Does my filter need carbon cartridge

[Rdoran88]

Recently set up a 55l tank which came with a PFI 100 filter. The filter has a pump chamber, carbon cartridge chamber and finally a 2 phos sponge and 1 coarse sponge chamber. As I'm going to be doing weekly water changes and monitoring the tank do I really need the carbon chamber and if not would I be better filling it with some form of extra media for bacteria?

read quite a bit about carbon being a hangover product of old filter designs and it's going to end up needing changed every month or so when I could have a much better bacteria build up with media instead of carbon.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Recently set up a 55l tank which came with a PFI 100 filter. The filter has a pump chamber, carbon cartridge chamber and finally a 2 phos sponge and 1 coarse sponge chamber. As I'm going to be doing weekly water changes and monitoring the tank do I really need the carbon chamber and if not would I be better filling it with some form of extra media for bacteria?

read quite a bit about carbon being a hangover product of old filter designs and it's going to end up needing changed every month or so when I could have a much better bacteria build up with media instead of carbon.

Yep, replace the carbon with more biomedia.
Carbon is only really useful for when you need to remove chemicals such as meds from the water

 

[Ch4rlie]

You are indeed correct, there is no real need for carbon cartridges or indeed carbon itself in filters.

Active Carbon is good for adsorbing any containment’s from the water column and carbon does becomes inert after a while and will leach back into the water column whatever it adsorbed whilst was active.

Best to keep carbon in your cabinet on standby should you ever need it to absorb medications or any nasty containments in the water column.

So replace the area where the carbon cartridge usually reside with filter sponge media, the more surface area for beneficial bacteria, the better.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Agreed. Carbon provides “breeding grounds” for bb. (Beneficial bacteria)

 

[mbsqw1d]

Agreed. Carbon provides “breeding grounds” for bb. (Beneficial bacteria)

Phoenix, please read the full thread dude?

 

[EllRog]

Agreed. Carbon provides “breeding grounds” for bb. (Beneficial bacteria)

What do you mean?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Well, yes, if carbon is left in the filter and becomes inert, beneficial bacterial WILL reside on carbon no problem at all.

Bacteria is not particularly fussy about what surfaces it uses to grow a colony on.

It’s just that it is a bit of a waste of carbon, that’s all, best kept aside in cabinet until / if when you actually need carbon.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Well, yes, if carbon is left in the filter and becomes inert, beneficial bacterial WILL reside on carbon no problem at all.

Bacteria is not particularly fussy about what surfaces it uses to grow a colony on.

It’s just that it is a bit of a waste of carbon, that’s all, best kept aside in cabinet until / if when you actually need carbon.

That’s what I meant. ^

 

[Rdoran88]

Great. Thanks everyone that's helped answer my doubts. Il remove the carbon for when it could be needed and add some extra media to assist in bacteria growth. As always you have been quick and very informative towards a newbie.

thanks everyone

 

[mbsqw1d]

That’s what I meant. ^

Hardly. You said "agreed. carbon provides breeding grounds for bb"
This wasnt said in the posts prior to yours, so what are you in agreement with?
Both I and Ch4rlie advised to remove the carbon as it is unnecessary until needed to remove chemicals. We didnt mention that it could be left there and used for biomass.
I think ch4rlie has kindly dug you out of a hole this time.

 

[Fishmanic]

I agree with replacing the carbon with other type of media.

 

[Essjay]

I would also replace the phosphate pads with plain sponge as well. Or just leave them in there and don't replace them as the instructions probably say to.

 

[vanalisa]

I would also replace the phosphate pads with plain sponge as well. Or just leave them in there and don't replace them as the instructions probably say to.

What is a phosphate pad?

 

[Essjay]

The filter has a pump chamber, carbon cartridge chamber and finally a 2 phos sponge and 1 coarse sponge chamber

Some filters contain pads or cartridges which they say remove phosphate from the water.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Phosphate is the dissolved leftover matter from decaying fish waste, dead plant leaves and uneaten foods and all that sort of thing.

If left alone in your tank water, for example doing no water changes for quite some time, this can lead to too much phosphate buildup which can cause algae outbreaks or algae blooms in your tank.

I have had algae blooms in my tank before, from overfeeding and too much high lights on my tank at the time (was a newbie at the time ) which actually was BBA and hair algae and was really annoying, an eyesore and takes an absolute age to get rid of.

That was when I learned about phosphate!

Sometimes I make mistakes but the best thing you can do is to learn from them