Leaving filter off during the day?

[Mr Fish]

For my 10 gallon I have an eclipse 1 TL hood & filter. Filter is 150gph and pretty strong. I have a little CO2 system and the tank is moderately planted - some java ferns, anachris, 1 shoot of hornwort and I moved a plant (forget the name) from my 125 gallon which is dying. Hope it does better in this tank.

I'm hoping once many of the plants "thicken out" a bit I'll have a heavily planted tank. Since upgrading from 15wpg to 30wpg I've added flourite to my sand substrate and put in some new plants:
- wendii red, moneywort and some unknown grass (which is growing like weeds already...) I also added more java ferns which I wrapped around the filter intake to hide it and make the tank look more natural.

I was concerned that with the filter running the water agitation was messing with the C02 system I have. Also, I noticed the fish in my tank eat better when the filter is off. (Fish in tank: 3 male guppies, 4 ADF, misc shrimp, misc snails, 2 ottos)

I have a timer set to do the following: Filter runs all through the night. Filter runs 30 minutes after lights come on, 30 minutes before lights go out. Also, Filter runs for 2 hours in 1 hour intervals throughout the day. It's off on 3 2-hour spurts.

Anyone think this will doom my tank or is just a stupid idea? Will keeping the filter off during certain hours of the day help keep the precious C02 in the water?

[ron v]

I don't like the idea of turning off your filter... The bacteria in your filter media need a constant supply of oxygen. I've never seen a definitive study that convinced me how long the bacteria will live in an oxygen poor enviroment, but I wouldn't want to try it!!! I think I would invest in a smaller filter and leave it on all the time.

[leveldrummer]

you definatly want the filter on, people talk about oxygen exchange at the surface of the water, but they never mention that if the oxygen levels are really high, the oxygen will leave the water, keep it circulating and it will reach a natural balance, if you turn it off you will choke the plants of co2 just like you can choke your fish of o2. water and air naturally push for homeostasis, (natural balance) the water will push out the o2 better if its ciculating.

[Mr Fish]

Ok, on it is.

[Lexus]

Ok why did you turn it off to begin with? Because the fish cant eat as well? Ya typically mine have to chase after the food with the filter on but I feed to one side of the tank away from the water flow.

[bichirboy]

It would be oaky to turn off for several minutes to feed, but not for hours at a time. Like already stated, those bacteria need o2 and that is the only way they will get it.

[Alin10123]

If you had a canister filter you could always turn the valves so that the water flow is reduced. But i woudln't worry about it... i think the oxygen and the CO2 sohuld balance out automatically. I think the lighting is more important for the plants.

[oilerscrazy]

I noticed in your pic your water line is very low, if the problem is agitation of the surface water, bring your water level way up. You can have the water right up to the black so from the front you don't see a water line. This will reduce the amount of surface aggitation and will make your tank quieter as well.

[talon4show]

I was going to ask....doesn't your filter have some method of reducing the flow of water? That should help you out quite a bit and if not...maybe consider getting a filter that has that function.

[Cichlid Man]

Originally Posted by Mr Fish

Ok, on it is.

Yeah, never turn your filter off. This will starve the bacteria in your filter that help break down harmful ammonia.

[ALFA WOLF]

K this post can either be very helpfull or very confusing. If u have a "box filter" then try this. I use like a plactic rig that will keep water running if say yoru water levels get to low and dont get any water... or yoru changing water. I get like a funel with a big enough hose to fit over the sucktion part of the filter. Are u with me so far.... good. and just put enough water in funnel till the filter sucks it up and it will keep runing with the water fallign in funnelr through hose gets sucked up goes through filter and comes out landing in the funnel in a continuing cycle. Now i relize that because of my lack of "filter lingo" this will be a very complicated or no... confusing post.

[ron v]

I'm sorry Alfa.... you lost me completely.

[Cichlid Man]

Originally Posted by ron v

I'm sorry Alfa.... you lost me completely.

Ditto, but I'm sure your post will be very helpful to others who've had the same problem you've had.

[leveldrummer]

i think he said he pumps water from the over flow on his filter, into a funnel, and the hose is connected to the intake tube... i dont know what the heck any of that means though. maybe you can clarify alfa

[Georgia Peach]

Originally Posted by Cichlid Man

Yeah, never turn your filter off. This will starve the bacteria in your filter that help break down harmful ammonia.

yep, what he said

[Mr Fish]

I have a marineland hood w/ built in lighting and filtration. No way to turn it down, sadly. I'll bump the h20 level up and see where it leads...

(btw, there are 6 baby guppies in the tank now! I put them in a seperation-like area with netting. Feeding them cyclops until they get bigger)