Can I use my new water fountain without any filters?

[dwdanby]

The brand name on Amazon is Misfans, Chinesium I guess. Pic attached. It has the round filters, one a sponge foam, one a charcoal. I've been reading extensively on using a water fountain without a filter so it doesn't get gross. I've removed those two to see if it helps, as they smelled up quickly. However they don't discuss the filter inside the pump cavity. It is not charcoal, looks like just foam, but already smells bad and has slime on the plastic around it. Is this filter essential to the fountain, or can I also try using the fountain without it? PS she isn't using it yet. I add a dental additive and a few drops of salmon oil to tempt her.

 

[cmshap]

I've never used a fountain without a filter, but I suppose you could.

Let's just think about this logically. Filters get gross for a reason, as they are meant to be replaced. Yes, filters might encourage more growth of microorganisms due to containing many of them in one localized place; but such growth is occurring on a replaceable component.

Running a fountain without a filter will probably lead to faster biofilm buildup on the rest of the fountain. If you are willing to clean it frequently, it will probably be fine.

I personally no longer use fountains at all because I find them such a pain to clean, and they get biofilm all over the inside even with filters (I'm just guessing this happens more slowly with filters). Since my cat is good about drinking water out of a bowl, I use a regular bowl that I wash every day, and I find that easier for my situation. If he wasn't a good drinker, I might still use fountains.

 

[iPappy]

My cats that live at my work have a fountain, and the filter is long gone. As long as it's cleaned regularly and refilled with fresh water, it should be fine
You could also consider using water from a filtered source, such as a Brita pitcher.

 

[GoldyCat]

I’m not familiar with that particular fountain and don’t know if it works without a filter. I would reconsider adding salmon oil to the water. That could be the reason the filters get slimy and stinky so fast.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Seconding not adding salmon oil, I'd expect that to build up gunge very quickly.

I have a Drinkwell Pagoda fountain (ceramic). Had it for years, used for two cats, washed it weekly and replaced the filters monthly. Last few weeks I've tried it without filters. I have noticed a bit more buildup of stuff when I've taken the motor apart to clean it - not a lot, but there used not to be any. I've gone back to using the filters, which is disappointing, because it was an expense I was glad to be rid of!

 

[cmshap]

Last few weeks I've tried it without filters. I have noticed a bit more buildup of stuff when I've taken the motor apart to clean it

That's exactly what I hate about cleaning fountains....taking all the pieces apart to clean separately. I would use filters for this reason. If it kept my water cleaner for even just a little bit longer, on average, I'd take it.

I don't have a dishwasher, so if I did, this might be an easier process (I mean for the housing and non-mechanical parts).

I don't mean to knock fountains... I know they are great for many cats and encourage them to drink more. So if you are willing to take the thing apart and clean it often, and don't mind doing that, then going without a filter would be fine.

Filterless might also be better for additives, but the pump is meant to pump plain water, not water plus oil. Salmon oil is going to get all over everything inside, potentially making it necessary to clean even more frequently.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

That's exactly what I hate about cleaning fountains....taking all the pieces apart to clean separately. I would use filters for this reason. If it kept my water cleaner for even just a little bit longer, on average, I'd take it.

What annoys me is that there aren't any brushes that get inside the bit where the propeller thingy sits, never mind inside the propeller itself. Even cotton buds don't fit inside, so I don't know what to use to make sure it's properly clean. It's not too time consuming - maybe fifteen minutes a week - but it's awkward.

 

[cmshap]

What annoys me is that there aren't any brushes that get inside the bit where the propeller thingy sits, never mind inside the propeller itself.

I used to take a tupperware container, and fill it with a mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol -- enough to fully submerge the pump in -- and run it for a little while in that. Then run it in clean water to make sure all the alcohol was rinsed out (although it quickly evaporates out, anyway).

This was entirely unscientific. I couldn't tell you what precise mixture the solution was, or even if this is a good idea. I tried briefly Googling this before I wrote this post to see if anyone had more specific recommendations online, but I didn't immediately find anything.

A water/vinegar solution might also work, but you'd have to be careful not to use too much vinegar in the solution to leave a smell. This is just a guess, however. I am not recommending vinegar, just proposing that it might work.

Even if you just want to use plain water, letting the pump run in a container filled with clean water while you clean the rest of the components can give you a head start on de-gunking it.

I also used the sprayer nozzle of my kitchen faucet to jet water into the nooks and crannies, but this often led to a very wet kitchen.

 

[dwdanby]

I used to take a tupperware container, and fill it with a mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol -- enough to fully submerge the pump in -- and run it for a little while in that. Then run it in clean water to make sure all the alcohol was rinsed out (although it quickly evaporates out, anyway).

Now that sounds amazing, I had been wondering about clogs in the pump. Thank you, I will do that!

I would reconsider adding salmon oil to the water. That could be the reason the filters get slimy and stinky so fast.

Thank you, that makes sense. I think I will ask on a separate post about what can be added to fountain water to make it tasty. (Mine is filtered but she still isn't using it.)

 

[cmshap]

Now that sounds amazing, I had been wondering about clogs in the pump. Thank you, I will do that!

I should note that I wasn't doing this to remove clogs or debris. I would still open it up and clean the impeller and inner chamber, because it develops biofilm like everything else. But I'd run it through water+alcohol to make sure it was sanitized, since like catloverfromwayback said, there isn't really a brush you can use to truly scrub in there.

 

[IndyJones]

My outdoor fountain is hard enough to keep clean. It is a decorative fountian for ambiance under the porch so doesn't have sun exposure or critters living in it. I get the odd chickadee taking a drink from it though.

Anyways back to my point, that fountain gets dirty quickly and has almost no animals in contact with it. The water here is also incredably hard so softeners are instaled in 90% of the homes or stuff gets gross fast and waterheaters die/leak quickly.

Now Kabuto has this habbit of using his waterbowl as a mouthwash after eating so it gets gross quickly. I can only imagine how hard a fountain would be to keep clean with that going on.

I had a drinkwell platninum but got rid of it because of acne issues.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Now Kabuto has this habbit of using his waterbowl as a mouthwash after eating so it gets gross quickly.

Phoebes can top that - she likes to pat the water in the bowl in my bedroom after she uses the litter, so I find the odd bit of pea-fibre litter floating around in it all fluffy from being in water!