I just got a new tank, i set it up and got it all filled with water, i put some plant bulbs in it, and now it has been sitting for one day, i am going to put fish in it tomorrow just so that bacteria start growing, the problem is that im at college and i have a four week break coming up, it is unreasonable for me to take the whole tank back with me, so i am going to give the fish to a friend who will take care of it, (he is taking his tank home). will not a having any fish in the tank kill off all the bacteria, and also should i take the plants out before i leave?
2006-11-27 08:29:29 · 3 answers · asked by aj 4 in Pets ➔ Fish
The bacteria will not be bothered bad enough to amount to anything over a 4 week period. Over long term the bacteria would die from lack of feeding materials. True people have tanks with plants only, but they do not require this kind of bacteria. If you wait a long time to reintroduce fish you may have to treat it as a new tank, your plants should do fine as long as they get sufficient light (for a 4week period)
2006-11-27 08:41:11 · answer #1 · answered by weebles 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Some people have tanks just for growing a plant garden! And no it won't hurt anything to not have fish! Try putting Stress zyme in your tank for the good bacteria. I'm not an expert it's just an idea. I don't really think you should take the plant's out though - That can't be good for them. Plant get stress out just like fish because yes the are alive!
2006-11-27 16:36:30 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not having any fish in it WILL starve the bacteria, yup, so when you get back, you'll have to start the cycle all over again.
Have you looked into fish-less cycling, or cycling with bio-spira or established filter media or tank gravel? Frankly, using a fish to cycle a tank is on the cruel side (ammonia burns are not pleasant), and it's way quicker to just use bio-spira. You can buy it online and when you get back, you can cycle your tank almost instantly and without harming any fish.
If you have a fluorescent light coming on for 8-12hours every day, then you can leave the plants there. Can you have someone put some fertilizers in the tank? That would be my concern, is that the plants won't have the nutrients normally found in fish waste. I guess I would just take out the plants and give them to your friend, and just leave the tank running (or just turn it off and empty it)
2006-11-27 16:40:06 · answer #3 · answered by Zoe 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋