broken filter

[TheFighterFish]

This morning the filter wouldn't start. It's been acting weird lately. Either, it's jammed and I have to take it apart again or its broken. In anycase, the water will not be filtering in my tank.

Are there any precautions I should take? For example, do I have to perfom any water changes soon?

 

[Big Vine]

This situation is temporary, since you'll be getting a replacement right away, I presume. Before you rush out, check with your filter documentation (if you still have it).

Ours has conked out before during power failures, but we've always been able to reset the motor somehow. As much as I hate to admit it, I forget how we did that---my wife took care of it! Haha.

Don't worry about a water change just yet. The most immediate threat to the health of your fish is the dwindling oxygen levels that will take place now that the surface agitation caused by the filter has been removed.

They should be fine for a few hours while you get this filter business fixed. If it's gonna take longer than that, you'll need to put a bubbler/airstone in there.

Good luck.
Big Vine

 

[VirgoWolf]

I've heard a good way to keep the water from getting too low on oxygen is to put a small hole in the bottom of a coffee can and fill it with water, let it dripslowly breaking surface tension all day, although if you have an airstone, that works too!

 

[seastaar88]

i've always "fixed" my filters by takng them apart. sometimes, you just need to take the intake and impeller out and put it back in. i've had instances where it's been "broken" because hair gets spun up around the impeller (what can i say.. i have long hair, and it's bound to end up in my tank and some point or another HAHAHA!). you can always buy replacement parts for the filter.. but sometimes it's just as easy to buy a new filter if you've tried everything to fix it.

and yeah, i'd just use an airstone in the meantime and if you cant get a replacement asap, do a water cahnge in like 2 or 3 days to be safe.

 

[TheFighterFish]

Well, it turns out it wasn't broken, just out of place. I took it apart, like always and it runs fine again. I also did a 40% change and took out both my ramshorn snails. I check my fake corkscrew plant and found 4 egg clusters!!!

Thanks for the quick replies. Sorry if I made any of you worried.

Go Fish!!!

 

[Big Vine]

Glad it works again.

Big Vine

 

[Lotus]

Are you saying that you turn off your filter every night? If so, you shouldn't, it should just run all the time, unless you're doing a water change.