[Empress Akitla]

So, I keep small tanks in my room and I usually turn the filters off at night because I like my room dead silent. This hasn't been a problem seeing as u keep bettas that breathe from the surface of the tank anyway.

My issue is that I have a bowl with a sponge filter that I turn off at night, so the surface isn't agitated through those hours. I have three guppy fry in it at the moment who have done fine with this routine, but I'm adding carbon rili shrimp into it in the next few days. Will this lack of surface agitation through the night cause oxygenation issues with my shrimp?

 

[WaterLife]

This is the 3 gallon bowl with 9 inch diameter water surface area correct?

They should be fine. There still remains dissolved oxygen throughout the water, but it's a limited supply (yes atmospheric exchange still happens, but it's a lot less oxygen without surface agitation, especially if surface film forms without the surface agitation to break it up).

I can't say for sure there is enough dissolved oxygen for all the livestock with filters off, but just a few little fry and shrimp don't use that much, so I would think they should be alright. But again I can't say that without a doubt.

How long do you think the filters would remain off?

Remember aerobic bacteria use up oxygen as well. And so do plants at night. Warmer temps do hold less dissolved oxygen as well (Betta temp). So it is wise to try it out and monitor how the fish do overnight.

 

[Empress Akitla]

This is the 3 gallon bowl with 9 inch diameter water surface area correct?

They should be fine. There still remains dissolved oxygen throughout the water, but it's a limited supply (yes atmospheric exchange still happens, but it's a lot less oxygen without surface agitation, especially if surface film forms without the surface agitation to break it up).

I can't say for sure there is enough dissolved oxygen for all the livestock with filters off, but just a few little fry and shrimp don't use that much, so I would think they should be alright. But again I can't say that without a doubt.

How long do you think the filters would remain off?

Remember aerobic bacteria use up oxygen as well. And so do plants at night. Warmer temps do hold less dissolved oxygen as well (Betta temp). So it is wise to try it out and monitor how the fish do overnight.

Yes, it is the bowl. I've removed the fry today and put them back in the big tank. So all this bowl will have is shrimp and plants. I know that plants use O2 instead of CO2 at night so that's one reason I was a little concerned. I think the average time the filter is off is about...ten hours? Give or take depending when I go to bed and when I get up. It's the first thing I turn in in the morning. My thermometer says the temp stays around 75-76F.

Yeah, I suppose observation is our best power, right?

 

[WaterLife]

Yep, observation is best.

10 hours is quite a long time though haha. I would worry about the beneficial bacteria dying from lack of oxygen being circulated to them. I don't know for sure how long the aerobic nitrifying bacteria in our filters can last without flow/oxygen. I guess testing the water to see if they are still alive and working would figure that out.

It would be wise using a timer though as many have accidentally forgotten to turn filters back on and end up causing a mini cycle and/or suffocating fish.

Is there no betta in the bowl?
Hope the fry survive the other tank.

 

[Empress Akitla]

Yep, observation is best.

10 hours is quite a long time though haha. I would worry about the beneficial bacteria dying from lack of oxygen being circulated to them. I don't know for sure how long the aerobic nitrifying bacteria in our filters can last without flow/oxygen. I guess testing the water to see if they are still alive and working would figure that out.

It would be wise using a timer though as many have accidentally forgotten to turn filters back on and end up causing a mini cycle and/or suffocating fish.

Is there no betta in the bowl?
Hope the fry survive the other tank.

I could wrap the air pump in a washcloth and get used to the bubbles, I guess. And nope, no betta. I've got bettas in two other tanks, one with a filter and one without. Haven't had a problem with them so far.

I didn't even think about the bacteria, >.<. You're probably right though. Thank you for the advice!

Bump:

Hope the fry survive the other tank.

Oh yeah, they'll be fine. The rest of their guppy brethren and all the other fry are in there.

 

[Empress Akitla]

Yep, observation is best.

Well, I tested my water this morning and my nitrites had spiked just a touch. Did a small water change and am waiting to see if it goes back down. So....I guess the filter shall be left on through the night!

Don't need wild swings messing up my shrimp. Good thing you pointed out the bacteria issue to me as I was only thinking of oxygenation issues.

 

[end3r.P]

Well, I tested my water this morning and my nitrites had spiked just a touch. Did a small water change and am waiting to see if it goes back down. So....I guess the filter shall be left on through the night!



Don't need wild swings messing up my shrimp. Good thing you pointed out the bacteria issue to me as I was only thinking of oxygenation issues.

Right, the main problem with leaving the filter off is that the nitrogenous wastes that build up aren't passed through the biofilter.

 

[Empress Akitla]

Right, the main problem with leaving the filter off is that the nitrogenous wastes that build up aren't passed through the biofilter.

Yes, I am very aware of that now. If only I had thought to ask this question sooner. Do you know how long it'll take the nitrites to cycle back down? I just checked my shipping info this morning and my shrimp are at the post office.

I'm like crap. Will this slight spike hurt the shrimp? Do I need to put them somewhere else or will the nitrites cycle down by this afternoon? I mean, I have a stable tank but the last time I put shrimp in there they all disappeared. And all my other tanks have bettas in them.

Any advice at all?

 

[end3r.P]

Yes, I am very aware of that now. If only I had thought to ask this question sooner. Do you know how long it'll take the nitrites to cycle back down? I just checked my shipping info this morning and my shrimp are at the post office.



I'm like crap. Will this slight spike hurt the shrimp? Do I need to put them somewhere else or will the nitrites cycle down by this afternoon? I mean, I have a stable tank but the last time I put shrimp in there they all disappeared. And all my other tanks have bettas in them.



Any advice at all?

Add Prime or another dechlorinator-type product that says it renders nitrites non-toxic. They'll cycle through to nitrates pretty quickly in an established tank. I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Empress Akitla]

Add Prime or another dechlorinator-type product that says it renders nitrites non-toxic. They'll cycle through to nitrates pretty quickly in an established tank. I wouldn't worry too much.

Thanks for the advice! This tank has been cursed since the beginning, I can just feel it. The ammonia and nitrites wouldn't quit spiking for the first month with nothing in it but plants, so I added the three fry. It stabilized for a while with occasional nitrite spikes. I mean, this tank has been running for two months and still having issues. I've never had this many problems with a tank. >.<

 

[end3r.P]

Thanks for the advice! This tank has been cursed since the beginning, I can just feel it. The ammonia and nitrites wouldn't quit spiking for the first month with nothing in it but plants, so I added the three fry. It stabilized for a while with occasional nitrite spikes. I mean, this tank has been running for two months and still having issues. I've never had this many problems with a tank. >.<

Did you cycle the bowl when you first set it up (or seed it with established media)? It's a little weird to see consistent spikes with a cycled tank. May also have something to do with turning off the filter nightly. Just keep it on, easy on the feeding, and it'll settle.

 

[Empress Akitla]

Did you cycle the bowl when you first set it up (or seed it with established media)? It's a little weird to see consistent spikes with a cycled tank. May also have something to do with turning off the filter nightly. Just keep it on, easy on the feeding, and it'll settle.

I used an established filter in it and then ran both that filter and my new sponge filter for a while before removing the first filter. It's been three weeks since I added the sponge filter. You would it would've cycled out by now.

Like I said, I turn the filter off in my betta tank and have never had a spike.

Just keep it on, easy on the feeding, and it'll settle.

Well, shrimp are in the tank after two hours of drip and temp acclimation. Fingers crossed they do okay.