Cycling A Tank With Snails In It

[barb-e]

I have a tank that is currently empty except for some snails. I can't buy any fish right now but I am keeping the tank running for the snails and the plants. I figure that by the time I am able to add fish all the ammonia controlling bacteria will be dead. So if I have to re-cycle the tank will the pure ammonia from a fishless cycle harm the snails or will the snails be able to keep the bacteria alive anyway? Also, if I don't add any new food into the tank for about 6 weeks, will the snails still be able to survive?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

What type/s of snails do you have in the tank? Some snails are a lot more robust/hardy than others. The snails may or may not survive without any food depending on what type of snails you have and whether there's any stuff like algae growing in the tank etc.
Do you have cycled/established tanks at the moment at all?

 

[barb-e]

they are plain pond snails. there was algae but they have been clearing it out a lot lately. this is the only tank i have.

 

[K.J.]

Mine survived in 8 PPM Later on though you'll be wishing you killed them.

 

[GoldLenny]

Remember that with planted tanks, you will not have as many nitrifying bacteria anyhow. The N-bacteria colonies will only grow to the size needed to process any available ammonia/nitrites. If your plants are using them all up, then technically you won't have N-bacteria.

If your snails, between their waste and their dying, put out enough ammonia (decaying snails and detritus), then your N-bacteria will continue to live... of course only a large enough colony to process the waste ammonia available for them.

Test your nitrates in the tank. If the nitrates continue to climb, then your plants aren't handling all of the ammonia so your N-bacteria will be completing the job. This also means that you will not need to fishless cycle... nor should you with plants in a tank.

I think, in your case, if you add only juvenile fish and do not overstock, you will likely not have much more than a mini-cycle handled by a few 25% PWC's. It shouldn't last more than a week since you will have the plants and the existing N-bacteria colonies (that will double in size each day until it is large enough to handle the bioload of the fish.)