We survived!

[Alcemistnv]

So my campus had YET another apocolypse, last year it was Irene, this year it was the storm that just happened to be a destructive storm.
Two power lines fell, two generators exploded (I saw one of them *shudders*), and there were a few unrelated fires.

When the power first went off then on (until it officially went off 15 minutes later), I noticed that the filter died and the two lights appeared busted (kkeep in mind everything else in the room was ON and working!) When the power went back on this morning, I checked everything and VOILA! It was working!

Only issue: The filter has been off since 5pm yesterday.

What do I do?

The fish are all okay, but I need to start the cycle again, don't I?
I DON'T have any water strip testers either Dx

Stupid storm...

[scurrie11]

When you say cycle, what do you mean by that? Nitrogen cycle?

[Alcemistnv]

well, just tank cycle.

I just use the term loosely and usually people know what I mean xD
I do belive that the way I do use it,cycling would just mean that you're getting the water paameters at a stable level with no ups and downs, or any spikes.

I also forgot to mention I do have live plants in there.

[scurrie11]

24 hours without a filter shouldn't do a thing to it. Also, the majority of your nitrifying bacteria are on your gravel, not in the filter itself. The little scrubby pad thing in the filter is something they can colonize on as well, but you can save that by just putting it in a container of the tank water and keeping it wet. If it dries out, then the bacteria don't do very well :P Your water parameters should stay pretty much the same. If anything, they may rise a little bit, but nothing that can't be fixed with a little water change and when you get a new filter, that'll fix it up as well.

What kind of fish do you have in there? How big of a tank? How many fish? Most of the time, the problem with filters being turned off is that there is not enough oxygen in the water. Most fish will do ok for a while with the filter turned off because there is still oxygen in the water. However, I would suggest either "fluffing the water" or doing a small water change and making sure that the water you add in breaks the surface of the water in your tank. That way more oxygen will be added into your tank and your fishies will be able to breath :D Unless they are bettas, in that case, they're fine. Yay labyrinth organs!

[LadyVictorian]

Oh man that blows. And I thought it was bad a week into my cycle when I accidentally washed my filter in none tank water vs tank water and had to start over again.

[lelei]

So glad to hear all is well:) its not the filtr I worry about..the heater goes out that bis bad..glad that didnt happen:)

[lelei]

So glad to hear all is well:) its not the filtr I worry about..the heater goes out that bis bad..glad that didnt happen:)

[Alcemistnv]

Luckily, my room is able to retain heat, so the tanks were in a comfy zone. If it got too bad, I was prepared to wrap all three in a blanket. I had to remove Buddha from his normal spot by the window because we were constantly standing by the windowsill or looking through it (the building behind my window had one of the 4 fires), so you could see the firetrucks and everything through the window.

The filter is still functional. And it's in the tank still, just not ON because at this point, I don't see much of a reason why. Everything is the same as it's been except the filter is off. Lights are fully functional and only the 3 gal got a recent cleaning, but it doesn't have a filter.

And yea, there are 2 bettas in the tank with the filter.

[teeneythebetta]

Were the cartridges out of water completely during the 24 hours? If they were submerged, then the BB are probably still intact.
I believe they can go 6 hours without oxygen..

[Alcemistnv]

There's still water in the filter which tthe cartridge is in, but the filter has a spout so it's hald submerged, half not.