Filtering on/off ?

[cheirodon]

I have a small tank (1 gal.) with 6 small guppys. The corner filter I'm using, used to float, because the air pump was too strong, so I diverted some of the airflow to a stone. Now I have 2 bubble sources at each end of the tank. This creates a current that keeps my guppys busy all the time, so I was told that I should turn off the aereator at night, for 6 to 8 hours, to allow for the fish to lie at the bottom, and get some "sleep". Does this sound coherent?
I know fish can survive rather well without the bubbles, but what about the bacteria?
I'm probably over-filtering anyways, since the filter takes up 1/10th of the total volume of my tank.

Glad to read your two cents on this one!

 

[smb]

I wouldn't recommend it.

The bacteria needs flowing oxygenated water to live. I would think it would be better to get a smaller pump and not risk forgetting to turn it on or even have to worry about it.

 

[Kossy]

Absoltuely because even though your fish may survive...the bacteria that keep the tank lively and full of fish that are alive live on this oxyginated water...(No idea follow my sig on cycling)

 

[cheirodon]

OK. so for now it's 24/7!
My wife told me: Hint! Air pumps don't have switches!
... But I had to be sure

 

[SneakBetta]

Woah! One gallon with 6 guppies! Isn't that over-crowding?? I don't know a lot of aobut guppies, but they're about 1.5 inches aren't they?? That's 9 inches of fish for 1 gallon! I know you said they're small, but how small do you mean??

 

[cheirodon]

These are actually tiny. And I was wrong, there's 7!
3 of them are less than a quarter inch, sex yet unknown.
2 are male, abut half inch each.
And 2 are female around the same size as the males.

They were rescued from a street gutter, living in green smelly waters, like a vegetable soup, so I figured: Anything is better than that! Plus, as soon as the rainy season is over, the gutter will most likely dry up (I don't know how they got there). I'm working on a bigger tank though, so as to give them more space.

They don't seem to be stressed or uncomfortable, just always hungry!
I even found an almost endless supply of live mosquito larvae, so they get the works!
I'm sure they can eat till they burst, but, otherwise, they seem fine + dandy!



Maybe I should try to post some pics...

 

[Where the river goes]

I always turn off the filter at night, it's too loud to keep going while I'm trying to sleep.

 

[Alien Anna]

I always turn off the filter at night, it's too loud to keep going while I'm trying to sleep.

Then get a quieter filter - what you're doing then is making the tank go through a mini-cycle every morning. Bad news for your fish

 

[Where the river goes]

I probably will get a quieter air pump sometime soon, I'm not too keen on the vibrations it makes either, you can hear it throughout the whole house. Anyone have any air pump recommendations for a 1 gal. tank?

 

[guppymonkey]

I always turn off the filter at night, it's too loud to keep going while I'm trying to sleep.

It took me a little while to get used to the sound of my airpump but now it lulls me to sleep with its constant whine.

 

[floater]

i have a profile 2500 airpump and it is so quiet. You need to put it on a stable surface or else it will vibrate but its really quiet

 

[Where the river goes]

well, I left it on last night and slept well but I'm still getting a quiter one, lol.

 

[cheirodon]

Update: My filter has been going non stop for 4 days now, and the guppys have grown used to it. If I watch the tank from afar, they go about their merry way, all over the tank (as merry as possible, within the 1 gal.).

Regarding the noise, buying a quieter pump beats buying a bigger house, but there's another option: Drill a hole through the wall, and place the pump on the room behind the tank. If you're lucky, it might be a bathroom or a closet, where noise is not particularly cumbersome to deal with. a 3/8 inch hole should allow you to pass the 1/4 inch air hose without much hassle.
Bear in mind that the distance from the pump to the tank shouldn't be excessive, as this makes the pump less efficient. Also, the pump takes air from it's sorroundings, so it may not be good to place the pump in a garage, where it may collect harmful gases...
Lastly, make sure that no other items are vibrating along with the pump, as this will greatly increase the clatter. Isolate it if necessary by placing it atop a cushion, or something soft, capable of absorbing vibration

PS. If I come close to my tank, all my fish gather at the top front corner begging for food, and this just doesn't look natural.

 

[Alien Anna]

Update: My filter has been going non stop for 4 days now, and the guppys have grown used to it. If I watch the tank from afar, they go about their merry way, all over the tank (as merry as possible, within the 1 gal.).

Great! I'm sure your fish are feeling a lot happier. I know what you mean about the noise but I've currently got 5 tanks going in my living room, with various pumps and filters humming, and to be honest, I no longer notice the noise.

PS. If I come close to my tank, all my fish gather at the top front corner begging for food, and this just doesn't look natural.

Fish are smarter than people give them credit.