Once the cycle is finished

[DoubleM 10]

If you don't add fish shortly after the cycle would the benificail bacteria die off cause no nutrients to feed off of? Or would they hang around till fish and inverts are added?

 

[acabgd]

You don't have to add fiah, you can just ghostfeed the tank.

 

[E46Twist]

In theory if no amount of nutrient or decay was tacking place these bacteria would die off. if you left the tank fallow for a very long time you may see somewhat of a loss i bacteria but it will still be there when you add your first fish.

 

[wooden_reefer]

If you don't add fish shortly after the cycle would the benificail bacteria die off cause no nutrients to feed off of? Or would they hang around till fish and inverts are added?

Nitrification bacteria do not have a real dormant period but most do not die quickly due to lack of ammonia.

The benefit of robust cycling lingers on for a few weeks, conservatively put.

If you are concerned, you can cycle incrementally as needed.

You can cycle to completeness only 70% of the medium (rock) and set aside 30% toward the end of the cycle, say at day 20.

Then you can cycle a small portion of the partly cycled rock in a separate container at the start of each QT session and by the end of QT that portion will be cycled. You then rise it with DT water and add.

 

[Azedenkae]

Yeah they will remain active for a time, but eventually they will start dying off.

This is why if you 'cycle' your tank for too long, it's not beneficial. Because the real cycle would have ended, and then it's week after week of well, no nutrients for the bacteria and they'll start dying off.

 

[Indymann99]

+1 ghost feed and get your CUC in there..

 

[wooden_reefer]

Some remain viable after close to 300 days apparantly with no ammonia, but I won't count on a good fraction being so.

 

[DoubleM 10]

Makes sense. Thanks for the input. Just curious. Wasn't gonna let it sit falow long enough for anything to happen. Just a random question I thought could be asked

 

[wooden_reefer]

+1 ghost feed and get your CUC in there..

Ghost feeding does not work well if you have some livestock in DT and want to add more.

I suppose one can ghost feed very gradually in increases.

Best is to cycle incrementally.

If the first fish added is 3 inches, then three months later you want to add a fish that is six inches, incremental cycling will be best. Mini-cycling will not be so mini and would kill both fish.