Forgot to turn filters back on for four and a half hours.

[tedisabum]

I turned my filters off like usual when I fed my fish. Unfortunately, this time I forgot to turn them back on until I got home later on. They were off for a total of 4 and a half hours. My question is will all of the bacteria on my bio wheel be dead and have to seed all over again? I'm using a marineland penguin 200 and an Aquaclear 70. The bio media in the ac filter stayed submerged.


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[Delapool]

I'd say they will be fine as long as media stayed wet. I've regularly left the filters off overnight with no issues.

 

[Keybler]

The only time I turn my filter off is when I'm cleaning it. I don't see a reason to turn the filter off while feeding. JM2C

 

[Delapool]

That's a good point. With small hob's I just leave them going. The main tank has the canister filters turn off on timers (allows floating pellets to float and stops brine shrimp being sucked in) and then switches back on again automatically.

 

[Autumnsky]

You can always set a timer to help you remember (phone, kitchen). Too easy to forget.

 

[lksdrinker]

Some of the bacteria might have died off; but probably not all. There are some who theorize that killing off some of the weaker bacteria once in a while is a good thing as it promotes more of the stronger bacteria to colonize so to say.

 

[tedisabum]

Some of the bacteria might have died off; but probably not all. There are some who theorize that killing off some of the weaker bacteria once in a while is a good thing as it promotes more of the stronger bacteria to colonize so to say.

I think that this theory applies to a fluidized bed filter where as the K1 media is crashing into each other, the weaker bacteria falls off, while the stronger bacteria continues to colonize. It also keeps it from being able to clog and provide lots of surface area.

 

[lksdrinker]

I think that this theory applies to a fluidized bed filter where as the K1 media is crashing into each other, the weaker bacteria falls off, while the stronger bacteria continues to colonize. It also keeps it from being able to clog and provide lots of surface area.

Not sure why the same couldn't apply to any style of bio filtration? In the fluidized bed filter it may sort of happen without any intervention. But the idea is still the same. Only the strong survive!

 

[tedisabum]

That makes sense.