Empty cube

[tank]

Hello
I have just moved fish out of my breeding tank how long can i have this tank empty before the sponge filters go off

[blackwater spa]

When you say "empty", do you mean still filled with water but without any fish and/or plants, or do you mean empty as in completely drained of water and allowed to dry?

[tank]

oh sorry i mean with sponge filter and water ive moved fish to another tank an i was wondering how long before the filter go bad without fish in it

[blackwater spa]

If the sponge filter is kept turned on and the water is constantly circulating through it, then the beneficial bacteria inside the sponge should have enough oxygen and therefore be OK.

Of course, this is assuming that the tank had previously cycled already and there was an existing colony of healthy and beneficial bacteria on the sponge filter to start with.

[tank]

ok got it but for how long eg i month

[blackwater spa]

Not sure how long, sorry.

The best way to keep the sponge filter "alive" is to move it into the new tank together with the fish, keeping it turned on all the time, of course.

Then you can take it back out whenever you need to use it for a new tank in the future.

[mcloughlin2]

Throw a few bn or something in the tank....that way u dont need to worry about the good bateria dieing.... :wink:

[Merrilyn]

The bacteria in your bio filter need food in the form of ammonia, to survive. When you have fish in the tank, their waste provides ammonia for the bio filter.

If you remove fish, then you must provide ammonia in another form, usually in the form of pure ammonia from a bottle. This will feed the filter and keep it going till you are ready to add fish again.

Another, and perhaps simpler method, is to remove the filter and continue to run it on another tank with fish still in there. This will keep your filter cycled and in good order till you are ready to use it in the breeding tank again.