How long will a empty tank stay cycled?

[ar0wan]

Dump a market prawn into the tank..

I was all THIS

I would trust my own pee pee before I used the off the counter ammonia. Just don't get caught doing it, you'd never be able to explain.

and I was like THIS

I just drop a raw shrimp from the market, it isnt the prettiest thing to look at but hey it works!

but I was still all THIS

Even if there's no fish, there should be enough fish dung left in your filters to keep the bacteria alive for quite some time. I'd say months. Also you could use some baby fish food to feed your bacteria. That's what I do when I start cycling a tank.

But I started with THIS

ppl get worked up about keeping bacteria alive
guess wat
they started the whole life thing
the lower on the food chain
the more resilient to change a species tends to be

For all ya'll that keep asking this question:

BB will adjust to the amount of ammonia present
BB will adjust to the amount of oxygen present
BB can easiliy live in a sealed, wet, off filter for days
BB can easiliy live in an empty tank for weeks
BB slow their metabolism with reductions to these values
and speed it back up again as soon as the volume returns

 

[screaminleeman]

I would use cheap danios or the like to keep the tank cycled. Give them back, or have them become feed for your new fish when you are ready to stock.

 

[Laticauda]

I would use cheap danios or the like to keep the tank cycled. Give them back, or have them become feed for your new fish when you are ready to stock.

Bad idea. You don't know what those danios could be harboring, some things are invisible and stay dormant even after a 4-6 week quarantine. Don't use "new" fish to keep it cycled.

Ammonia, fish food, shrimp are all much better choices.

 

[papawoody]

a week is no biggie . you'll be fine without additives . adding ammonia will just add nitrates in the end . and adding a shrimp you'll have to wait for it to decay to contribute to the ammonia load ... and its not needed anyways . just keep the tank running and when you add new stock feed lightly ...

 

[Rob Martin]

Thanks a lot, everyone. Appreciate the replies. I think I'll just leave things be then since a few of you now have said it should be fine for the week.

 

[Laticauda]

I'd rather play it safe than sorry. I've read too many times of BB starving and the tank having to re-cycle again.

If you add ammonia, the only thing you have to do is change the water before adding fish.

 

[MyGiants]

One week is not that long. Your tanks not going to go sterile in one week. When you restock the tank are you going to buy as many fish as your selling all at one time? if not wouldn't worry about the tank loosing all its bacteria in one week. Myself I wouldn't add any ammonia. If I was really concerned about it you could just add a few pinches of flake food a day.