Turning filter on & off

[newbie?]

Does anyone here turn their filter on in the morning and off at night?

 

[canarsie11]

Does anyone here turn their filter on in the morning and off at night?

No way! Why do you ask?

 

[fishdudein]

Not a good idea.

 

[parker313]

No way - bad idea. The fish need the constant filtration plus the water disturbance caused by the filter helps with the oxygen exchange.

 

[FishDan]

Of course if you were to want to do this, you could oxygenate the water with an air pump. And your bacteria will easily survive the night (I assume no longer than 12 hours) without the filter running. I doubt filtration needs to be constant, per se, so long as it is routine. One could keep an aquarium without a filter at all if one were willing to do water changes at least once daily, depending on bioload.

Having said that, I find little compelling reason to turn off my filters save for maintenance (water changes) and sometimes while feeding, depending on the menu. Most filters will also probably last much longer if they are on consistantly. Notice how they do not come with on/off switches, they are made to be on all the time. Unless you have a self-priming filter, there is also greater risk of dsamage. from forgetting to prime the filter and just plugging it in and running off to school/work. Why do you turn off your filter at night anyhow?

\Dan