Can I leave my Cycled Tank Empty for a Month?

[JillB]

Hello! I am brand new at this and reading and researching as much as possible. I have a AIO 100 Gallon Tank (60" x 18" x20")...started in mid-December with salt water from my lfs, dry rock and live sand. I used Dr Tim's One and Only process for the cycle. One question I have that I haven't seen much discussion on is now that I have cycled the tank, how long can I leave it empty. The reason I ask is that we are leaving town next week for 4 weeks and I don't want to add anything that needs attention while I'm gone. I have 2 dogs so a neighbor will be around every day if I need him. Can I just leave the tank as is? Will I come back to a mess of algae? Is there anything I should ask the neighbor to do while we're away? As soon as I return, I'll begin adding livestock. I have a quarantine tank ready to go. I'll have a ton of questions once I start that process.

Attached is a picture of the tank....my husband created the aquascape...do you think there's enough rock?

Thanks for any information you can provide

Attachments​

 

[sfin52]

If you keep dosing ammonia.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hello! I am brand new at this and reading and researching as much as possible. I have a AIO 100 Gallon Tank (60" x 18" x20")...started in mid-December with salt water from my lfs, dry rock and live sand. I used Dr Tim's One and Only process for the cycle. One question I have that I haven't seen much discussion on is now that I have cycled the tank, how long can I leave it empty. The reason I ask is that we are leaving town next week for 4 weeks and I don't want to add anything that needs attention while I'm gone. I have 2 dogs so a neighbor will be around every day if I need him. Can I just leave the tank as is? Will I come back to a mess of algae? Is there anything I should ask the neighbor to do while we're away? As soon as I return, I'll begin adding livestock. I have a quarantine tank ready to go. I'll have a ton of questions once I start that process.

Attached is a picture of the tank....my husband created the aquascape...do you think there's enough rock?

Thanks for any information you can provide

Attachments​

It'll be fine as long as water is circulating.
The bacteria won't die off.

Turn off any lights.

 

[jabberwock]

Looks good, Ask your neighbor to "ghost feed" for you. That is to add a small amount of some source of food every other day, or once every three days. This will create small amounts of ammonia and keep your bacteria colony going.

I think you need more rock. Considering adding 10 or so pounds of real ocean live rock.

 

[PotatoPig]

If you don’t have lights on it and it’s not getting sunlight you won’t get algae no matter what’s in there.

In terms of keeping the bacteria - these should be fine for a few weeks. If you’re really worried top it up with the cycle ammonia dose right before you go.

Note that any bacteria that die of starvation will then release nutrients that can be taken up by the surviving bacteria who will maintain population. Your chances of coming back to an uncycled tank are remote.

 

[AKReefing]

You're still likely to go through the uglies, regardless. The longer you can wait the better. Adding pods can also help.

 

[jabberwock]

As you can see, after 5 responses you have 5 different answers. In reefing, the answer is always, maybe. Complex systems don't have definitive answers, BUT! You are so early on that you are not going to nuke anything (short of a catastrophic tank failure... leak). I wouldn't sweat the small stuff at this point.

 

[KrisReef]

If you have a DC return pump, turn it to a very low setting to save power. The microbes are not going to care if the circulation is slow. Put any heaters on to 68F to save energy and reduce evaportation.

Evaporation? How often do you have to add (RODI) top off water? If the tank evaporates bad things could happen. Make sure you leave enough water available for the dog sitter to top off this tank. The dogs are ok with tap water.

Are you running a skimmer? Shut it off, you don't need it while you are gone.

If you are still worried about it, My wife would leave me home to take care of the pets while she travels and dines out and has a great time meeting new people and forgetting about me. If your hubby doesn't want to go visiting aunt Mable and the rest of the clan, he may be secretly hoping that you ask him to stay behind to feed the dogs and top off the tank. It really can be the best solution.

So there you go. More options to consider. Have a great trip! If the bacteria do die they were doomed anyway.

 

[JillB]

Lol….lights will be off… protein skimmer still in the box…got an ATO with 15 gallons of RODI water in the reservoir. Will dose with ammonia before we leave and maybe ask the neighbor to add some more in a couple of weeks. Absolutely cannot wait to get back and start adding fish…so tired of staring at an empty tank. Will post my wish list and look for advice.

 

[PotatoPig]

As you can see, after 5 responses you have 5 different answers.

Yes, but only one is right!

 

[KrisReef]

Lol….lights will be off… protein skimmer still in the box…got an ATO with 15 gallons of RODI water in the reservoir. Will dose with ammonia before we leave and maybe ask the neighbor to add some more in a couple of weeks. Absolutely cannot wait to get back and start adding fish…so tired of staring at an empty tank. Will post my wish list and look for advice.

Have a nice vacation!

 

[NeedAReef]

you could always get an autofeeder and have it drop some pellets every few days

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello! I am brand new at this and reading and researching as much as possible. I have a AIO 100 Gallon Tank (60" x 18" x20")...started in mid-December with salt water from my lfs, dry rock and live sand. I used Dr Tim's One and Only process for the cycle. One question I have that I haven't seen much discussion on is now that I have cycled the tank, how long can I leave it empty. The reason I ask is that we are leaving town next week for 4 weeks and I don't want to add anything that needs attention while I'm gone. I have 2 dogs so a neighbor will be around every day if I need him. Can I just leave the tank as is? Will I come back to a mess of algae? Is there anything I should ask the neighbor to do while we're away? As soon as I return, I'll begin adding livestock. I have a quarantine tank ready to go. I'll have a ton of questions once I start that process.

Attached is a picture of the tank....my husband created the aquascape...do you think there's enough rock?

Thanks for any information you can provide

Attachments​

Yes and no need to dose added ammonia but do add Denitrifying bacteria such as Micro Bacter XLM to build your culture

 

[JillB]

you could always get an autofeeder and have it drop some pellets every few days

I have one …Lifegard Intellifeed…still in the box since I have no fish but I can break it out and get it going

 

[JillB]

Yes and no need to dose added ammonia but do add Denitrifying bacteria such as Micro Bacter XLM to build your culture

Will do!

 

[JillB]

You're still likely to go through the uglies, regardless. The longer you can wait the better. Adding pods can also help.

I have never understood why the “ugly” stage is inevitable. Is there no way to avoid it or at least minimize it???

 

[JillB]

I have never understood why the “ugly” stage is inevitable. Is there no way to avoid it or at least minimize it???

After 6+ weeks of staring at a crystal clear tank, I dread seeing any algae in it

 

[rhitee93]

If it makes you feel any more secure, I have a quarantine tank that I use biomedia in. It sits empty for weeks at a time, but I can drop a fish in and not see any measurable ammonia.

Oh, always listen to vetteguy. He gives good advice.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I have one …Lifegard Intellifeed…still in the box since I have no fish but I can break it out and get it going

Don't add food to the tank, there is nothing to consume the phosphates and other excess nutrients.

Let others have said, you can add additional bacterial strains if you wish, but there is no need to feed the existing bacteria as they will happily survive from what's floating in the air around your tank or consume each other.

People sometimes forget just how resilient and all pervading these basic building blocks are.

 

[rhitee93]

I have never understood why the “ugly” stage is inevitable. Is there no way to avoid it or at least minimize it???

I think it is because the biodiversity in a mature tank is way more complex than what you can get in any bottle. It simply takes time to get all the good guys built up. Until the, the bad guys can get a foothold.