How long does denitrifying bacteria live for at room temp?

[ianryd]

My QT has been sitting with no flow or filtration at room temp for about 6 weeks. Don't worry there's no fish in it! I just haven't had time to empty and clean it. Just out of curiosity I checked some levels today. PH was 8.4, Ammonia was 0, Nitrates were 40. I don't have a Nitrite kit right now. So I'm wondering, if I can get the nitrates down with a few water changes, is there any reason I shouldn't use this water for QT? Will it go through another cycle? Is it possible there is still good bacteria in the water? Or if there is nothing in the tank for the bacteria to feed off does it die? Does Temp make a difference in it's life span?

 

[brandon429]

nobody has ever tested that. its all guessing from anyone who posts

my guess: since you did initial feeding and got some nitrate endpoint proof, there is no limit to the number of days an open topped system can run fallow and wind up starving back to failing an oxidation test. I think you cannot kill them by starvation when they're this set in because contamination is happening by the minute providing incoming feed in the natural ways bacteria access feed.

reasons behind that guess:

we already have some documented fallow testing in place: 3 year live rocks that sat only topped off roughly and still passed oxidation. we have a 2 year fallow test of dry base rocks not being fed then instantly passing 1 ppm oxidation of ammonia at nano-reef.com

yours is more like example #2/ live rock systems have tons of organics so them holding over during fallow isn't surprising, its the clean systems that still holdover that are surprising.

 

[LIreefguy]

It’s a guess at best. The bacteria needs food and oxygen just like most other things

how much is left in that tank is a guess

but if you do a big water change and add circulation. I would bet the tank is good to go

Would I put a 4000 gem tang in it lol probably not though.

 

[ianryd]

Right on! Thats kinda what I figured. I'll do a 50% WC today and check levels again in a few days. Here's hoping I don't have to do another cycle!

 

[siggy]

Doesn't bacteria feed on sulfur? All that organic decay should keep them kicking and at high levels. Now I'm curious.
#reefsquad

 

[Ron Reefman]

Doesn't bacteria feed on sulfur? Now I'm curious.
#reefsquad

Some do, but not really the ones we want in this instance. Some feed on carbon, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, nitrogen...

If they all fed on sulfur we wouldn't have the bacteria we need to remove ammonia or nitrite.

 

[ianryd]

If it helps with anybodys guesses/theories, there has been a 4x8x2" dish of sand (I was QTing a wrasse previously) and a piece of live rock from my DT for the past 5 months, while the QT was running and during the latest 6 week fallow period. So I imagine there is some organic material in the tank.

 

[Idoc]

I was reading somewhere that the nitrifying bacteria do not die once they've populated the live rock, but rather go into an encysted hibernation in the absence of food sources. Once the food source returns, they awaken and begin proliferation again. Of course, this makes sense if the rock is kept wet.

 

[siggy]

Of course, this makes sense if the rock is kept wet.

Someone mentioned a seeded filter sponge that was DRY, he planed to use to seed a QT. I always wondered about that.

 

[Idoc]

Someone mentioned a seeded filter sponge that was DRY, he planed to use to seed a QT. I always wondered about that.

It would be great to see a study on this. It goes against common sense that the bacteria could encyst and remain completely dry indefinitely... but things like this don't always follow what you'd think was common sense in nature! Life comes back in places where you wouldn't think life could prosper.

 

[siggy]

How does it get there in a 30-day cycle?

 

[ianryd]

It would be great to see a study on this. It goes against common sense that the bacteria could encyst and remain completely dry indefinitely... but things like this don't always follow what you'd think was common sense in nature! Life comes back in places where you wouldn't think life could prosper.

Maybe I'll take that rock out after my next qt session and find out!