# question regarding my filter and pump



## racemaster23 (May 26, 2011)

i have a hang on external filter.. my problem is.. if there is a power loss.. the filter box will lose water and if the power goes back.. i am afraid that my filter will be broken.. BTW: it is stormy in this season and i will be gone for a week..:fish-in-bowl:

second is.. i have a 20gallon tank.. and my pump is capable of 65gph.. is that enough? my water is clear though..:fish-in-a-bag:

third is... how do you clean artificial plants if it has algae on it or something sticky dirt?*w3


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## Rohkey (Apr 25, 2011)

Concerning your first question, have you considered putting in a sponge filter to supplement the filtration of your HOB filter? Sponge filters won't have any problem working once the power comes back on and are great supplements to other filters. They are also inexpensive.

I also suggest this because I don't think your filter is strong enough. You probably want about double of what it's producing, depending on your bioload. You can use this site as a rough guideline AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor

As for cleaning your artificial plants, I'd suggest filling up a bowl/bucket that's never had chemicals put in it with water from your tank (it's a good idea to buy a few containers solely for the tank) and cleaning with a sponge/algae scraper that you can buy at most fish and pet stores.


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## racemaster23 (May 26, 2011)

i previously used a powerhead (is it called powerhead?) filter..
because of water current issiues.. i replaced it with a hang-on filter which i prefer.

though i dont like sponge filter cause it is hard to clean and will be a big sponge inside


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

If you're concerned about what would happen after a power outage, pull the plug and plug back in. Better to know how your filter behaves in that case with you watching.


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## racemaster23 (May 26, 2011)

what will happen if i do not replace the filter with a more powerfull one?
right now the waters stays clear..


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Water clarity is most likely because of the pad in the HOB filter.The floss acts as a water polisher,and will remove tiny particles from the water column.In that sense you are good.However,the power of the filter is rated for a smaller tank so the turnover wont be as good.


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## pairenoid (May 20, 2011)

what is there to do in the case of a 24 hour blackout? my neighbor hood has had a few black outs in the previous years that last over 2 days and i never thought about it until this thread, will the tank be safe given it is cycled? at least for a day? or would you have to transfer the fish somewhere with a filter


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Larger tanks should be okay to an extent. Just depends on stocking levels. You can always pull and add water.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Well, like Ben said larger tanks are ok.For smaller ones that are not cycled you need to do 100% waterchanges every couple days.If they need oxygen,purchase a battery powered air pump.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

I solve both of those issues by using live plants and no filter.


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Hello race...

The Aqua Clear HOB filters I use are primed by pouring water into the filter. Even if the power is interupted by a storm or accidentally unplugging the filter, there's enough water left in the filter for it to restart once the power is restored.

Check your power filter box or Google the filter and check the specifications of your filter for the gph information. A 20 G tank won't require much more than a small amount of water turnover. Frequent 10 to 15 percent water changes and rinsing filter media should keep your water conditions good.

Supplement your artifical plants with easy to care for real ones. Amazon swords, ferns, mosses, etc. would use up the extra nutrients the algae is now using and the algae will die back and not be such a problem.

B


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## racemaster23 (May 26, 2011)

BBradbury said:


> Hello race...
> 
> The Aqua Clear HOB filters I use are primed by pouring water into the filter. Even if the power is interupted by a storm or accidentally unplugging the filter, there's enough water left in the filter for it to restart once the power is restored.
> 
> ...


hmm.. about that water interruption.. I solved it by filling the tank with water high enough..
cause if the water level of the tank is lower than the propeller(?) of the filter.. the water is siphoned back and the filter box will be empty... trust me..*old dude

and then.. yes I have some plants... i dunno what it is called but it has long leaves.. and the other grows like tall bamboo

thanks for the information guys ^^, it helped me a lot


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