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I was wondering, if I took water out of a tank and put it into buckets, how long will the bacteria survive without any aeration in the water?
What are the best ways to keep the bacteria alive longer?

I think I read on here somewhere that they start to die within a half hour, but I could easily be wrong. Also, I know the bacteria is growing on the surfaces, and I don't think it really floats in the water. So saving the WATER will not really get you much bacteria anyway. You need the media out of you filter. That's where the best stuff is.

As for keeping it alive without fish, you need to keep it moving across the surfaces. So I don't think the stagnant bucket will ever work. But assuming you have it in an empty container with a running pump, you can keep it alive by feeding it pure ammonia out of a bottle. The same stuff you would use for a fishless cycle. IT has to be PURE, with no detergants, lemon, or anything else that makes it foam when shaken. How much to add would depend on surface area, but that is the best way I know of.

Try to read about fishless cycling, and apply the proceedures to a tank that already has bacteria.

good luck,

-Dennis

The reason I am wondering is I am moving house and was saving some water to add to another tank. It would be there for a few hours. If I had some of the decorations in there would the bacteria on that survive that long?

The filter media won't be an issue. I'm moving things over a couple of days and the filters and fish will be the last things moved.

count on it dieing in a few hours.

What i would do is save 75% of the water, because once you take the gravel and everything out, your tank is literally only 1/3 full of water.

If the filter media won't be an issue, then that alone will probably bring about.....70% of you good bacteria. I'm just pickin that number out of the air, but I know MOST of the good stuff is in the filter.

-Dennis

I'd have to agree, most of the bacteria is in media/gravels and such. If you are going to be more than an hour, i suggest getting a battery powered airstone and dropping a few flakes in the bucket for the bacteria to munch on whilst in transport. Saving as much water as you can will help you more along the lines of acclimating the fish as well, as they'll be minimized being exposed to the newer water that might have a different chemical makeup from what they are used to. Remember to keep the medias moist

Hey vict, does that mean my 10 gallon tank has only 3 gallons of water in it?

Uhh... I hate to say it... But I do believe that my 29 gallon has more than 10 gallons of water in it... in fact, I'd say more like 26-28 in total water.

when we took the gravel and everyhting out of our 55 gallon tank, the water level was around 70% full.

that is almost 1/3

He meant that it was over 2/3 full so your ten gallon would have around 7gallons.

your tank is literally only 1/3 full of water.

70% does not equal 1/3.

Tim i just said that he probably meant 2/3 or something though it should be more like 3/4. 70% is close to 75%. Thats why i think its 3/4. What tim is saying is since you said it as nearly 1/3 full after taking gravel out 1/3 full??? is a mere 33 1/3% comepared to 70 i dont think so.

im trying to say that everything took up 1/3 of the water in the tank.

After taking everything out the water LEVEL was like 1/3 LOWER

Since taking the water will really be the best for acclimation, since as Tim mentioned the bacteria is in substrate and filter media more than the water, you could more easily just take clean water from your current location and not worry about keeping bacteria alive with airstones and food.

Moving can often be a hassle, the less hassle the better.
Good luck.

^_^
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Bacteria has a short life span then it mutates its self but this mutation is not exactly the same, therefore over a period of time eg between water changes the new living is nothing like the origional bacterial.

For this reason I add "A measured amount" of new bacteria to ever water change and double the amount to my large Eheim Canister every two months when I do the full cleaning.

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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Ive moved buckets full of water when i move houses. I usually take the vacuum off my gravel vac so that it is just a hose and it sucks up gravel and water at the same time. I always save the fish tanks for last so that i can do a rush job. One good thing about moving is that I end up with another large tank. I set a new tank up (same size as my largest), and then start with my largest tank, break it all down, and then transfer all the water, gravel, decorations, plants, and filters to the new one. This usually entails a wet ride for the person in the back that is trying to hold onto the buckets. The fish are normally put into 3 buckets with lids (lids need to be open a bit or have holes in them).

It has never taken more than an hour to break any one tank down and get it transfered. But i have never had to recycle a tank.

Yes all of your decorations have bacteria on them.

The method i use can be very stressful on me and my helpers, time is of the essence. So you may want to wait til all but 1 or 2 have left.

Bdadawg