Turning The Filter Off At Night? What Are Your Opinions?

[Amberleaf]

Well, I have a single mickey mouse platy in my breeding tank, and I would like to know if it is at least *somewhat* safe to turn the filter off at night It's one of those sponge filters with the vibrating airpump that just drones on and on and ON, and the very first night I had it I couldn't sleep and had to go to my sister's room because of the noise; the second and third nights I turned it off but this morning I turned it on and the fish was kind of listless. Of course, that may just be because she's the fish that always sleeps at night and takes a while to wake up (XD); but, still.... I used to turn my 10gal's external filter off at night and my Mom did the same before she was able to switch her filter to a quieter version.

The sponge filter is good because it cycled easily once I cleaned out my filter sponge from the other tank out in the 5gal breeding tank, but now I'm not so sure. FWIW, it's just noisy and a nuisance but I don't know about any other filter brands that I can use that will cycle easily. My platy fry are coming *VERY* soon, and I need to keep them in that breeding/fry tank, so I can't afford sudden ammonia spikes from filter changes right now. It's mainly the box outside of the filter, attached to the wire (the air pump, I'm assuming? :3 ) that is very noisy, and I have tried and my Mom has tried absolutely *EVERYTHING*, but nothing seems to work.

Any help on this? I know that I'm not the only one who turns it off at night, but.... I'm pretty clueless and I don't know what to do!!!!

Would an airstone in place of the filter maybe work? Are the DIY sponge filters any good?

*panicks* Please, HELP!!!! D Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. ^^;

 

[fatheadminnow]

Do not turn the filer off at night.

The bacteria in your filter process the ammonia that is in your water, and when the ammonia source is not there for them(filter turned off), you are going to have an ammonia build up in your tank. You might run the risk of killing your bacteria colony off as well, since their food source is taken away from them.

Try to get a more quit filter, that would probably be the best option.

-FHM

 

[raptorrex]

Well, I have a single mickey mouse platy in my breeding tank, and I would like to know if it is at least *somewhat* safe to turn the filter off at night It's one of those sponge filters with the vibrating airpump that just drones on and on and ON, and the very first night I had it I couldn't sleep and had to go to my sister's room because of the noise; the second and third nights I turned it off but this morning I turned it on and the fish was kind of listless. Of course, that may just be because she's the fish that always sleeps at night and takes a while to wake up (XD); but, still.... I used to turn my 10gal's external filter off at night and my Mom did the same before she was able to switch her filter to a quieter version.

The sponge filter is good because it cycled easily once I cleaned out my filter sponge from the other tank out in the 5gal breeding tank, but now I'm not so sure. FWIW, it's just noisy and a nuisance but I don't know about any other filter brands that I can use that will cycle easily. My platy fry are coming *VERY* soon, and I need to keep them in that breeding/fry tank, so I can't afford sudden ammonia spikes from filter changes right now. It's mainly the box outside of the filter, attached to the wire (the air pump, I'm assuming? :3 ) that is very noisy, and I have tried and my Mom has tried absolutely *EVERYTHING*, but nothing seems to work.

Any help on this? I know that I'm not the only one who turns it off at night, but.... I'm pretty clueless and I don't know what to do!!!!

Would an airstone in place of the filter maybe work? Are the DIY sponge filters any good?

*panicks* Please, HELP!!!! D Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. ^^;

it takes, about 12 hours for media bacteria to die. so unless you sleep.lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng. you should be ok. i would not advise this if you were any more highly stocked though. you could always take the filter andd a small container of water down stairs, you could leave it running then. indeed, with one fish, you don't need a filter. water changes will do.

 

[katfish85]

Hi, I don't advise you turn your filter off at night. I know what you mean by the droning sound but the bacteria needs the filter to keep reproducing to kill the ammonia and nitrites.
I sleep with earplugs and that seems to work

try that

best of luck

 

[Mr._Fishy]

Someone likes smileys

Don't turn it off. You could try and wrap it in that foam stuff that you use to package delicate items for shipping/moving. Or you could just get a new filter and seed it with your current media...

 

[fatheadminnow]

If you turn it off, you are going to have ammonia fluctuations, which bring on new worries. First, the fish will get extremely stressed out, and second, ammonia fluctuations are a good thing to trigger diatoms (algae) to grow.

-FHM

 

[Queen Bee]

Try putting egg cartons around the air pump. This will buffer the noise. Shop for quieter ones, Stores will let you plug them in and let you hear the noise they make. Try it before you buy it.