite...
Then this is proof that the vast majority of the bacteria in your system is in the aquarium, not in the canister filter...
Things like this make ya wonder how important bio media is doesn't it?

This is pure assumption. You can not say this for fact at all. Although, bacteria to thrive in the aquarium, even in the tubing after the filter which is weird.

yeah if that theory held any water, we would be able to run our tanks without any sort of filtration. im sorry but i just dont see that lasting too long.

As I so often say around here… qualify your statements guys…

If the system is mature… and the filter is essentially removed from the system… and no ammonia/nitrite spike occurs… then that has to mean there was enough bacteria in the system outside the filter to consume the ammonia/nitrites… Feel free too offer another explanation…

The only other logical explanation I see is that Oolichan’s situation didn’t happen the way he said it did…

And in my experience special “bio media” is in no way necessary to run a healthy tank. It is commonly understood that beneficial bacteria grows everywhere. The quantity of bacteria is limited by it’s food source (ammonia). So just because you have 14 square miles of surface area in a system doesn’t mean you have that much bacteria. You only have enough to consume the ammonia produced by your system. Any more than that which is produced will simply starve.

Bio media stuck in a canister filter is in no way a better environment that any other surface in the system. If you claim this is assumption I ask you to please explain the difference between bio meida in a canister and other surfaces in a system. Sure theres more surface area, but when there is already "enough" adding more doesn't make a difference...

I do not mean to turn this into a “bio media is hype” debate, but at the same time I made a very valid point and because it conflicts a common misconception it was belittled.

 

[dwilder]

the only way a canister is probably better than other surfaces in the tank is more direct contact with more water because of the circulation of water through the filter but imo canisters alone suck for bb not enough oxygen trickle towers and bio wheels imo are better

 

[Toby_H]

yeah if that theory held any water, we would be able to run our tanks without any sort of filtration. im sorry but i just dont see that lasting too long.

In short... we can...

If the system is mature... and you turn off all the filters... and put in a few powerheads or even bubble wands... enough to create proper water movement...

You may experience a "mini cycle" at first as you will have removed a percentage of the bacteria when removing the filters... but it will come to a balance...

Naturally take into effect that mechanical filtration will be non existant which will have it's negative impacts, but we're simply discussing bio filtration here...

All in all... bacteria is limited by it's food source. Bio Media Manufacturers have many of you convinced it is limited by available surface area. While if excessive food supplies were available this would be true, this is not the case in our aquariums.

 

[tcarswell]

If the filter was not in use for 3~6 days... and the moment you plugged it in there was no sign of ammonia or nitrite...

Then this is proof that the vast majority of the bacteria in your system is in the aquarium, not in the canister filter...

Things like this make ya wonder how important bio media is doesn't it?

Yeah I would most definitely say this case if proven true really would make me curious how much bio media in canisters is needed. I am not questioning its importance but simply saying that myself with two trays of bio max and an eheim 2215 packed with substrate pro is probably way extreme overkill for my 4 bichirs and 1 fish

 

[jcardona1]

In short... we can...

If the system is mature... and you turn off all the filters... and put in a few powerheads or even bubble wands... enough to create proper water movement...

You may experience a "mini cycle" at first as you will have removed a percentage of the bacteria when removing the filters... but it will come to a balance...

Naturally take into effect that mechanical filtration will be non existant which will have it's negative impacts, but we're simply discussing bio filtration here...

All in all... bacteria is limited by it's food source. Bio Media Manufacturers have many of you convinced it is limited by available surface area. While if excessive food supplies were available this would be true, this is not the case in our aquariums.

yes, i understand the whole bacteria/surface area thing. i still think it depends on the number of fish and what size they were in that tank. if its just a few small fish, then yeah i dont see there being an ammonia spike in a few days considering it takes serveral weeks to see ammonia when cycling a new tank with fish.

if the bio load was heavy, then im sure he would have seen some ammonia. and yes, i do believe that having substrate in the tank will provide some sort of bio filtration, after all, this is how it works in nature. the river beds are the bio filtration, its not like mother nature has massive sumps underneath the rivers!

 

[jcardona1]

Yeah I would most definitely say this case if proven true really would make me curious how much bio media in canisters is needed. I am not questioning its importance but simply saying that myself with two trays of bio max and an eheim 2215 packed with substrate pro is probably way extreme overkill for my 4 bichirs and 1 fish

i wish there were an easy way to tell in reality how much of our surface area is actually being utilized by bacteria. truth is majority of the people here are overfiltered. its just easier to overfilter and forget about it rather than try to get by with the bare essentials

 

[tcarswell]

i wish there were an easy way to tell in reality how much of our surface area is actually being utilized by bacteria. truth is majority of the people here are overfiltered. its just easier to overfilter and forget about it rather than try to get by with the bare essentials

Exactly why I did so Dont get me wrong I overkill the hell out of everything aquarium related. I am totally one of those guys But its funny looking back at my dads old saltwater aquariums with just UGF and maybe a sponge in them. And they are keeping lionfish etc etc