[meve]

Hi
I have to leave for a week. I'm worried that my fishes could get stuck in the filter while I'm away. Would it me bad to turn off the filter for 7 days?

The tanks are Fluval Chi 5 g. They have real plants inside and a heater. I'm planning to let the fishes feast during that period. Could I get bad surprises at my return?

 

[Zero186]

im pretty sure If it is a cycled tank then the bacteria in the filter media would die off.

 

[kfryman]

Don't do it, if you do take the filter pad out and keep it in like a ziploc baggie. Once it dries your cycle is gone.

 

[meve]

I will sound stupid, but I did not try to cycle my tank... I dont even know if it cycled or not... I just have my fish, 3 plants and gravel...I know that My ph is 7,4 in one tank and 7,6 in the other. But its about it...

 

[Tamyu]

If your filter has been running for a bit, it has at least started to cycle. Fishless cycling is popular, but it is something that will happen naturally even if you aren't trying.

If you are afraid to leave the filter on, I would put the filter media in the corner of the tank (maybe in a mesh bag?) and run an air stone near it. Just keeping it moist in a baggy won't be good enough to keep it alive, and if they bacteria in it dies it could cause a new cycle to start that could hurt your fish. The bacteria needs oxygen, so putting it where there is an air stone moving the water some should keep part of it alive at the very least.
Personally, I would go and buy a cheapy box filter (the kind that hooks up to an air pump) and stick the filter media inside it if it will fit.

I definitely would not just turn it off for a week... And if I did, I wouldn't expect my fish to be alive when I came home.

 

[kfryman]

I wouldn't let it dry no matter what, try to block the area of the filter input somehow.

 

[Bombalurina]

If you are worried about fish getting stuck in the filter, that's a problem you need to fix anyway, so I would do that. Block the hole with filter sponge and a pantyhose.

 

[Betta16]

Hi
I have to leave for a week. I'm worried that my fishes could get stuck in the filter while I'm away. Would it me bad to turn off the filter for 7 days?

The tanks are Fluval Chi 5 g. They have real plants inside and a heater. I'm planning to let the fishes feast during that period. Could I get bad surprises at my return?

how many fish?

If its just one Betta in your 5g with plants you can kill the filter and your fish should be fine as for food try a feeding block you can get them at most pet stores and they make one just for bettas, so that way you dont end up with rotting food, i run lots of my 5.5g tanks with out filters and i just do water changes so just do a realy good water change when you get home.

as for your cycle you can try running your filter in a bucket with some tank water and some new water, use this water to do your water change s soon as you get home.

 

[freemike]

I'm not sure if you meant feast or fast. IIRC Betta's can go up to 9 days without food. So if you meant fast there won't be problem just give them a feeding before you leave and I would give them smaller portions more often when you get back and not try to "catch up".

Now if you meant feast you could definitely have problems as some (most) Betta's will eat even after they are full. This could lead to constipation, SBD, and other problems with water quality.

I would go to petco/petsmart and buy some sponge media such as fluval filter sponges and cut them so that they cover the intake. Like others said you probably have a cycle and don't realize it as it does happen naturally.

 

[Bombalurina]

I suggest not using a feeding block. They do have a nasty tendency to foul the water and cause constipation from bettas just eating constantly.

 

[meve]

Thanks for your advices.

I meant fast, sorry for the spelling mistake. I tried the weekend feeding block before with an other tank and fish and my fish got fin rot after that. So I wont try it again soon!

I fix the probleme about my filter, but I still nervous about it...Maybe I will add more sponge around it..just in case. I will find somebody to come over and add water in the tanks too.

If my tanks are cycling by themself, does it mean that I should not touch the sponge in my filter when I do water changes? COUld I just rinse it with the old water from my water change? Or I just dont care about it at all? DO we ever need to replace the sponge by a new one then?

 

[Bombalurina]

During the cycle, don't touch it. When the cycle is over you can rinse it gently in dirty water, just enough to get any excess gunk off.