Finished cycling

[Piece of reef]

My tank is finished cycling
But im not ready for livestock

What can i do to keep the bacteria happy until i finish quarantine ?
Thanks

 

[Reef.]

If it’s cycled you can easily go for a couple of months without feeding, just keep it heated and the water moving.

 

[Piece of reef]

If it’s cycled you can easily go for a couple of months without feeding, just keep it heated and the water moving.

Oh really
I thought the bacteria would start to die off

 

[gentlefish]

Pending on the size of your system and the livestock you want to put in. The more we are talking significant livestock coming in, it would not be wrong to build up bacterial load by intermittently tossing very very small amounts of fish food in. In a smaller system, and in modern times I would probably just add another cup of bacteria a week prior to lifestock.

 

[Piece of reef]

Pending on the size of your system and the livestock you want to put in. The more we are talking significant livestock coming in, it would not be wrong to build up bacterial load by intermittently tossing very very small amounts of fish food in. In a smaller system, and in modern times I would probably just add another cup of bacteria a week prior to lifestock.

Thanks i have an 80 gallon, how often do you recommend adding food ?


1 more question
Should i be doing weekly water changes in the case of leaving it empty for a 1 or 2 ?

 

[gentlefish]

Every other day or so. If you have the current tank gang in QT, you know approximately how much food the bacteria will have to metabolize one way or the other. No reason for water change, as there is no mineral loss due to absent coralline.

 

[Reef.]

Thanks i have an 80 gallon, how often do you recommend adding food ?


1 more question
Should i be doing weekly water changes in the case of leaving it empty for a 1 or 2 ?

If you keep adding food which is not needed then you will have to change the water as you will b adding po4 and nitrates to a tank with no fish to eat it.

 

[Reef.]

Oh really
I thought the bacteria would start to die off

No they just go dormant, just like the bottle bacteria you buy from your LFS.

 

[gentlefish]

True, it’s a life tank, and as soon as you introduce life, there is the life you may not like so much-algae.

 

[Piece of reef]

If you keep adding food which is not needed then you will have to change the water as you will b adding po4 and nitrates to a tank with no fish to eat it.

Thanks man i appreciate the advice

So no feeding and no waterchanges
Then change water and add bacteria just before adding fish

So much conflicting ways of everything in the hobby lol

 

[Reef.]

Thanks man i appreciate the advice

So no feeding and no waterchanges
Then change water and add bacteria just before adding fish

So much conflicting ways of everything in the hobby lol

Yeah get used to it lol

Take advice from many sources then do what you think best, not just one answer to many things in this hobby.