TOTALLY BAFFLED & FRUSTRATED

[AbbeysDad]

Just bought this black big square piece of foam. Should I cut it to fit my filter and get rid of my carbon filled cartridge and run this only in back filter till it falls apart?

I would slice the filter cartridge at the bottom with a carpet or exacto knife to remove the carbon, but keep using the cartridge as a backer for the foam piece(s). Foam is not only a great mechanical filter, but also an excellent platform for beneficial bacteria. However, once a tank becomes established (>=6 months) the BB n the filter becomes far less significant. All of my filters are filled with foam material and when it's time, I clean them aggressively without worry or concern about BB.

 

[itiwhetu]

I'm not sure why everyone wants you to get rid of the carbon from the filters, I have always found it to be beneficial in new tanks and have always just left it in the filter even after it has exhausted itself. When I have had a problem with a tank I have just replenished the carbon in the filter.