# Please explain this to me



## SW Florida Kid (Mar 18, 2010)

Once my tank is completely cycled... how long before the BB dies if I don't put fish in the tank?


----------



## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

Bb? ............


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Beneficial bacteria

It won't die. It'll die _back._
You can go a couple of weeks without having to worry about much, but without fish, you can not say your tank is even cycled. It can be "cycled' at a level with no fish in it, but it'll re-cycle when you add fish. In fact, it'll do an adjustment mini-cycle with each new fish you ever add.


----------



## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Salt, are you sure about that? I have heard that the bacteria start to die within hours with no food source and all are dead within a day or so.


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

yep.....he is sure....me too


----------



## Ace (Mar 16, 2010)

I agree with Salt


----------



## NatBarry (Feb 19, 2008)

I agree, fish must be added for your cycle to fully complete.


----------



## SW Florida Kid (Mar 18, 2010)

nathanbarry said:


> I agree, fish must be added for your cycle to fully complete.


How many fish can I put into the tank? It's a 55 gal. Can I put like 6-12 danios in there?


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Absolutely! A dozen danios in a 55 would do very well and keep the tank stable.

As for the die-off thing, two things happen. ( well, two main things, anyway. )
Bacteria have different "modes" in which they can live. When the food runs out, the smart ones will go into a dormancy mode of sorts, while others will stay very active. The ones that starve become food for the survivors, sort of, and this secondhand cannibalism maintains the population at a very reduced rate of reproduction. Once things return to normal, the dormant ones wake up again and the active ones get livelier.
This happens all the time. In fact, "cycling" is a result of this process; the cloudy gray water clears up when the bacteria making the cloud die off upon running out of the excess food which made their ranks swell so much that we could see them. 
Every time the bioload changes, the process is repeated again until a new balance is reached.


----------



## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

Ah, didn't realize we were texting on the board LOL


----------



## Guest (Mar 19, 2010)

hey Osiris.....u guys still runnin the pvt server?


----------



## NatBarry (Feb 19, 2008)

I agree, around 8-12 danios would do fine in there to help cycle your tank.


----------



## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

Zakk said:


> hey Osiris.....u guys still runnin the pvt server?



Yea, but not on as much anymore, alot of us moved over to playing Zombies on COD5, we've mastered Der Riese Map


----------



## Guest (Mar 19, 2010)

am downloading COD 4 MW2


----------



## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

for PC? 

I've been looking at getting that, but zombies just too much fun.


----------



## Guest (Mar 19, 2010)

yup....for pc....


----------

