Please help, my filter just died...

[Finney]

Hi, I hope this is the right place to post this. I was just doing a water change on my 5 gallon tank, which has 1 male betta and 2 otos. I unplugged the filter to rinse out the sponge in tank water and clean the filter intake. I went to plug it back in and nothing... it seems to be totally dead. No mechanical sounds or movement of any sort. It is a Aquaclear 20 power filter.

I won't be able to get a new filter for the tank until tomorrow at 2:00. The tank will be without any water turnover for 17 hours. I know the betta can wait until then without water flow bringing oxygen, etc. into the tank, but will the otos be ok?

Also, the tank is cycled. I filled up the filter box with tank water to give the good bacteria a chance to survive. Will they be ok until I can put the established media into a new filter tomorrow? I really don't want to put my fish through a mini cycle.

Any suggestions on what I might try to fix the filter or how I can keep my fish happy until I can get a new one would be appreciated! Thanks.

 

[Dennis-Pir]

I would take it apart and rinse it and just make sure the fan thingy is attached right and try taking the motor out and running it... it ususally needs a lill fiddling at least mine does when i turn it off

 

[Lotus]

It should be OK, but all you can really do is hope that it will be. If you have an airstone/airpump, then definitely use that.

As long as the bacteria is kept wet, it should be OK. You might want to pour some tankwater through the filter occasionally to oxygenate the bacteria filter and the tank water (if you're around to do so).

 

[Finney]

Thanks for your fast replies. I tried taking it apart and cleaning everything, and it worked when I plugged it in! What a relief.

I think I might get a spare filter the next time I'm at the LFS though, just in case something like this happens again.

Thanks again!

 

[Big Vine]

Glad it all worked out Finney!

I think I might get a spare filter the next time I'm at the LFS though, just in case something like this happens again.

Not a bad idea. Remember, if you do that, you could always get a bigger HOB filter for in case you decide to upgrade to a bigger tank in the future.

Big Vine

 

[bigredspecial]

It's always good to have a spare on hand... just make sure you get the same type/size, so that if you do have to use the spare, you can take the bacteria rich media from the old filter and put it in the new.

 

[stef25]

my filter tends to get airbubbles inside while doing water changes. i always have to point the spout upwards for the bubbles to come out and the pump to start working. maybe you had a similar problem