Help!!!

Notsosharp

Hi,

I have a major problem, the motor for the filter in my 80l tank has stopped working and now I have no filtration for a tank with five small fantails in it.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do? I cannot get a new motor/filter until Monday as the LFS does not open til then and I cannot get to any other town, Plus I won't have any money until Monday. The motor is still working but its making a horrid grinding noise and I don't want to risk it burning out or electrocutng the fish,

I have kept the filter in the tank (just taken the motor out). How long til the bacteria start to die off or will they keep alive in the water? Do I just need to keep doing water changes and checking the levels until Monday? If so, how much water do I change, the water in the tank is looking very cloudy! I could go to the nearest PAH but can't get a lift (my Mum quoted the usual line of your grandma had a goldfish in a bowl with no filter and it lived for years!)

Can you just get motors for filters or will I have to buy a whole new filter and if so what do I do about cycling etc?

Thanks very much....

ailuro2

Oops..only just spotted this...

on a very regular basis, using a disposable plastic cup if you can find one (so it hasn't been near soap) lift a cupful of water and pour it back into the tank from about 8 inches above, enough to create water movement, as the water surface moving is what allows the oxygen to transfer into the water....

as for it being cloudy already, that's a worry - do you have any test kits to test for ammonia? it may be the bacteria are already dying off and causing an ammonia bloom - that's why I'm asking.

Change up to 30% of the water at any one time, especially with it being cloudy. The bacteria are not 'in' the water, they are on all the surfaces of the tank.

If the fish can take it, drop the temp by a degree, this will allow the water to keep hold of a little more oxygen.

Any airstones lying around with an airpump? This can keep the water moving till you get your pump.

If you do lose your biofilter (ie all the good bacteria) then change 25% of the water every day, then second day till ammonia and nitrite levels are back to normal.

hth

Kimberley

Lets hope the fish are still ok and you can act on Ailuro2's advice :eek:

ailuro2

How did it go, notsosharp? Did you manage to get a new motor / pump unit for your filter?

Notsosharp

Thanks for all your replies, the fish are still here and the water has cleared up now. To be honest I think I stirred up all the gravel taking the filter out to have a look!!! And thank you for asking how its going.

The filter is actually working now but it still sounds funny, the impellor thingy is not spinning properly although it still goes. The water levels are all fine but I will do the thing with the plastic cup anyway. I couldn't get a new filter/impellor yesterday as planned because the student loan company messed up and did not pay the money in on time (fingers crossed its all sorted now).

I can't go down the LFS today because its closed but I will be going on Wednesday and asking him to take a look. I went in yesterday to ask about getting a new filter but the guy said he may be able to fix it so fingers crossed! I don't want to go through a mini cycle with fish in the tank!