How long can a tank run without filtered water
 

Okay i just noticed a slight issue with my overflow box and will need to run some preventative maintenance, so this brings me to the question. The tank/sump has been running for the last 5 months, so after I shut the return pumps down for the work, how long do you think things will go down hill? I may need 24 - 36 hours

My return pump has shut down before on me and I was away. Things werent happy but they were ok. Just make sure you have a heater and circulation in the main tank and you should be ok.

A few years ago, my return pump crapped out on me and I had to wait 2 days for a new one, I kept the water circulating in the sump with a couple of maxi-jet power heads and I had the tunze power heads in the display pointing more towards the surface for extra oxygen.

Everything came through with flying colours except I forgot that the overflows had no circulation for more then 48hrs and when I finally turned the return pump on, the worst rotten egg smell ever filled the house....nobody seemed to mind in the tank though and the corals never even withdrew their polyps :redface:

I've shut my return pump down ( entire sump actually ) on purpose for more than week. I did try to minimize the amount of water sittin in the sump though. I shut it down so my better half didn't have to worry about anything while I was gone. I did have my closed loops running during this time so there was still water movement. I've never had an issue doing so.


*Edit*
I guess I should add as a warning, I was lightly stocked with 265g of water volume in the display. Not sure I would do the same on a smaller tank with a higher bio-load.

The reason being I may have to remove my overflow box and re silicone it back on, or just gob the hell out of the area in question to prevent anymore seeping.

Canister filter or external pump
 

If you can get your hands on a canister filter you can just pipe the inlet over the side of the tank, same with the discharge, Once you get a syphon it will keep up very nicely. I did this with and FX5 when I was installing my new sump.

The same thing can be done with a external pump. you just have to get the syphon going.

get some orca silicone it can be used and cures underwater...its also good for glueing fags on rocks underwater

Won't they drown?:lol:

I believe he said frags, Not Fraggels.....

Oh how my gut hurts haha. Thanks I needed that.