How long can filter stay off?

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MarkA123

Aquarium Advice Freak
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My filter is partially clogged and making an extremely loud noise, and I can't sleep with it on, so would it be ok to leave it off for about 10 hours? I plan to do a deep clean on it tommorow, along with my tank, once my new filter/tank cleaning supplies get here (tomorrow afternoon). Id turn it back on in the morning. Or would the ammonia and nitrite levels rise? I added 2 African dwarf frogs today so it wouldnt be good if that happened. Also would o2 levels get too low if I leave it off, considering there's no other air pumps and no surface agitation without it. And would circulation decrease too much causing temputure flucuations. I have a bio wheel so would the bacteria die offf on it? Thanks, my tank is 28g with 4 albino corys, 2 mickey mouse platys, 1 female Betta, 3 new ADF's, 2 mystery snails and 1 apple snail. Has Penguin 150 and stealth pro 150w.
 
Dont turn it off, clean it now. But clean it using the water from the tank so you dont lose all that good stuff thats in the filter. Considering that you did just some frogs i wouldnt turn it off
 
I tried cleaning it but there's gunk stuck in the impeller housing and I can't find anything to get it out with. I'll just leave it on and deal with the loud noise, since I did just get frogs.
Dont turn it off, clean it now. But clean it using the water from the tank so you dont lose all that good stuff thats in the filter. Considering that you did just some frogs i wouldnt turn it off
 
Good for you for sacrificing a good nights sleep for your fish's health. That's very nice of you :)
10 hours without a filter is too long IMO, especially of you've just added 3 ADF.

The longest My fish have gone without one was about an hour because their filter broke down and I had to drive out to my LFS, pick up a new one, and set it up.

Good luck! I hope you can sleep through the night! Is there another room you can sleep in that's a little farther away from the tank? Perhaps even a couch???

Good night. :)
 
If the tank is well-established, the tank can go a while without a filter. I broke the AC70 for my 29g and went four days without a filter. I put the biomedia and sponge in the tank to keep it alive and help with the biological filtration in the tank. I had the tank stocked pretty heavily and the water was 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrite, 10ppm nitrate at the end of four days. This tank had been set up for about 18 months and had live plants.
 
Thanks for your advice, I took the filter apart and scrubbed every place possible, and then did my weekly water change on the tank, and when I turned my filter back on it was still making the noise. So I soaked the filter in water and scrubbed it again with all kinds of tools after taking it apart, and inspected every last piece for any damage or even a speck of dirt, it appeared to be in perfect condition. Plugged it back in and you guessed it, loud mechanical noises. I left it on all of last night and today, thinking maybe it would fix its self because it has in the past. It still sounds like a train, so does anyone have any ideas on what could be causing it? If a recording of the sound would help, tell me and I'll post it.
 
Anything binding? Usually, it is the impeller rubbing against something .. possibly the impeller shaft is bent, or the housing is cracked or distorted somehow & causing contact. <Also is the water flow less? a rubbing impeller usually runs slower & move less water.>

You can try running the filter without the impeller (for a few seconds only, otherwise it might overheat & burn out without moving water!). If there is noise without the impeller, then it is something broken inside the motor mechanism & can't easily be fixed.
 
Thanks, that more than likely what it is, I'll check first thing tomorrow morning, it's not as loud and doesn't do it constantly now, every two monikers is has like a long loud banging scratching sound come from it, hopefully I can actually sleep tonight :)! If I do have to replace it, would you reccamend getting the same model (penguin 150) or getting a emporer 280? I'm worried it might be too powerful since I have a Betta and frogs, and sand substrate
Anything binding? Usually, it is the impeller rubbing against something .. possibly the impeller shaft is bent, or the housing is cracked or distorted somehow & causing contact. <Also is the water flow less? a rubbing impeller usually runs slower & move less water.>

You can try running the filter without the impeller (for a few seconds only, otherwise it might overheat & burn out without moving water!). If there is noise without the impeller, then it is something broken inside the motor mechanism & can't easily be fixed.
 
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