# I need live biomedia urgently! Please help!



## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

Did anybody have no outage or a very short outage? My power was out for 24 hours and the beneficial bacteria in my Aquaclear is dead. Can anybody give me a hefty amount of cycled biomedia? My fish are going to die of ammonia poisoning if I can't get some.

Anybody? I'll pick up. Has to be today (Monday). 
Please PM me with your contact # and address. Can compensate with cash. 

-Pablo


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## sammyakaflash (May 5, 2013)

Not sure if I can help but maybe, my power is out but I'm running generator. What type of media do you need? Can you be more specific?

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## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

sammyakaflash said:


> Not sure if I can help but maybe, my power is out but I'm running generator. What type of media do you need? Can you be more specific?
> 
> Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk


I need biomedia. Any biomedia. Foam, rings, stars, balls, anything but filter floss. 
I need a significant amount. Enough to sustain 10 2" Mbuna.

I'll PM you. Hopefully we can meet up tomorrow.


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## Mykuhl (Apr 8, 2013)

Don't assume that your bacteria is dead because it probably isn't. I had power out in the late spring for 30 hours and my bacteria did not die off to the point that my tank was no longer cycle. I did not get any ammonia or nitrite spikes at all, in fact I had no elevated readings at all, and this was with using only a canister filter to filter my tank. A canister is a more closed off system than a HOB. I think you should be fine, just test for the next few days to be sure everything is alright.


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## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

Mykuhl said:


> Don't assume that your bacteria is dead because it probably isn't. I had power out in the late spring for 30 hours and my bacteria did not die off to the point that my tank was no longer cycle. I did not get any ammonia or nitrite spikes at all, in fact I had no elevated readings at all, and this was with using only a canister filter to filter my tank. A canister is a more closed off system than a HOB. I think you should be fine, just test for the next few days to be sure everything is alright.


I'm just assuming the worst and going with my gut. Thanks for the advice though, Michael, and a very very Merry Christmas to you and yours.


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## sammyakaflash (May 5, 2013)

He has a point. I have eheim pro canister with those little balls I can only spare 1 tray of them I can also give you quite a few live plants between those two things you would likely be ok. But before you panic I'd test tomorrow night and see what's what ill be at my parents xmas dinner all day so. If you do start to spike we can react then. 

Ps I don't have any replacement filter media and likely won't have time to get new so you might have to visit the lfs for me. Again this is only a worst case thing

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## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

sammyakaflash said:


> He has a point. I have eheim pro canister with those little balls I can only spare 1 tray of them I can also give you quite a few live plants between those two things you would likely be ok. But before you panic I'd test tomorrow night and see what's what ill be at my parents xmas dinner all day so. If you do start to spike we can react then.
> 
> Ps I don't have any replacement filter media and likely won't have time to get new so you might have to visit the lfs for me. Again this is only a worst case thing
> 
> Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk


Please check your private messages Sammy. Top right hand corner of the screen.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

In the great blackout, we were without power for 28 hours, and even the cannister didn't die. Keep in mind that every hard surface in the tank is part of your bio filter and the bacteria outside of the filter would not be affected. I very much doubt you will have any issues, even if half of the bacteria did die.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Just test your ammonia and nitrites for the next couple days, if you get a small spike, just do a water change, if a large spike, then get worried and get some used media.

24 hours should have little to no effect.

Test the water and then worry


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## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

Yes nothing to panic over. I'd rinse the media in your filter, and then change water every day or 2. I dunno how big the tank is but 10 2" fish isn't heavy. Get a python if you don't already have one and change 25-50% water daily and monitor chemistry to see when you can stop.


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## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

SKurj said:


> Yes nothing to panic over. I'd rinse the media in your filter, and then change water every day or 2. I dunno how big the tank is but 10 2" fish isn't heavy. Get a python if you don't already have one and change 25-50% water daily and monitor chemistry to see when you can stop.


So rinse the media, so as to get rid of the remaining nitrifying bacteria? 

This does not compute.


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## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

the rinse is to remove any possible dead stuff. Rinsing in tank water won't remove the good stuff.

Any filter that has sat that long imo needs a rinse out before running.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

I would only rinse it in the tank itself so be sure no BB is lost at all. But I wouldn't touch it at all personally.

As long as ammonia and nitrites read 0 right now, then everything is perfectly fine and should not be touched.

If there is ammonia and nitrites, then do a water change, but only if there is ammonia and nitrites.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.


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## casparproject (Sep 8, 2012)

*Blackout issues*

The dead bacteria will actually provide food for the remaining living bacteria, so I'd leave it. My tanks were without filtration for two days, but they are well planted, so they did fine (so far).


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## sammyakaflash (May 5, 2013)

Well I've heard nothing fro the OP so it must have worked out?

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## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

sammyakaflash said:


> Well I've heard nothing fro the OP so it must have worked out?
> 
> Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk


??

I sent you a private message.

Things did work out alright though. Thanks again for the offer.


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