Fluval U1-U4.series Carbon Pad Review

[deftuch]

After realising that all my carbon in my filters was way past its used by date i gatuered the best way to solve my cloudy water issues was to replace them. However i decided to take the carbon out slowly and not lose too much bacterie thus making the cloudy water worse. Yesterday night i replaced the carbon on my u2 and 3 for my 180 litre tank and i am speechless the water is crystal clear all be it a small haze but a 95 percent improvement. I was just wondering also whether its best to change them every 2 to 4 weeks like they reccomend or every 3 months which is the typical life span of the carbon?

 

[OldMan47]

Forget the Use by date on your carbon. Carbon has a virtually infinite life until it is placed in service.
A filter change can depend on lots of factors. In a tank that is run the way I do mine, I never replace any carbon at all. That reflects my own prejudice to use carbon only when it is called for to remove odors or tannins. In many tanks, carbon is replaced and maintained whenever there is any question about its efficacy. That will mean far more replacement of carbon. I hate to weigh in here since my own maintenance is not consistent with carbon replacement. I simply add in a bit of carbon when I find a situation that may demand it. At other times I simply do not replace any carbon.
Carbon can indeed hold some part of your cycle bacteria. To me that means that carbon replacement should be done over a reasonable time period.