Filter turned off

[cybernetuk]

Hi

I turned my filter off on my Rio 125 because I needed the socket for a minute. But like an idiot forgot to put it back in. It's been off for about 15 hours. Is it likely to be ok??

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I doubt it; filter bacteria need to have running water/oxygen flowing over them otherwise they die off- 3hrs would be enough to cause substantial losses...Do you have any other filters that have been running in established tanks that you could put and run along side your filter thats been turned off just to try and transfer some good bacteria into it?

 

[cybernetuk]

Unfortunately not. However my amonia - nitrite levels are still zero if this is any indication that I may have got lucky?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

if the levels are still good you could have got lucky but i would moniter them very carefully over the next 2 weeks just to make sure that your tank doesn't start going through a mini cycle.

 

[canarsie11]

People always say bacteria will die if filter is shut down. But my experience if if you have a WELL seeded tank with good colonies, and there is not that much of temp flux, bacteria is very tough.

 

[OrkyBetta]

In the future, extension cords work wonders. I have all of my fish stuff hooked up to extension cords so that I always have extra sockets available to me. I tuck all of the messy cordwork underneath my tank stand.