filters on/off during water changes

[hle_81]

do you leave your filters on when doing water changes?

[125gJoe]

Yes, to help trap dirt that has been stirred up. We also vacuum during water changes and prune the plants. We extra careful to keep the tank and water change water at the same temperature. We alternate on cleaning canister filters during the water change. It's a good idea to turn off your heater(s) if the water level exposes the heater. :)
If the water level gets too low and the filter intake starts sucking air, turn it off..

[thom336]

depends what type of filters we're talking about. undergravel run by an air pump i would leave on, but turn off if run by powerhead as you shouldnt risk running it dry (above weter level). internal power filters are same as powerheads. i would probably leave externals on unless your maintaining them (obviously).box filters would probs need turning off as they would need maintaining with every water change, and sponge would be same as box.

[OrionGirl]

I turn my power filter off. I have duck weed, and the increased drop from the filter pulls the duckweed underwater, where it gets trapped in my other plants and wood--also annoys the heck out of me to have it stuck all over my arm, and trapped in the vaccum line.

[kveeti]

Originally posted by OrionGirl
also annoys the heck out of me to have it stuck all over my arm

LOL OrionGirl! I can identify totally with that!

I turn mine off also (AquaClear) because I can't stand the splashing. It would have to be off anyway because I rotate my 2 sponges with every water change (cleaning the bottom one).

[delmore]

Originally posted by kveeti

It would have to be off anyway because I rotate my 2 sponges with every water change (cleaning the bottom one).

I use AQ's on my 3 tanks and I leave them running during water change, and filter rotation. Of course I squeeze out the sponges in the old tank water when I rotate them.

[RTR]

Always off during changes for me. I don't want them spraying and splashing. My lights are plugged into one outlet, my filters (and heater if such is used) or anything else powered that is in the water are into another, and that one is switched off before changes, back on after tank is topped up.

Even with GFI, it is good practice to have the tank unpowered while you are working in it.

[somefinnfishy]

I cant stand trying to find the plug for the HOB filter or primeing it if it shiphons off.I just pull the intake tube out and replace it when I'm finished.
I no longer have to deal with them:D
Most my tanks run off a central sump system
The rest are air powered hydro sponge/UGF tanks

[superstein61]

Mine goes off - mainly because the sump setup on my 72 gallon would run dry once I start draining water and burn out my pump and heater

[NJ Devils Fan]

I leave mine on for the reasons Joe stated.

[Slappy*McFish]

mine stay on

[ChilDawg]

Mine goes off because the water level is lowered enough to cause concern during that brief period of time between the lowering of the water and the re-raising. Now, as for the heater...if it is submersible but wouldn't stay under the lowered water level, that has gotta go off for fear of something bad happening.

If you have the heater as part of your filtration unit, by all means, turn BOTH off.

[O-man21]

on, for the reasons stated by NJ devils fan and 80gjoe

[Richer]

Mine go off. My heaters and filters are on one power bar, and my lights are on another, I just flip the power bars off when I do my weekly maintenance.
My FO (fish only) tanks are lightly stocked, I find I don't stir up much of anything when I vacuum the gravel, and I usually don't touch the substrate of my planted tanks.

-Richer

[Heady]

55 gal powerhead-operated UGF - I unplug the powerheads and the heater while gravel vacc-ing. I leave the overhead light on though, cause it can be really hard to see in there. Probably not a good idea though, since I don't have this outlet on a GFI... actually that outlet's not even grounded.

[Hammerman]

Mine go off, for the same reasons as stated by Richer.