# Can you Turn the Filter off During the Night?



## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

hi, a filter would keep me up at night in my bedroom so im wondering could u just turn the filter off for the night but have it on during the day, and would the water still keep clean, oxygenated etc ~ like 12:12 hours day n night or 14:10...etc.?
btw i was thinking of getting axolotl or some other newts. its for a 15 gallon fish tank ( 2ft x 1ft x 1ft).


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

no... a mature filter will just die if you cut the power... you would have a green filter every time that you switched it on... it's all about the aerobic bacteria.... it would defeat the purpose of a filter.


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

HABU , ahh ok thanks. i dont really understand but do you mean like when its got the bacteria established in the filter? then i would all die off within the night?


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## TheToad888 (Dec 18, 2008)

No, because the filter needs to clean at all times. My filter didn't keep me awake.


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## AreBee (Aug 3, 2008)

would it have a negative effect to turn it off for a couple of hours (while watching a film)


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## Gem (Aug 26, 2007)

If you get a decent filter, such as a Fluval, you shouldn't hear it, I have a massive fishtank in my lounge with 1 external and 2 large internal filters running constantly and it doesn't make a sound, my 8 year old has goldfish in his room with a large fluval running 24/7 and you can't hear that either


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

thanks...im a very light sleeper though lol


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## Marinam2 (Sep 4, 2007)

No you shouldn't turn it off at night. Indeed a good filter should only make a very low humming noise that should not keep you up.

Marina


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## roostarr (Jan 27, 2009)

I used to be a very light sleeper and the gentle hum of the filter actually used to help me sleep! you never know it might help you as well!

my latest filter is much quieter that my first one all those years ago and i barely even hear it!


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

the external filter on my dart viv is quite a noisy hum, however i find that and the water trickling actually helps me sleep :2thumb:


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

there are tricks we all have used to muffle any humming or gurgling that most filters and set-ups can create....


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

chondro13 said:


> the external filter on my dart viv is quite a noisy hum, however i find that and the water trickling actually helps me sleep :2thumb:


 :lol2: thanks. so when the filters on theres also the noise of water movement? lol do i sound silly, i dont no out about filters :blush:


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

wallyreptiles said:


> :lol2: thanks. so when the filters on theres also the noise of water movement? lol do i sound silly, i dont no out about filters :blush:



There is in my viv because its to power a waterfall lol!

For most filters you wont hear water movement - just a gentle hum of a filter working.

My biggest problem with the filter/waterfall is needing the loo six times a night...


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

chondro13 said:


> There is in my viv because its to power a waterfall lol!
> 
> For most filters you wont hear water movement - just a gentle hum of a filter working.
> 
> My biggest problem with the filter/waterfall is needing the loo six times a night...


that why i took my waterfall out of my last tank. Also, because it flooden the tank twice and caused all lovly, very expensive plants to rot. I wan't happy. How to destroy 12 months of hard and expensive work lol. 


However, seeing how you did yours with half cork tubes has made me want to experiment again.


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

P.S. In my last tank which had a waterfall, i did turn it off at night. As since the pump and filter only cost me 1.99 it made a bloody racket. However, as i never really needed a filter it was only there to minimise the amount of rubbish that went through the waterfall so i saw no harm in turning it off. When/if i build a new waterfall i might do the same thing again, as it saves me having to ty and get it to anotherplug as all my vivs are wired into the same timer system. So to have it on constanly would involve me extend the plug and running it to the other side of the room. 

jay


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

Aww no!!! how did you flood it!? 

i really hope that doesnt happen with mine  although i think it would be huge bad luck if that did... :bash:

moving froggies in tomorrow :flrt: cant wait! 

go onnnnnn experiment! You know you want to!! :no1:


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## roostarr (Jan 27, 2009)

chondro13 said:


> There is in my viv because its to power a waterfall lol!
> 
> For most filters you wont hear water movement - just a gentle hum of a filter working.
> 
> My biggest problem with the filter/waterfall is needing the loo six times a night...


yeah, i had to buy a new filter recently because i had been using an air driven sponge filter when my old one had died on me and hadn't wanted to replace it until i got my new tank but the trickling water from the air driven one was making me a run to the loo far too often! so i had to get the new motor driven filter otherwise i'd have gone insane!


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

chondro13 said:


> Aww no!!! how did you flood it!?
> 
> i really hope that doesnt happen with mine  although i think it would be huge bad luck if that did... :bash:
> 
> ...


The waterfall i made was totally from slate. Apparently there was a gap where i hadnt silconed and it all flodded and greated a bog as there was too much water in the soil. The second flooding which killed everything was soon afterward when one of the anoles moved a piece of slate and rediverted the enter waterfall.


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## Joe1507 (Aug 11, 2008)

In my opinion it wouldnt do much damage but as habu mentioned it could kill the filter and could degenerate the healthy bacteria


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

Joe1507 said:


> In my opinion it wouldnt do much damage but as habu mentioned it could kill the filter and could degenerate the healthy bacteria


Why does the first part of what you say "In my opinion it wouldnt do much damage" completely contradict the second part of your sentence "it could kill the filter and could degenerate the healthy bacteria"?

Guess what you get when beneficial filter bacteria dies? A whole bunch of dead, beginning to stagnate, anoxic bacteria spewing into your water when you turn the filter back on  Therein lies the "damage"


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