How long without filter?

[Buu]

How long can an established tank (over a year) go without a running filter healthily?

We have terrible weather going on and the power went out a few times. I guess it shocked my power cord or something! It killed my filter and heater. I've tried everything but can't get either to work. I can pick up a filter tomorrow when I go in town just hoping the tank will be all good until then without filter! I do have a tiny little filter for a 5 gallon I'm can/about to hook up if it helps (break up and move some water).

 

[elephantnose]

I would put the little filter on. Do you have an air pump? The fish will need a steady supply of it.

 

[Buu]

=\ but I don't have a filter pad for the little 5 gallon filter. It would basically be to move some water and break the surface. Would it do any help or ?

 

[elephantnose]

The biggest concern is oxygen. If the filter is powerful enough. You should be fine until you buy a new one.

 

[Buu]

OHHH good one I didn't think of that! I do have a air pump =)

 

[elephantnose]

Okay put the air pump on and you should be fine until you get the filter.

 

[Buu]

Awesome thank you! And I sure hope they are all well and alive tomorrow. I think I would cry

 

[Luananeko]

+1 on the air pump. I would also move the filter media from the broken filter into the tank near the air pump so the beneficial bacteria can survive and help with filtration. That way when you get the new filter you can move as much of the old media in as possible and avoid losing too much of your filtration capacity.

 

[BBradbury]

Tank Filtration

How long can an established tank (over a year) go without a running filter healthily?

We have terrible weather going on and the power went out a few times. I guess it shocked my power cord or something! It killed my filter and heater. I've tried everything but can't get either to work. I can pick up a filter tomorrow when I go in town just hoping the tank will be all good until then without filter! I do have a tiny little filter for a 5 gallon I'm can/about to hook up if it helps (break up and move some water).

Hello Buu...

I'd say indefinitely. If, you're willing to change large amounts of tank water and do it often. Your filter does very little to purify the tank water. It takes in toxic water and returns it a bit less toxic. The filter does mix oxygen into the water and that's necessary for a healthy tank. But, if you changed half the tank water every two to three days and added an air stone attached to an air pump to continuously move the water's surface, you could keep a healthy tank going for as long as you wanted.

B