How long can I go without filtration ?

[AmherstReef]

I'm in the planning stages for a new sump relocated to the basement. The new sump itself will be complete but many things regarding how I plumb it may depend on how long the aquarium can go without filtration. I will be able to do a much better job if the old sump is removed before I do the new plumbing.

My current sump has filter sock, protein skimmer, GFO & Carbon reactors, fuge with chaeto and ATO with Kalk.

So the question is how long can my reef safely go without that filtration and only heat and powerheads.

 

[tmz]

I don't think anyone can answer that in a general way.It depends on your tank and a number of other things. I think it's risky. Personally, I lay out everything and plan carefully around what's up and running when I make additions to insure minimal system downtime. If I can I make the additions/ changes without shutting anything down.
Obviously systems survive power outages but even then I don't let it go more than 2 hours before starting the generator. Just me.

 

[oneradtek202]

i just had my heavily stocked sps aquarium skimmerless and no water changes for 4 days while i awaited a new skimmer pump....no ill affects.... but Tom isn right, its just up to the system. I was running some carbon....

 

[block head]

geek up for plumbing. beg borrow or steal if you have to. plumbing nerds will save you countless hours of frustation and self loathing.

 

[cardiffgiant]

How long are you talking? I moved my tank and did the plumbing for my basement sump in a few hours. I've always run new plumbing with very little curing time for the pvc cement.

 

[AmherstReef]

The basic plan is to have as much in place as possible, remove the current sump, set up the reactors, skimmers, etc. in the new sump. Then complete the plumbing and get back up and running. I'm obviously hoping this only takes a few hours, but who knows what kinds of issues I could run into.

I am sure there are plenty of people that have done this exact same thing. Just trying to plan ahead so everything works out.

 

[cardiffgiant]

If you're doing it all in the same day, you'll be fine. Rigging some carbon for youur display wouldn't hurt. Even with an old HOB filter.

 

[EllieSuz]

If you have rock, powerheads and a heater in the tank, I don't see why you couldn't go days without a problem. A lot of people have great success keeping a tank without skimmers, reactors, Chaeto, kalk, etc. Given enough flow and appropriate temperature, I think your tank will be fine while you get the job done. Am I missing something here, guys?

 

[tmz]

Prolonged changes to any closed system have consequences that are largely unpredictable. The significance of changes depends on the entire system.

Some tanks run without skimmers,etc, (I keep one with dominantly leathers ,discoma and xenia) that way and the system they belong to runs that way including organisms and chemistry .

Other systems may be more sensitive and/ or complex.
Potential ?s for example: Do you keep dosing alk and calcium to a system when it's off line? How about organic carbon dosing ? Stop it? What about water changes? Any stagnant water in any part of the system as a result of shut down? H2S formation potential? What about bacteria that may die ? Do you feed or not feed when the filtration and skimmer are off?

As I noted earlier systems survive power failures and you might get away with a long stop in filtration but some of the life in the system might not. The live rock and aeration should handle ammonia oxidation but that's not all there is in many systems;so ,I don't think a useful generalization is available.

The question is timely,btw.. I'm planning on pulling out a tank an replacing it with a a larger one for the sea horse house in my system . Some pumps will have to be shut dowm ,hoses moved, holes drilled etc but I aim to keep the shut down time as minimal as possible.This makes some of the work a little harder but I think it's worth it.

 

[AmherstReef]

Thanks everyone, my hope is to have enough in place that it only takes a few hours. Then again there's always a problem you never anticipated.

Tom, any suggestions to minimize the effects, even short term.

 

[tmz]

Extra aeration and flow .Check any areas likely to go stagnant before restaeting them or better yet keep them flowing like canister filters or reactors. Don't let the temperature creep up .

 

[jacksonpt]

How heavily is the tank stocked? How heavily do you feed?

If you think about it, lots of people have success running skimmerless tanks, which isn't significantly different that what you are talking about doing. Put the heater in the display along with a few powerheads and do what you need to do.

I ran skimmerless and GFOless for a long time. But I stocked pretty lightly and fed even more lightly.

Also depends on how often you are willing to do water changes.

 

[AmherstReef]

Extra aeration and flow .Check any areas likely to go stagnant before restaeting them or better yet keep them flowing like canister filters or reactors. Don't let the temperature creep up .

I will keep all that in mind.