Help Filter Went Off

[LakeyGal]

Help my filter has been off for 24 hours, (due to our housesitter not realising he'd flicked the wriong switch Grrrrr), got back to cloudy water and high levels, what to doo???

Got it running again, added a biological filter aid and did a water change is there anything else I can do ..its an external so was full of water during the time it was off so will the bacteria colony be ok or does the water need to be constantly moving.

SO far the inhabitants aren't ill but I'm worried.

 

[CaraC]

Help my filter has been off for 24 hours, (due to our housesitter not realising he'd flicked the wriong switch Grrrrr), got back to cloudy water and high levels, what to doo???

Got it running again, added a biological filter aid and did a water change is there anything else I can do ..its an external so was full of water during the time it was off so will the bacteria colony be ok or does the water need to be constantly moving.

SO far the inhabitants aren't ill but I'm worried.

I would imagine it would be ok since it was in your tank and the kind where the media is left in. Not sure if water need to be constant though.

 

[helterskelter]

The bacteria will die off quite quickly (2-3 hours) due to lack of oxygen,

So expect a ammonia spine in a few days, how ever remember that this will then all so encourage the bacteria to grow faster and work better, so best to check the ammonia levels and if they get over 1mg then do some water changes.

 

[LakeyGal]

The bacteria will die off quite quickly (2-3 hours) due to lack of oxygen,

So expect a ammonia spine in a few days, how ever remember that this will then all so encourage the bacteria to grow faster and work better, so best to check the ammonia levels and if they get over 1mg then do some water changes.

Does this apply to nitrite levels too?

 

[helterskelter]

well it's all part of the ammonia cycle so yes, but with mature tanks there should be enough bacteria to recover quickly and recude the quickly.

The main thing is to watch the ammonia at first if that goes high then nitrites will go up as well, so thats why you need to do the water change if it dose.

 

[scooterchick]

Someone said to me so long as it's kept wet the bacteria can survive for up 12 hours, sometimes even as long as 24. Just need to watch your stats now. Good luck!

 

[helterskelter]

Yes some will survive but with out the constant flow most die off in a filter

 

[LakeyGal]

Well here's me crossing my fingers and stocking up on them Ammonia tests....

I am assuming that it is still going to be better to leave the fishes in their mature tank while watching the levels than it would be to move them to a newer tank that is currently cycling...??

 

[helterskelter]

ye dont move them, but u can speed up cycling my moving sand or gravel from the old to the net up and even cutting filter material in half and putting half in the new set up all introduces the bacteria quicker.

How ever when moving the fish u still need to introduce a few at a time to allow the bioload to build up slowly and allowing the bacteria to grow with it.

 

[ArauraDiscus]

Whats your Ph? If you have acidic water, ammonia is less toxic. Also adding salt if your fish are not any south american fish, will detoxify nitrite.

 

[LakeyGal]

Whats your Ph? If you have acidic water, ammonia is less toxic. Also adding salt if your fish are not any south american fish, will detoxify nitrite.

pH is about 7.3 so unfortunately I don't get off that lightly

Do have some funky bristlenoses though so won't plan on adding salt.

Currently my levels look to be getting back to normal tho thats after another water change so I'm going to be keeping watch on them and changing water for the next few days. Better safe than sorry...

Incidentally I won't be adding any fish to the new tank. I was actually planning to clone the filter today but with this hiccup its going to stay empty for few more weeks to let the donor filter get back on track...

Typical really....