Turn Filter Off Overnight?

[Fantail555]

Hi i have a 15l Biorb fish tank and in it are 2 fantail's 2 lion heads and 5 little fishes :) ( they are all cold water fish )

Now im new to this but my filter plug is dangerously hot and i dont want it going on fire while i sleep Can i turn it off over night to allow the plug to cool then turn it back on when i wake it will be off for 8-9 hours

Thanks Fantail

[rich311k]

That would be qa bad idea. Your fish need the filtration and wioth that stocking they need all they can get. Filters are made to run 24 hours a day. I wonder if something is wrong with the unit.

[Fantail555]

Thanks but the plug is really really hot would it do that much harm for one night while i sort out a solution

[rich311k]

Is the filter running right? Making noise or something?

[Fantail555]

Yes it running fine i dunno whats wrong with it but it feels really hot

[korith]

Unplug it then, just for safety reasons. I wouldn't plug it back in at all, go and get it exchanged. No point risking a fire. If you have an air pump, just add an air stone to the tank for the night.

[Fantail555]

I only have one pump ill unplug it and get it sorted tommorow thanks guys thumbs2:

Fantain

[smaug]

Isnt that a 3 gal tank?Do you really have that many goldfish in such a small tank?You need at least 20 gal to keep those fish.
Are you referring to the transformer plug that goes into the wall getting hot?If so thats quite normal for plugs like that.If you are talking about the motor part on a hob filter then that isnt good.

[VoidParadigm]

You need a 55 gallon to house all those fish comfortably. If you've had them for longer than three months, you've probably already permanently stunted them.
The filter off during nights regularly will turn VERY dangerous will all those fish in that small tank.
Your choice, though. SBN. If it was me I'd risk killing the fish too to avoid a fire. Get an electrician to look at things if any other plugs turn hot when you put them in there.

[Brhino]

how long have you had the tank? Has it been cycled?

Not to have beat a dead horse, but Smaug and Void are right... with that many fish in that small of a space with no filter you're teetering on the edge of disaster.

[Scrup]

If its anything like my bio-orb, the power unit runs both the air pump and the halogen light. It gets warm, thats expected when that much power is going through it, but not too hot(if its too hot to touch something is wrong). If it really concerns you, exchange it, but a few things to note-

With the pump off, water is going to flow into the air pump. Not might, but thanks to the awesome bio-orb construction, it will. Raise it well above the water level and check it before you turn it back on. Or just remove the pump and tie a knot in the air tube.

With the air pump off, they wont have any air. Just throwing that out there, as oxygen is important to most life forms.

Have you tried running it without the light on to see how warm it gets?

Not gonna even touch the fact you have what will eventually be 4+ feet of fish in a 3g...

[robflanker]

Isnt that a 3 gal tank?Do you really have that many goldfish in such a small tank?You need at least 20 gal to keep those fish
I was hoping someone would comment on the massively overstocking...

[Cristoff]

The stocking would be more cause for concern than the plug in my opinion.

Your cute little Fantails will eventually become:

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fishpictures/data/500/214.jpg
or
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fishpictures/data/500/410.jpg

These two fish are getting too large to even net properly. I have had to rehome my 4 Goldfish into a 90 Gallon tank with a common Pleco and 7 white cloud minnows.

[Scrup]

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fishpictures/data/500/medium/100_1052_Small_.JPG

This is Bob. Bob is 9" without his tail. Your bio-orb is about 12" wide. the opening is about 4". You get the idea.:hmm3grin2orange: