Filter Question

[ALEXF]

Hello, IO have a question about my filters.... I should know this but it seems very confusing to me. I have to Marineland Pengiun 350's on a 55 gallon tank. Now the filters that are made for these are blue with carbon rocks in them.... No do i need the carbon? or should i not use it unless i need it filter something out specifically? I have also read that while medicating i shouldnt have carbon, so should i be making my own filters for times like that? Also I have read not to change your filters but just rinse them off in tank water... will the carbon effect this??? like will the carbon get old and not work any more.

Thanks,

Alex

 

[ox5477]

The carbon will help keep the water from getting "murky" and developing a smell. It will also form nooks and crannies for bacteria to grow. So, it's not hurting anything by having it in there... unless, as you pointed out, when your medicating... as the carbon will absorb all the medicine from the water before it can treat the illness and usually you can just remove the carbon insert and run the filter as normal.

For rinsing the gunk off any insert, siphon a gallon or so of tank water into a bucket, put the media into the bucket and swirl around a little until alot of the surface gunk drops off. Place the media back into the filter and you have rinsed the media In this method you will not harm any bacteria and you will remove most of the gunk from the media without having to worry about sucking it from the tank with a siphon... you can just dump the bucket and continue on with a normal water change and replacing the used water with fresh dechlorinated H2O

 

[ALEXF]

The carbon will help keep the water from getting "murky" and developing a smell. It will also form nooks and crannies for bacteria to grow. So, it's not hurting anything by having it in there... unless, as you pointed out, when your medicating... as the carbon will absorb all the medicine from the water before it can treat the illness and usually you can just remove the carbon insert and run the filter as normal.

For rinsing the gunk off any insert, siphon a gallon or so of tank water into a bucket, put the media into the bucket and swirl around a little until alot of the surface gunk drops off. Place the media back into the filter and you have rinsed the media In this method you will not harm any bacteria and you will remove most of the gunk from the media without having to worry about sucking it from the tank with a siphon... you can just dump the bucket and continue on with a normal water change and replacing the used water with fresh dechlorinated H2O

ok but will the carbon be less effective? after doing this? also will i need to make my own filters for medicating?

 

[ox5477]

what do you mean your own filters? I know penquins have bio wheels, but I think even if they do, they should still have an internal sponge or ceramic insert to allow growth of bacteria. If they don't, it has the biowheel for you r bacteria to grow on.... so no need for a special filter during medication... just take the carbon insert out.

If the carbon had a colony of bacteria in it, the bacteria will die once the insert is taken out after only 30 minutes to an hour, but don't worry, once your done medicating and the fish and everyone is healthy again, you can put it back in, and prob through a mini-cycle, the bacteria will re-grow in a week or two and you'll be back to running normal again...

Or, if you just don't want to deal with this... replace the carbon insert with a sponge or ceramic media insert. This you will not have to remove during illness and will give a much better breeding ground for bacteria.... and as I said, the carbon is not crucial, just helps improve a few small things in the tank... but nothing normal water changes can't help control

 

[ALEXF]

What i mean is that the filters that are sold for this thing are blue, and have the carbon inside it already. If im medicating then i would need to remove the carbon, so do i need to cut open the blue part and dump put the rocks or put something completely different cut to size. as i have never seen just a sponge insert or ceramic insert for these... but i get what your saying (i think) and basically i would just romove the carbon inserts and the biowheels would continue to work as a filter. Just for the record this is all just what if questions, As i would probably not be medicating my whole tank unless the whole tank was infected. I am more so just curious about it is all.

 

[ox5477]

ok, im sorry if i'm not getting what your trying to say. I have never used a penguin filter before so I am not familiar with the insert style, but from looking online, it looks as though the entire carbon cartidge can be removed.... do that. It won't hurt anything to leave the cavity empty and will actually increase your flowrate (only a little) through the filter due to less resistance...


I understand what your saying. And I'm glad your being prepared for the worst... it's the best thing you can do

 

[ALEXF]

OK thats what i thought you were saying. I get it now, and yea im a lil crazy like that..... im try to be prepared for everything. i have a 3month supply of filters, if i were to change monthly for all my tanks. as well as back up bottle of conditioners and other things for that just in case kind of momment.

Thank You,

Alex

 

[ox5477]

no prob alex... and there is no such thing as being too prepared... these are living organisms and you never know what can go wrong... especially when Murphy's Law is always in effect. Good luck in the future

 

[ALEXF]

Thanks

 

[waterdrop]

I think that ox is correct in that carbon can be used very effectively for several special purposes.

If you search the forums for carbon discussions you will find many interesting things. Carbon is generally effective for about 3 days (range 1 day to max 2 weeks or so.) Uses that are discussed are the removal of meds (after they have finished being used), removal of organic-based smells and removal of tannins (yellow bogwood water.) Many experienced members mention keeping it on the shelf for these special purposes. Most recommend not leaving it in a filter on a regular basis as after the 3 days or so it is simply wasting valuable space that could be used for biomedia with a much better surface for bacteria, such as rings/tubes, matrix pebbles or fine sponge.

Carbon has been criticized in at least one thread for removing organics that can be helpful (tannins are organics that can collect certain harmful things.) Carbon generally removes organics, not minerals or trace metals. Since tannins can be a good thing, their removal is really limited to situations where the fishkeeper thinks they are out of control and the water is just too yellow.

Unless you are over-filtered or have a flow-rate problem, filter space should probably all be devoted to bio and mechanical filtration. When experimenting with your own media additions, you should watch the effect on flow rate carefully, both immediately after insertion and later over time. One thing filter designers have to worry about is the rate at which particular media in particular positions and shapes gets clogged - its not always linear over time!

~~waterdrop~~