How long can an offline canister filter stay alive ?

[magnosis]

For how long can I take a canister filter offline, then put it back in service without changing the media ?

How long will the bacteria colony survive without circulating [dirty] water through it ?  If/when it starts to die, will it generate ammonia that will feed the rest of the bacteria and keep the colony in a pseudo-self-sufficient state ?  Does it become toxic after a while / is it a bad idea to put it back in service ?

[bergenm]

I wouldn't go more than 24 hours - my understanding is that the bacteria is aerobic so its needs oxygen to survive. Once the filter stops circulating, the bacteria starts to die off...

[magnosis]

Thanks, that's good to know.