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Length of period to turn off filter without killing Bacteria


Li@m

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As per title..

I want to re-do my tank setup and want to take all the water out to make it easier, Can i just turn the filter off or will i have to run it in a bucket with some water.

I'd just pop the tops off them while doing the work and then drain the water out just before refilling and reconnecting everything. Should be fine.

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My filters were good when running for only 14 hours a day, back when I was a noob with a noisy hang on back filter that kept me awake at night and didn't know better. I had the same amm/nitrate/nitrite readings on that tank as I do on my current tanks that are filtered all the time.

I think you should prevent them drying out though, like keep them in a bucket of water with some of the previous water.

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My filters were good when running for only 14 hours a day, back when I was a noob with a noisy hang on back filter that kept me awake at night and didn't know better. I had the same amm/nitrate/nitrite readings on that tank as I do on my current tanks that are filtered all the time.

I think you should prevent them drying out though, like keep them in a bucket of water with some of the previous water.

Mines an external.

Cheers guys. ended running it in a bucket.

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This is an interesting one some people have talked about tank crashes after having a filter off for 6 hours.. I have had filters not running for upto 24 hours (when moving etc) and just chucked fresh water into the tank and started the filter and had no issues, I have even left filters unplugged (accidentally) for 3-4 days and just plugged the filter back in and done a water change and had no problems.

Think the main thing to do is just be careful make sure the filter stays wet and if you can keep it running, but because none of us have actually seen this bacteria and noone really seems to know much about it (some think you can buy it off a shelf in a petshop) it is hard to give a definite answer.

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This is an interesting one some people have talked about tank crashes after having a filter off for 6 hours.. I have had filters not running for upto 24 hours (when moving etc) and just chucked fresh water into the tank and started the filter and had no issues, I have even left filters unplugged (accidentally) for 3-4 days and just plugged the filter back in and done a water change and had no problems.

Same. I've had the filters off for a day or two, 18 hours, a couple hours, no problems. And then it was off for 4-5 hours one time and about 30 fish(About 3/4 of the tank) were dead the next morning. So now if the power is off for more than an hour I give the filter a quick rinse after the power comes back on.

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