HOW LONG CAN CANISTER FILTERS STAY OFF?

[smitty03281964]

Alan that was my theory that the bacteria survives a lot longer than people imagine. It is possible that those who are saying that when they turned it back on lost fish maybe there entire system was not properly kept in the first place. My friend will have his off at least week and turn it back on with no problems. Two weeks ago I had a spill from one of my canisters so I turned of my Eheim 2217, and Fluval 405 because I did not know which filter caused the problem. Turns out it was the Fluval. I forgot to turn back on the Eheim. This unit was off almost two weeks before I realized it. I plugged it back in and though it smelled it did not cause any problem and I have some of the most sensitive plecos out there.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

I think we need to distinguish between BB going dormant, and fish waste going bad.

I remember reading on another forum about a guy who did quite a decent scientific test on a canister that had been switched off for something like 12 weeks and just left there in his garage. He then tried to see how much, if any, of the BB was left by using that filter to cycle a brand new tank using an ammonia solution. He got that new tank fully cycled in about 2-3 days I think.

I am not at all surprised. Living conditions for BB went bad, and they went into "hibernation". Kind of like bottled bacteria. Once the filter media was perfused with oxygenated water again, the BB's life cycle started over again. That, however, does not say anything about what rotten mess sat in the filter. I mean I wouldn't try this approach with anything other than a fishless cycle ...

Two weeks ago I had a spill from one of my canisters so I turned of my Eheim 2217, and Fluval 405 because I did not know which filter caused the problem. Turns out it was the Fluval. I forgot to turn back on the Eheim. This unit was off almost two weeks before I realized it. I plugged it back in and though it smelled it did not cause any problem and I have some of the most sensitive plecos out there.

I absolutely believe that it smelled - after all, fish waste had been decomposing for two weeks. Imagine a sealed plastic bag full of dog poo sitting for that long. You can thank your Fluval 405 for operating properly. Its active BB most definitely prevented fish loss by biodegrading the pollutants washed out of the Eheim. Without this second filter, your plecos would have gone bye-bye. Compliments to your for running two filters, I think that's excellent practice. And your survival story should inspire others.

HarleyK

 

[Bluey]

From what Ia m aware , after 3 hrs the bacteria has no O2 so sarts to die. we have had power cuts over here and when the power is restorded the filteras pump crap into the tanks and kill the fish after 6 or so hrs.

 

[KaiserSousay]

I think we need to distinguish between BB going dormant, and fish waste going bad.

Well said.
The worse your waste management schedule, the greater your chances of a can going toxic.