How long can you...?

[Outlaw]

How long can you reasonably expect to keep a cycled tank going without fish?

My DT is cycled, my QT is cycled but I still have no fish (lost a pair of Banggai in QT). I can't get fish often locally; I have one local pet store, but it's hit or miss whether they get SW fish each week (and never what I want).

So, I have some Dr Tims ammonium chloride. Can I realistically keep my DT cycled for another month + waiting for quarantine of fish? Nitrates are about 40, should I wait to do my large water change? Should I be changing water all along as there is nothing in there?

Would really appreciate some input on this matter.
Thanks.

 

[mike007]

I would not fish In dt with 40ppm. of nitrate. You might want to consider ordering online . Drs. Foster and Smith have great fish as other vendors on here. Yes you should quarantine all fish before adding to dt tank.

 

[Outlaw]

I agree. I haven't done the large, post cycle change yet. I am wondering if I should wait on it or do it now and then maintain it for another month +. In other words, do I keep it as is or do my big water change then try to maintain it.

I guess I'm asking if there are long term effects of leaving nitrates in

 

[Reefing Madness]

Throw in a raw shrimp, that'll keep the tank cycled. Or keep ghost feeding the tank.
As stated above, your going to want to get those Nitrates under 30 imo before you add anything. Large water change will bring them down.

 

[Waters]

As stated above, you can keep a tank cycled indefinitely as long as you continue to add a source of ammonia (whether it be raw shrimp, fish food, liquid ammonia, etc.). You will have to do water changes to keep your nitrates under control.

 

[brandon429]

if the question is will live rock down regulate filter bacteria in the absence of fish, the answer is you won't be able to measure it to find out

your ammonia will not spike with the reintroduction of the original fish load in the time mentioned because

1. Nothing antibacterial has been added

2. The food source is still there. take out fish? Food persists for a long time

let's post guesses where alt bacteria food comes from I'll go first there's many

associated floc containing mixed bacteria communities including ones that die and produce __________

 

[Outlaw]

Thanks for the input. I would hate to waste salt when there's no fish.
Would it be possible to leave as is and then try to get the nitrates down in the 2 weeks prior to fish addition, or should I get it down now.

 

[brandon429]

Can you post a full tank shot so I can see if the level of curing is what Im thinking

want to see if we have bone white base rock that is cycled and producing nitrate in a generally clean new tank or is this calcified purple live rock and months of organic storage evident around the system...an aged tank

my take on nitrate is its independent of when you add fish, I have tested 40 ppm nitrate in reef tanks that were overfed and the fish didnt care. I try to keep nitrates low for algae control but not really for fish, needing clarification on the nitrate and fish part

 

[Outlaw]

I can get one up tonight. I started with dead base rock and live sand (didn't want to wait for a week for a sand delivery). So, basically the tank currently looks like the surface of the moon, lol.

 

[Outlaw]

Fts

 

[brandon429]

well perhaps some ghost feeding
but your typical aged tank has plenty of organic reserves to get through any fallow period

B

 

[Outlaw]

Any ideas on a good maintenance dose?

2ppm/day maybe?

 

[brandon429]

Yes I think that is just fine, 2-5 is stated on a few notable online threads