GuppyLog || Nearly burnt out my filter

New to Guppylog?
Immediate Help

Conversions and Calculator
Conversions and Tank volume calculator

Add yourself to our guppylog map
Guppylog Members

* Change as much water as often as you can! *
Inkmaker

Front Page · Everything · News · Ask Guppylog · Diaries

Nearly burnt out my filter
By miskairal from the miskairal department, Section Ask Guppylog Posted on Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 12:17:44 PM PST Tags: (all tags)

After spending an hour "sexing" fry this morning (Sunday, no shops open)..

I just started gravel vacuuming without turning off the waterfall filter. I'm not sure at what point I turned it off as I was too busy trying to stop water draining and unplug at the same time when I realized but the whole thing was pretty empty.

Filled the tank up again and turned the filter on after priming it and NOTHING!! Dead!! Oh bummer, not more money to spend on fish I'm thinking while contemplating throwing it across the room.

But I controlled myself and thought maybe I could just buy the pump part so starting giving it a clean which is when I wondered about all my good bacteria on the sponge and oldish charcoal and how I was going to keep them alive. Sat the bag of charcoal in the tank to give me some time to think more (maybe) and put the sponge in the filter on another tank.

Finished cleaning the filter (of algae mostly) and plugged it back in for another try and hey presto - it worked!! Yay!

How would you keep all that bacteria going?

miskairal

< New fishys!!!! | gravid spots >

Menu

· create account

· F.A.Q. For Newbies!

· Immediate Help For Newbies!

· search

· Scoop Info

· Our Tanks

Login

Make a new account

Username:

Password:

Related Links

· More on Aquaria
· Also by miskairal

Nearly burnt out my filter | 7 comments (3 topical, 4 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: -NETNERD- (none / 0) (#7)
by netnerd on Mon Sep 20, 2004 at 05:05:59 AM PST

just to make sure that you knew not to leave it on without being in the water-did it make any sounds when you plugged it in becuase that is what me and my brother did ( i was about to put my fish into another tank with new everything so i guess that is a YAY on my part) but i would probaly advise an undergravel filter because what i am aware of they do not brake any parts in them but they cost a bit with the pump and that.

-NETNERD-

Re: Bacteriated huh? :) (none / 0) (#5)
by Angelee on Mon Aug 09, 2004 at 09:40:45 PM PST

This topic has come up before but only in passing. It is possible to carbon copy a tank using an old filter from an existing tank. I have done it successfully. I don't like to make a practice of it, especially on tanks that have housed anything but fish I raised. I'm not sure how long bacteria would last on a dry sponge filter, but on a wet one... I'm guessing awhile. Remember hearing about others misfortunes that had to boil out the diseases from ornaments, plastic plants, gravel, or even old tanks? So, in my humble opinion the sponge would stay bacteriated for some time, even dry.
"The Rocky Mountain Gupster" ANGELEE

Re: Bacteriated huh? :) (none / 1) (#6)
by miskairal on Tue Aug 10, 2004 at 09:44:34 PM PST

Thanks Angelee.
I suppose it's different everywhere too depending on climate. Hot and dry here means the bacteria might not last as well as in a moderate climate with more moisture in the air.

miskairal
--
Repeat after me,
I will read the Immediate Help
[ Parent ]

Nearly burnt out my filter | 7 comments (3 topical, 4 editorial, 0 hidden)

create account | faq | search