Does activated carbon ruin my anti algae treatments??

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CraigDalton

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Hi there

For the last two weeks I have been using Api prevent algae to hopefully try and reduce the hair algae I am getting on my dwarf sage but I also have activated carbon in my tank so I am wondering will the carbon render the algae treatment useless like it would with fish medicine?
 
Carbon will remove algae treatments from the water.

If you want to use medications, plant fertiliser, or algicides, remove the carbon from the filter and throw it away. After you have finished using the chemicals, do a couple of big water changes and then add some new carbon to the filter.

Be careful using algicides, they are toxic to fish and higher plants.
 
Carbon will remove algae treatments from the water.

If you want to use medications, plant fertiliser, or algicides, remove the carbon from the filter and throw it away. After you have finished using the chemicals, do a couple of big water changes and then add some new carbon to the filter.

Be careful using algicides, they are toxic to fish and higher plants.
Hi therex thanks very much for your reply. What is the way to do things? If I keep the carbon in to help filtration and remove odours etc then I can't use algae treatments so then the aglae gets quite bad and if I want to use the aglae treatments I can't use carbon which then reduces the quality of filtration and allows odours to arise
 
Hi therex thanks very much for your reply. What is the way to do things? If I keep the carbon in to help filtration and remove odours etc then I can't use algae treatments so then the aglae gets quite bad and if I want to use the aglae treatments I can't use carbon which then reduces the quality of filtration and allows odours to arise
A healthy tank doesn't need carbon running all the time :) If your filter has decent mechanical and biological filtration, isn't overstocked, has the substrate cleaned with every water change, and you're changing at least 50% of the water weekly, it shouldn't smell bad. If it does, you need to up the cleaning or look at your stocking levels. Adding live plants can help!

You only need carbon to help remove meds (along with water changes) or other chemicals, or if you suspect some kind of contamination. It's also only good for so long, once it's "full", generally within a month it'll be full, then it's not doing anything after that other than as a surface for BB to live on, which sponge does anyway. So you'd need to replace it every month to get any benefit from it.
 
A healthy tank doesn't need carbon running all the time :) If your filter has decent mechanical and biological filtration, isn't overstocked, has the substrate cleaned with every water change, and you're changing at least 50% of the water weekly, it shouldn't smell bad. If it does, you need to up the cleaning or look at your stocking levels. Adding live plants can help!

You only need carbon to help remove meds (along with water changes) or other chemicals, or if you suspect some kind of contamination. It's also only good for so long, once it's "full", generally within a month it'll be full, then it's not doing anything after that other than as a surface for BB to live on, which sponge does anyway. So you'd need to replace it every month to get any benefit from it.
This is my small tank I have the problem it's a 60L tank and it only has 1 crowntail betta 6 peppered corys and 6 rummy nose tetras so I don't think it's overstocked. The gravel is cleaned weekly with the water change. The problem is that it has a piece of driftwood in it which makes the tank smell like a swamp if I'm honest. I think I may need a better filter in it. Can you recommend good filter? Currently just has the stock one which comes with that tank and its just one of those simple ones with a black course sponge in it and not seperate sponges or anything fancy like my 200L juwel lido has
 
This is my small tank I have the problem it's a 60L tank and it only has 1 crowntail betta 6 peppered corys and 6 rummy nose tetras so I don't think it's overstocked. The gravel is cleaned weekly with the water change. The problem is that it has a piece of driftwood in it which makes the tank smell like a swamp if I'm honest. I think I may need a better filter in it. Can you recommend good filter? Currently just has the stock one which comes with that tank and its just one of those simple ones with a black course sponge in it and not seperate sponges or anything fancy like my 200L juwel lido has

Not overstocked as such, but rummynose tetra are relatively large tetra, and need a fair bit of swimming room, so are probably a bit cramped in a 60L. Any chance they could safely go in the 200L? Would depend on what fish you've got in the big tank, of course.

Lots of different filters you could add! A standard hang on back filter would work well for a tank that size, they have compartments so you can add different media, like ceramic rings, sponge, and filter floss. The Aquaclear one is popular in the hobby, for having a lot of space for filter media-never personally had one so can't speak from personal experience, but have heard a lot of good things about it. Just make sure the flow from the output isn't too strong, for the betta.

I've used double sponge filters that also have compartments underneath them, like these;
doubleSpongeFilter.jpg

+

In my 60L tanks before, putting ceramic rings in the bottom compartments, and they worked just fine. I've also used the small All Ponds Solution canister filter on a 60L tank, and a canister has bunches of room for media.. more than a 60L needed really, but I prefer to over filter than under :)

The filter that came with your tank, is it built in? Or a seperate, internal filter with a piece of sponge in it?

How do you clean it?
 
Oh, and the wood, if it's small enough, you could try taking it out and boiling it a few times, remove some of the swampiness! But it sounds like upping the filtration and perhaps relocating the rummynose would solve the problem.

Lots of smaller species that would work brilliantly in a 60L though, if you've got soft water especially.
 
Yeah my plan was to put them in the bigger tank once they grow a little. They are still very small and have a big of growing to do yet. Thanks for your advice, the filter atm is an internal one but I'm definitely going to look into getting of of those duel sponge filters where I can add more media!!
 
Yeah my plan was to put them in the bigger tank once they grow a little. They are still very small and have a big of growing to do yet. Thanks for your advice, the filter atm is an internal one but I'm definitely going to look into getting of of those duel sponge filters where I can add more media!!
A sponge filter would be good for the betta too, not too much flow, and those filters aren't very expensive either. You do need an airpump and airline tubing to run it though.

Tip in case you're new to this, to help other people not make my mistakes - if you go for a sponge filter or use a bubbler, get a water check valve. Only a couple of quid/dollars, but it's needed! Without one of these, if you unplug it during maintenance or whatever, and the pump is lower than the tanks waterline, water will flow backwards through the airline and blow your pump up.

Not blow it up like, an explosion, no worries. But your airpump will be broken. I did this because I didn't know better then :blush: An air check valve will save you the same embarrassment and expense
 
Just take the driftwood out and hose it off each week. If it continues to stink, put it in a bucket of water outside and change the water every week. Eventually it will stop smelling bad.
 

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