Hi guys, as some of you know, my tank is now cyled and stocked and touch wood is running well and all inhabitants seem happy.

So, once a week-ish I am doing a gravel vac/water change...but have not been turning filter off, should I be ?!?!?!?!

Also, for a really thorough vac should I remove the fish to a bucket ? I have done it working around them and been careful and they seem fine ?

Thanks in advance with your help, I finally am enjoying my tank and want to get it all right !

You can leave the filter on. Every few weeks turn it off, take out the sponge and clean it in some of the tank water from your water change. Don't use tap water though or it may restart the whole cylcing proccess!

And it's probably less stressful for the fish to have your hand in the tank or a syphon once a week than it is to net them up and take them out. You should be fine. After a while they won't even move for you...i know mine dont. They even try eat my freckles. haha.

turning off filter doesnt really matter if it still runs water through it as ur draining the tank then i cant see y u would hve 2 ( i have 2 cause my system runs dry cause of the filter system thts there) but its ur choice just make sure the media doesnt dry out thats the most inportant part... as for the gravel vac i do mine with the fish in like u say as longs as carful not 2 suck up fish it wont do any harm i just remove most decor just so i can get the mess from under neath them 2 .


jen

If your filter looks like its in ANY danger of running dry, then turn it off until you have refilled the tank... otherwise you can leave it on.
Turning it off for a hour or so wont do any harm whatsoever.... letting it run without water definitley will !
Unless its air operated - then it doesnt matter either way.

when cleaning your tank, if the water level gets near the bottom of the filter, you can always turn it off and put it in the bucket of water, you put sucked out, to keep it wet.