Planning for filter malfunction

[Jeff]

I understand that if you want to quick start a cycle for a tank, you can take a pre-seeded sponge filter from another tank, put it in said new tank, and you've got....essentially a quick cycle. The same could be said if one of your filter breaks.

What about those of us who only have one tank. How can I / we plan if the only filter we have (running our one tank that's not a sponge filter) breaks: (impeller breaks for example)...or something where your filter can't run?

What would you do in a pinch for this situation? Assuming one doesn't have a fish tank friend near by that could lend a pre-seeded filter?

Edited December 8, 2021 by Jeff

[Ken Burke]

Sounds like 2 questions

if filter stopped on an established tank, ensure you have an air stone and replace the filter.  The air stone keeps the water moving and oxygenated so not a panic. Most of the beneficial bacteria is in the tank already.  I only have one tank that does not have a sponge filter, and recommend adding at least a nano sponge filter to any tank.  
 

if you are just starting a cycle, we’ll that’s a loaded question.  Is it a fishless cycle?  Or fish in?  If it’s fishless you have plenty of time.  If it’s fish in, put an air stone in and replace the filter promptly.  If it’s more than a day, you need to test your water a couple time a day and do a water change if your ammonia gets outa hand.

 

interested in other thoughts ….

[lefty o]

an air stone is great to keep water oxygenated, and moving in the tank. ideally, if your filter failed, you would still have enough beneficial bacteria in your substrate, on the glass, and on plants, and decor that a filter failure in and of itself will not crash your tank.

[Andy's Fish Den]

If I only had one tank, and was running either a HOB or canister filter, I would also have a sponge filter running using something like a USB air pump, that way, I would have so0me filtration along with the oxygenation from it. 

[Flumpweesel]

I recently bought a cheap filter to act as a quick back up if my now quite old canister gives up.

I recently did swop them over for a few days to give the canister a service and replace the pipes and the tank did not crash. I think these things can recover quite quickly if you can react quickly. I feel a lot better now I know I have a spare in cupboard it cost £30 quid but will buy me time to consider my options properly should the need arise.

I also chose one I could pick my own media for so I can add seasoned media if I have it. Or and this is another way of getting value is I can use it to run carbon or other filter treatments without having to mess with the canister.

[Jeff]

On 12/7/2021 at 11:23 PM, Ken Burke said:

if you are just starting a cycle, we’ll that’s a loaded question.  Is it a fishless cycle?  Or fish in?  If it’s fishless you have plenty of time.  If it’s fish in, put an air stone in and replace the filter promptly.  If it’s more than a day, you need to test your water a couple time a day and do a water change if your ammonia gets outa hand.

 

interested in other thoughts ….

The starting the cycle with a pre-seeded filter was just a preamble of introducing the idea of no gaps for when a filter breaks down.

On 12/7/2021 at 11:23 PM, Ken Burke said:

Sounds like 2 questions

if filter stopped on an established tank, ensure you have an air stone and replace the filter.  The air stone keeps the water moving and oxygenated so not a panic. Most of the beneficial bacteria is in the tank already.  I only have one tank that does not have a sponge filter, and recommend adding at least a nano sponge filter to any tank.  
 

 

I don't like sponge filters / extra equipment in my tank. So, this isn't an option for me.

But, sounds like I'd be ok. I DO have a ACO usb nano air stone that I could put in the tank until I got another filter for it. So, sounds like I'd be ok.

[isaly]

I have a pump with two outlets running two air stones in my 55. I suppose I could get a sponge filter going from one of the air stones so I have something with which to begin a new smaller tank and go from there.

[gardenman]

I have two (or three) filters running on every tank. One can fail and not be noticed until things have spiraled out of control. Every tank has a sponge filter. Two have canister filters also. One has a fluidized bed K1 type filter also. My ten-gallon has an experimental sponge/UG combo filter on it. I like a bit of insurance for my fish. I can lose a filter and not lose any fish. 

[Guppysnail]

I always run multiple filtration methods in all tanks for this reason.  But for one tank if you are opposed to having a sponge. Buy a second identical filter. When (with filters it’s always when not if) swap your existing media to the new one when the old one goes down. If you are opposed to having a sponge in tank for aesthetic reasons run sponge in your hob/canister (which I highly recommend) and keep a coop sponge in hand. Wrap the existing seeded sponge around the plastic cage instead of the sponge it comes with secure with zip ties (which I have done). Use until you main filter is fixed and return the sponge to that filter so the sponge filter does not permanently live in the tank. 
I can’t stress how many times having multiple filters in a tank has saved me from issues and from my own mistakes. A coop nano takes almost no room and hooked to a battery pack (cheap phone bank Amazon) also serves as air and filtration in a power outage. Over filtration (extra media)is always good the extra circulation is always good. 
my preferred method which I run on 6/7 tanks (1qt plant grow out I don’t) canister, hob opposite end of return and a coop nano with battery back up center. I only clean 1 at a time so I never disrupt by overzealous cleaning. I’m covered in power outages until I start the generator or if I’m not home coop nano stays on. Breakage of one I have plenty f time to fix or replace. I’ve said this before but if I were a guy I would wear a belt and suspenders so my pants never fell down 😁

[AndEEss]

Like others have said, redundancy is king. I have two Tidal 110s running on my 75, plus a sponge on a ~24hr battery powered, USB charged pump.

So, if a filter motor dies, I have another filter + a sponge. If power goes out, I have 24hrs of battery powering my air pump + sponge. I take the media out if the Tidals and plop it in the tank. It gets enough oxygenated water to stay alive until the power comes back.

[dmurray407]

On 12/8/2021 at 9:13 AM, Guppysnail said:

Buy a second identical filter. When (with filters it’s always when not if) swap your existing media to the new one when the old one goes down.

I did this recently (swapped a smaller "on it's last leg" Fluval canister for a larger new one)-I used all the media from the old filter and added some new as well. I didn't notice any change in my water parameters (but I was really nervous about it for a few days). Now I have the older Fluval for "back up".

[Ken Burke]

On 12/8/2021 at 8:36 AM, Jeff said:

The starting the cycle with a pre-seeded filter was just a preamble of introducing the idea of no gaps for when a filter breaks down.

I don't like sponge filters / extra equipment in my tank. So, this isn't an option for me.

But, sounds like I'd be ok. I DO have a ACO usb nano air stone that I could put in the tank until I got another filter for it. So, sounds like I'd be ok.

I think you caught my drift spot on…no need to panic, but there are a few things you can do while you get another filter on line.  

[Scapexghost]

So the question is what to do if a filter breaks and all the bacteria inside it dies? What i would do is fix/replace the filter and not feed for 3 days to give the bacteria inside the tank time to seed the filter.