After reading this article “Can you turn off the aquarium filter at night?” the reader will be able to know the answer of the question “Why should you not turn off the aquarium filter at night?”. He will also know the effect of the filter being turned off for a couple of days.
Can you turn off the aquarium filter at night?
You should not turn off the aquarium filter at night because it will start affecting the quality of the water of your aquarium. The filter not only pumps the water but also aerates the water to provide your fish with enough oxygen to thrive. The filter is like an aquarium air pump.
If you have a fish tank at home then you know how hard it is to maintain your fish tank at home. It takes commitment to take care of your fish.
Why should you keep the filter on at night?
There are several reasons why you should not turn off the aquarium filter at night:
The first reason is the filter cleans the aquarium. It plays an important role in regulating the environment of the aquarium. It removes debris, waste material from the water and helps your fish to thrive in the aquarium.
It regulates the internal environment and doesn’t affect the quality of the water. The quality of water remains the same in the aquarium which is beneficial for the fish.
The second reason is it aerates the aquarium. Your aquarium has fishes and plants that need oxygen to thrive. The filter provides your fish and plants with enough oxygen to live.
The third reason is the regulation of normal microbial flora. Bacteria are an essential part of the marine ecosystem. The filter is the place where all bacterial colonies are present because the filter pulls the water and bacterial colonies have the maximum chance of intersecting with all the water of your aquarium.
The filter also helps the bacteria to convert toxic chemicals into harmless chemicals. The bacteria also need oxygen to thrive. If you turn off the filter then you will surely kill the beneficial bacteria that your fish need to survive in the aquarium.
You need to make sure that your filter is cleaned properly before turning on. You need to clean your aquarium filter because it only brings dust and dirt if you do not clean your filter.
Why do people want to turn off their aquarium filter at night?
Most of the homeowners want to turn off their aquarium filters at night because of the noise that the filter is making.
There are several reasons for this noise. It could be the water in the fish tank or the filter itself is making the noise.
The first thing you should do is to find out the source of the noise. If the source of the noise is the water then you will probably see that the water level is down. You just need to fill the water in the tank. The low water level in the tank can cause gurgling sound in the fish tank.
If you find out the filter is making noise then you need to increase the water level in the fish tank. Increasing the water level in the fish tank will immerse the filter in the water thus will lessen the noise of the filter.
You can also adjust the water flow of the filter that will also reduce the noise coming from the filter.
Sometimes a specific part of the filter is making the noise. It is because when you clean the filter you do not pay attention to the different parts of the filter. When you are cleaning the filter you need to clean all the parts so that the different parts of the filter are thoroughly cleaned and they do not make noise.
One of the reasons is that the filter has dirt or dust in it as you haven’t cleaned it for quite a long time. If you haven’t cleaned the filter for a long time the dirt and dust may be in the tubes which will create a rattling sound.
When cleaning the filter you need to make sure that it is unplugged from the source. It is very dangerous to clean the filter while it is running.
You need to read the manual before approaching the aquarium. Some filters dismantle in different parts while some do not. You should know about your filter. If you do not know about it then you may end up breaking the filter and hurting yourself.
One of the reasons why people turn off their aquarium filter at night is to save electricity. It is not a good idea.
Do the fish die if you turn off the aquarium filter at night?
Your fish will not be affected if you turn off the aquarium filter once in a while. If you turn off your filter sometimes the normal microbial flora is not affected because it will affect the oxygen in the fish tank.
But if you turn off the aquarium filter every night then the aquarium will be short of oxygen. The lack of oxygen will cause the death of the fish and the death of the plants in the aquarium. It will affect the normal microbial flora of the aquarium. Furthermore, the aquarium remains dirty because the filter is the only source of cleaning the aquarium.
You do not need to turn off the aquarium filter at night because it will destroy the habitat of the aquarium.
Can you turn off your air pump at night?
You can turn off your air pump at night because your fish will not need a pump but you need to make sure that the filter is running all night. If your air pump is making loud noise you can turn it off as you like.
But in some cases, the air pump and the filter are the same for your aquarium. Many small fish tanks use the air pump as a filter to aerate the water.
The air pump vibrates and makes a lot of noise. If your air pump doesn’t make sound it is cool to not turn the air pump off. But if your air pump is making some noise and you cannot sleep then you might need to think about it.
If your aquarium air pump is making loud noise then you can place a soft object under it. The air pump vibrates and if it is on a hard object then it will make loud noises. But if it is on a soft object then the sound will be reduced.
Another way of lessening the loud noise of the filter is by placing the air pump filter in the box. The box shouldn’t have a lid on it. It is because the air pump filter radiates heat and if the box is closed then it will probably heat up, in turn, damaging the fish in the freshwater aquarium.
The heating of the air pump filter will damage the plants of the aquarium and the normal microbial flora of the aquarium
Can you turn off the filter of your betta fish tank?
Betta fish do survive if the fish tank filter is turned off and you might be thinking why is that?
Betta fish unlike other tropical fish has developed gills to breathe like humans. If you have a filter then most of the fishes like that of betta fish will do well. But in case of a power outage or you turn the filter off then the betta fish can breathe air and survive. In the wild these nasty ones survive until the rainy season sets in so that they can get water and flourish.
At this very point you need to think about the answer to the question “Can you turn off the aquarium filter at night?” you know the answer but what will you do. Would you let the fish survive in the dry environment? or would you keep the filter running in this case?
The answer is pretty obvious: you will provide the fish with the same environment as that of other tropical fish.
Other problems
The other problem associated with turning off the large gallon fish tank filter at night is the green algae growth. The algal bloom is one the effect of turning off the aquarium filter at night. The algal bloom can block the sunlight reaching the plant and can cause the death of fish.
Other problems are snail outbreaks and cloudy water. The dirt and debris clog up in the aquarium. You also need to properly set the heater.
Conclusion
In this article “Can you turn off the aquarium filter at night?” We have discussed the reasons why you shouldn’t turn off your filter and what are the effects of turning your filter off. We also discussed the other problems related to filters being turned off.
Feel free to ask anything about “Can you turn off the aquarium filter at night?” in the comment section below.
FAQ; Can you turn off the aquarium filter at night?
Frequently asked questions of “Can you turn off the aquarium filter at night?” are:
How long can you leave a fish tank filter off?
You can leave the large gallon tank filter off for only 1 to 2 days. If the period is prolonged the fish will start to die in the aquarium. You need to make sure that the filter is running.
Can fish sleep with a filter on?
Yes, fish do need a quiet place to take a nap. It could be leaves, branches or even the filter. Make sure that you have a light that you can turn on and off when there is time to sleep. Aquarium lighting is best for sleep and wake cycles.
Should I turn off the filter when feeding fish?
If your filter is pushing the water down then it is a good idea to turn it off while feeding your fish because fish food components have varied density and some of them float or some sink readily.
How long do top fin filters last?
The top fin filter lasts 3 to 4 weeks. You need to rinse the filter, replace the cartridge and then integrate it back again. If there is any kind of obstruction remove the cartridge as it can absorb the medication.
Why does my fish stay by the filter?
The filter sucks in the water meaning the flow of water is fast in that part of the aquarium. The reason why the fish stay by the filter is the pressure of water and in turn the greater oxygenation of water in that area. The fish needs a great amount of oxygen so that it can flourish in an aquarium.
Can I turn off the sponge filter at night?
You can reduce the flow of the sponge filter as they are mainly biofilters and do not require a large amount of flow of water. One bubble per second is enough for the freshwater fish in the aquarium.
References
https://aquariumsphere.com/should-the-aquarium-filter-always-be-on/
https://pethelpful.com/fish-aquariums/Can-You-Turn-Off-the-Filter-in-Your-Fish-Tank-at-Night
