I had to unplug the filter so I could move the tank now it won’t restart again. It’s not a simple matter of pouring the water into the back because I’ve tried that. It’s not the power source because the heather and light source both worked plugged into that same outlet. It’s like the motor has died by my unplugging it. I am taking it back to the petstore tommorrow for a replacement but until then I’d like to know how long can fish live without a filter?
I have a 20 gallon tank with approximately 15 guppies (a few large ones, but more middle sized ones), a few live plants, and some snails in it. If it matters any…prior to my unplugging the filter the ammonia was a bit high (not at a toxic level but just a bit high) and the pH was fine.
Thanks for any help!
If I had the time to go to WalMart I’d just stop at the petstore which is closer 
Without any filter of any kind how long can they live? Am I going to wake up tommorrow morning with dead fish lining the bottom of the tank?
And the petstore manager already said to just bring it in for a new one…that won’t be a problem.
It is dead. It does not need to be restarted by pouring water in it (tried, doesn’t do anything) and the intake is open and not plugged. No matter…it is being returned tommorrow for a new one. My question is will the fish live until tommorrow evening when I get the new filter?
Although I appreciate all the suggestions on the actual filter and fixing it that has nothing to do with my question. I don’t honestly care what the problem is with the filter…it isn’t working…there is nothing short of opening the actual motor box (which would void the warranty) that I can do to fix it. It is being returned. Now if anyone can actually answer my question (other than the one girl that did, THANKS! lol) that would be greatly appreciated.
goldfish would do fine without a filter…. but any tropical fish and marine life need a filter… there’s a small filter that you can get at walmart that will keep them well alive and everything until you buy a new filter
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My family and I go through about 8 filters a year. It seems as though once you interupt the operation of the unit it’ll be a gamble if it will work again or not. We have been unsuccessful in getting refunds from any stores we have purchased from. They often told us to go to the manufacturers of the filters. I do have to say that we have had much more luck with bio-wheel filters made by Penguin. They are pricey but its worth it especially if you have a amonia spike in the tank. Be careful with that amonia, snails are very sensitive to any changes with the amonia.
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They should be fine just overnight because there is enough water to disperse toxins but don’t let it go any longer than that. I agree about the bio-wheels. I have a 75 gal aquarium and my bio-wheels are 4 yrs old and still going strong! Do you have any Amquel to neutralize the ammonia?
http://www.thatfishplace.com is a great source of info and items
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what kind of filter is it?? Is the motor running, at all? Is your impeller clogged or upsidedown? Does it have a water flow adjustment on the intake? is it open?
http://www.thatfishplace.com is a great source of info and items
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Sounds like the filer needs primed——turn it on and pour water into the filter itself and get it full–it will start draining at once so keep pouring water in and it should kick in automatically
pet store owner
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Ok. I’ll try to make this simple.
How to troubleshoot a power aquarium filter:
First clean everything (no soap!), especially the J-tube (water inlet). Use a flexible brush.
Now on to the motor:
The only moving motor part in most filters is the impeller. It sits in some sort of bracket / holder inside the filter box at the bottom of the J-tube. Remove it carefully and note how to replace it. Rinse it thoroughly and remove anything wrapped around the shaft (hair, strands of algae, plant material, etc.)
Hold the shaft betweeen two fingers and spin the impeller. it should spin freely. Do not use any kind of lubricant!
Next, to determine if the motor coil (sealed inside the filter box) is working:
Plug in the filter with the impeller removed. Now grasp the cylindrical magnet portion of the impeller lightly in your fingertips and hold it next to the filter housing next to the sealed coil (where the electrical cord enters the housing). You should feel a light vibration. That tells you that the coil is energoized and there’s no open circuit.
If the impeller spins freely and the coil is properly energized and you’ve cleaned and reassembled everything properly and primed the pump by adding water to the filter box…the filter should work!
My experience tells me that 70% of non-working PF’s have a dirty or damaged impeller. Another 20% have not been properly assembled or need to be primed.
If yours is one of the other 10%, any good pet and aquarium dealer should be able to confirm if impeller or your entire filter needs to be replaced.
Helped to design these things!
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Guppies won’t easily die without the filter ( water circulation), cause i did just kept my guppies in a tank without any filter or air supply pump. They live very well and got a lots of babies..
1 suggestion, u may need to always have a battery operated air pump for emergency. example: your filter suddenly damage, blackout time with you can use to safe your fishes..
Helped to design these things!
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