Power Loss - Not Top Priority Though

[drzeus]

I am based here in sunny Greece (Yippee!) and as you probably know we had rather high temperatures lately. The temperature of my 100 l trop tank I managed to keep around 27 by placing large coleman ice packs one either side of the external filter box - doesn't look good but does the trick.
The problem is that I had noticed lately that the substrate was getting a little dirty (really only a little) and that the flow was down to seemingly nothing. I have been so busy that only today have I got the chance to do something with the massive plant growth in there and sorting out the filter.

I discovered the filter wasn't actually running, hence no flow! We had the power go while we were baking ... 25/26th July so I can only assume it has been off since (breaker intervened).
My question is ... do I just leave it as it is and power it back on? Or do I have to replace/rinse etc the medium in the filter?
I did phone my LFS who said just power it back on but it was a bit of a quick answer and I can't say I was totally convinced.

What is the general advice out there?
For the time being I have left it off. I did briefly - like 20 s - put it on then thought and switched it off. So it's off still. In the past week oddly enough, my cherry barbs seem to have produced at least one offspring so they don't seem to mind! But they will eventually!

Thanks for any forthcoming advice.

 

[ArauraDiscus]

I would turn it back on asap. The only way it will hurt is if you wait to turn it back on, which means all that much more time where the filter is off and the water is stagnating.

 

[marcan]

Turn it on!

Check your water stats and you should do a water change to make sure your ammonia and nitrite aren't too high.

Good luck

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

I would have left the "massive plant growth" to be honest. Plants make good natural bio-filters, which will come in very handy until your filter re-cycles.

Definitely start doing some water tests to see where your Ammonia and NitrIte levels are, and some water changes to keep the levels down whenever needed.

As for icing your external filter...depending on how much heat is transfered out of the external filter that may not be the best thing for your bacterial colony. If you don't have any fish with a strong tendency towards carpet surfing (i.e. jumping out of the tank) I'd open up the top and blow a fan across the surface of the water...this can help lower the temp by a few degrees F. You can also try floating frozen water bottles or ice packs in the tank as well.

 

[drzeus]

I would have left the "massive plant growth" to be honest. Plants make good natural bio-filters, which will come in very handy until your filter re-cycles.

Definitely start doing some water tests to see where your Ammonia and NitrIte levels are, and some water changes to keep the levels down whenever needed.

As for icing your external filter...depending on how much heat is transfered out of the external filter that may not be the best thing for your bacterial colony. If you don't have any fish with a strong tendency towards carpet surfing (i.e. jumping out of the tank) I'd open up the top and blow a fan across the surface of the water...this can help lower the temp by a few degrees F. You can also try floating frozen water bottles or ice packs in the tank as well.

Not surprisingly (to me anyway) nitrate/nitrite is zero, as is NH3/NH4. Everything looks very healthy, as it has done, if it hadn't been for the noticeable build up of bits of plant debri my swordtails produce with their antics, I wouldn't even have thought to check the filter until my programmed check. Usually after the power goes I check everything but I have had guests staying with me and its been rather hectic. Plus the filter is so quiet unless you can see the flow or touch the box top you cannot tell it's running. At least I have discovered that if it goes off while I am away all will be well (always my nightmare scenario when on holiday)

I wouldn't say the filter box especially produces a lot of heat but if I have the cupboard below the tank shut it does get rather warm in there. I accept that the cool packs may affect bacteria but it will only be in the area in direct contact with the ice pack and of course it doesn't stay iced all day - I usually swap them over when I get up and when I go to bed. In combination with the narrow top panel being off and net covered it has been very effective and this year it hasn't got over 29 yet using this method when the outside temp as soared to 38+ (we have no a/c btw in that part of the house).

Not surpisingly to me the NO2/NO3 and NH3/NH4 were all 0. There is a substantial amount of plant material, even after removing the amount that had grown, floated and covered the a large part of the top, and a porous substrate so I wasn't expecting it to be otherwise to be honest. In all honesty my plants seem a lot happier.

Thanks everyone for their input. I have to say I am going to fly in the face of the advice to just turn it back on. I am going to rinse it all off in some tank water and then reconnect it. My main fear is that yes bacteria may in fact have died inside it and I don't really want to start pumping them all round my oddly happy tank.

I will let you know what I find inside after what I am hoping was a week's disconnection (hoping it hasn't actually been off from the previous power cut which would make it nearer 3 weeks!!). I do check my tank every day and I was checking the filter as running each time I changed the ice packs ... but of course I haven't used them since it got cooler, so that check slipped.

Thanks again and .... happy fishkeeping!