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Power Cut

Tomo

Member
Joined
4 Aug 2009
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50
Hi,
I am having some electrical work done at home on the weekend and the power will be off for 7 to 8 hours. I am concerned that all the good bacteria in my external filter that has built up over time will be destroyed during this period of no electric. Am I right to be concerned or will the bacteria survive? I will not be tampering with the tank or filter at all while the work is being carried out.
Any advice very much appreciated!
Thanks
 
Best thing would be the drain the water from the filter so oxygen can reach the bacteria. Once power is back, fill the filter, rinse it once and hook up again. You'll probably get some dirt from the filter but it will clean up again. A large wc can help ( 30-60 mins after starting filter again).
 
You can try and keep temperature on the lower side by maybe opening some windows. This way more o2 stays in the water.
 
Why do anything ?

we had a neutral fault on our estate tripping all the house RCD's on the estate whilst I was away one Xmas. Came back 3 days later, to very cold house. Tank was 18C. Turned electrics back on, tank all fine.....fish feeder was battery operated so fish didn't starve.
 
I think they will be fine. I forgot to switch my filter back on after maintenance so it was off for a day or so. No problem.

I wouldn't drain the filter though, personally.
 
Actually when we had electrical work done in the kitchen, I unplugged the fish tank, computers and TV recorders etc as the power was on and off all day as the electrician fiddled and tested the electrics.
 
Leaving a canister filter non running increases the risc of creating a massive death of the bacteria, polluting the content. Open the filter after it stood for 8 hours and smell it. Emptying this in the tank isn't healthy.
 
Hi all,
Best thing would be the drain the water from the filter so oxygen can reach the bacteria. Once power is back, fill the filter, rinse it once and hook up again. You'll probably get some dirt from the filter but it will clean up again.
I'm with Ed on this one, better safe than sorry.

If it is an internal, or a trickle filter, it will be fine turned off for even longer extended periods, because oxygen will diffuse in from the tank water (or air) respectively.

If you have a low fish load and lots of plants you it is likely that the filter bacteria won't manage to deplete all the oxygen in the external filter for some time, even with it turned off. Again as Ed suggests smell should give you some idea, as our sense of smell can detect fairly low levels of the "odours of decay".

In an a external canister filter for a tank with a heavier bioload it is different, once it is turned off the water in the filter can become de-oxygenated fairly quickly. Once the water is de-oxygenated bacteria will die, creating ammonia and the risk is that when you turn the filter back on dead bacteria and oxygen depleted water (with high levels of CO2 and ammonia) will be sluiced back into the tank.

You can alleviate this risk by just pouring 9/10's of the water out of the filter and opening the taps, that way the media will stay wet and has access to the atmosphere to allow gas exchange (CO2 out, O2 in).

cheers Darrel
 
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I've read before that dry media = dead bacteria. That's another myth then is it?
 
Hi all,
I've read before that dry media = dead bacteria. That's another myth then is it?
No that is right. The bacteria need to be continually moist. If they dry out, or run out of oxygen that is curtains, although more recent research has suggested that they are <"much more resilient than was thought">. Paper is <"Strategies of aerobic ammonia......">

There may be situations where sponges can dry out and some microbes may survive as spores, but I don't know if that is true for the Archaea.

cheers Darrel
 
Here in sa we have had power supply problems and we get cut 2/6 hours St a time. I pick up a small ups and connected X2 12 ah 12volt batteries. Runs canister air pump for 10 hours. But what you can do is if you are home and your canister has a prime button pump it x10 every hour. Should be enough to keep the bacteria happy
 
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