Turn of filters and pumps at night

[Guest]

I was wondering if anyone turns off their pumps and filters at night. It seems to me that the fish might need a break from the currents. I read that african clawed frogs could use the rest at night, so would fish be the same?

 

[Lepomis]

How often does old mother nature turn off the current? Many of the fish we keep don't see near the current they would in native habitats.

 

[QTOFFER]

I never heard of turning off filters at night for any aquatic animal for any reason. If the current seems too strong, adjusting the pump or obstructing the outflow with a sponge usually works. Most of the time, filter current isn't a problem. If the fish or frogs have to struggle just to maintain position, then the pump/filter is simply too powerful for that sized aquarium.

 

[fishyrican]

Since the tank inhabitants continue to produce waste, even at night, turning off the filter is not a good idea. In addition, the bacteria in the tank will sit in stagnant water all night, which will affect the biological filter and may result in the release of toxins from the lack of oxygenated water feeding the bacteria.

 

[Guest]

It might be a stupid question on my part, but I was wondering if maybe fish find a quiet spot in their natural environment, out of the current, when they want to rest at night.

Here is the article where I read about shutting off the filter: http://aquaticfrogs.tripod.com/id1.html

I copied and pasted the quote where it is mentioned:

"I would also overfilter when it comes to the care of these frogs, it really helps with the water quality. For example, i use a Whisper powerfilter ment for a 70 gallon tank to filter my 40 gallon tank. I also suggest shutting off the filters at night. It gives them some peace and quiet and they do become very alive and active at night. I have been doing this for years and it has not made my water dirty or anything."

I have read this a few different places, when I was researching this topic.

 

[greenmaji]

your *edit*aerobic*edit* bacteria that converts your ammonia to nitrite and then to nitrate in the absence of O2 starts converting nitrate to nitrite.. I think this is the concern of most of the people here.. I could stand corrected though..
LOL..

 

[verucaproduce]

Why not offer them some sort of cave or hideout?

 

[Jchillin]

This is a fact:
Aerobic bacteria require O2 on a consistent basis to continue their function. A slow-down or shut down of O2 will lead to the bacteria slowly dying off, especially in a canister filter.

Since I'm sure that frogs continue to expel waste material during the night, it wouldn't be uncommon to see an increase of NH3 levels if that water was tested first thing in the morning.

 

[krap101]

isnt it aerobic bacteria need o2?

oh and i thought it was the air pump so i voted yes. i turn off my air pumps but not my filter

 

[greenmaji]

Ok.. Ill edit..LOL.. I keep anaerobic in my head.. Im always thinking of filtering out the nitrate..LOL.. give me a second..LOL

 

[krap101]

yeah anerobic is the bad kind that makes your sand black

 

[PBirdsong]

If you hunt around long enough you will find all sorts of "weird" things people do with their aquariums. And they have probably been doing it for years. I mean, there is probably someone out there that only fills their tanks half way and never full for some silly reason. Just an example.
Anyways . . . my filter always stays on. Fish don't stop crapping at night. And most fish seem to like a little bit of current too.

 

[fishyrican]

It might be a stupid question on my part. . .

I didn't think it was a stupid question (if you're referring to the original post). I would rather people ask the question anytime. Verucaproduce has a good idea. If you provide some sort of shelter, the tank tenants will find it if they need rest from the water movement.

 

[TankGirl]

I agree that finding a hideout away from current is a better solution. I am running a tank that is without any mechanical filtration whatsoever, but I have it balanced with extremely strong plant growth, so the plants are using up the waste products of the fish, and the fish load is very light. The same results will not occur by turning off the filters temporarily, so I would not consider using an on/off schedule for my filtered tanks. I take great pains to make sure they run constantly, and am anxious when the power goes out, lol.

 

[dnaelting]

I keep it all running all the time. My brother used to turn off the air pump at night, but the rest of the filter(s) would stay on. That was just to make it quite while he slept.

 

[TankGirl]

Right - I can definitely understand turning off an air pump at night, as long as you have a check valve, lol. That noise would get to me if it was in my bedroom.

 

[DeFeKt]

if maybe fish find a quiet spot in their natural environment, out of

My oscars do.
i'd never turn off any pump, my fish need the air
had a power failure a few weeks back, power out for 2 days, i had to use a bicycle pump to circulate and airate the water, as it wasn't long before they started gasping for air..

 

[Menagerie]

Every once in awhile we forget to turn back on the filter on the 80 after a PWC. It's so quiet, we don't notice. The fish notice and they are all up at the top by morning where the water is more oxygenated.

 

[Guest]

Such a bad idea, don't do this please

 

[Guest]

I leave everything on... except the lights. But i have lots of plants and hiding places so they can hide if they want.