What Damage Has This Caused? !

[tricky8]

having just fixed my filter in a 90l tank which i believe may not have been running for 2-3 weeks . what are the consequences please. is it going to be ok.? pretty urgent going away tommorow. just done water change

 

[juggernuts]

Did the filter have any of the tank water in during this possible time of it being off?
what are the water parameters now, after im guessing a couple of hours, with the filter running?

 

[tricky8]

filter hasnt moved out of the tank the whole time it was off. but i did just get it out to fix it which was a stuck motor. will do water test in bout one hour but you think things will be ok?

 

[juggernuts]

filter hasnt moved out of the tank the whole time it was off. but i did just get it out to fix it which was a stuck motor. will do water test in bout one hour but you think things will be ok?

did you still have fish in the tank? any air pumps running or anything, and what about water changes if any off these applied ?

 

[fatheadminnow]

So you took the heater off the tank for 2-3 weeks to fix the motor?

If this is correct, was there any fish in the tank that the filter came off of? If so, did you have a back up filter running on the tank?

I guess I am just really confused on what you are asking?

-FHM

 

[tricky8]

ok 2 weeks ago i did a 50% water change and ever since i have looked at the tank and thought that the filter didnt seen to be doing anyhting. but then at other angles it did. kept thinking this but not actually checking by taking it out. then tonight did a water change again and decided i would check the filter as was convinced something wasnt right. filter was dead no motor going round so poked it and it sprung back to life . filter was out of water for seconds whilst i fixed it but now i realise it may have been off since last water change and that i wish i had checked earlier!!. fish are still in it yes and everying remained on for last 2 weeks pump heater etc just no filter so now want to know will water be ok. filter up and running but how much of a problem is it that my filter hasnt been on for 2 weeks!

 

[fatheadminnow]

Check ammonia and Nitrite immediately! If either are over .25 ppm, a water change is in order to lower the levels back below .25ppm.

The way these motors work; you probably did not wreck anything; put the filter back on and running asap.

This is why monthly filter cleanings are a good thing to get in the habit of doing.

I would be more worried about loosing you bacterial colony at this point.

-FHM

 

[tricky8]

yeah everything been filter been running for last hour do test now! let you know

 

[tricky8]

ph 8
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
20 nitrate

 

[fatheadminnow]

Looks like everything is good then.

Just out of curiosity:
What kind of test kit are you using, and what kind of filter was it?

-FHM

 

[tricky8]

fluval u2 filter and its an api master test kit. you think im out of danger then?

 

[fatheadminnow]

Yes you are, as of right now, 100% out of danger!

I am just trying to further my understanding my knowledge on the Autotrophic bacteria, as you are kind in a unique situation. lol

Just a couple questions:
Do you know for sure you filer was not running for 2 weeks or 3 weeks?
If the filter is off, as it was, is there anyway water can flow in and out of it?

What I know is; if the bacteria are in an ammonia free water source (such as your filter when it was shut off) then they die off at a rate of 3-10% daily.

this means, it can take a minimum 10 days to a maximum of 30 days or so for them to die off. But since you ammonia and nitrite are good, then either the bacteria colonize somewhere else in the tank, or a very small amount of them died off.

Either way it just goes to show how neat these beneficial bacteria are!

Thanks! lol

-FHM