What do i do with my carbon filter

[paulh]

I am currently treating my fish for ICH, thanks for all the assistance i have recieved of you all on this site my fish now seems to be recovering , a lot of people have told me to remove my carbon from my filter , what do i do with it do i leave it in the bottom of the tank or do i take it out, but will this destroy the good bactiria? what do u think
A newbie learning more each day from your knowledge

 

[smb]

Take it out and throw it away. Just buy new carbon when you're done.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Just wondering... can you remove the carbon from the filter? If you can, I hear you can use filter floss as a good substitute... Anyways, if you can't remove the carbon w/o removing the cartridge, take it out and keep running the water. It worked for me.

I treated my tank in this fashion for a week.

 

[smb]

Just wondering... can you remove the carbon from the filter? If you can, I hear you can use filter floss as a good substitute... Anyways, if you can't remove the carbon w/o removing the cartridge, take it out and keep running the water. It worked for me.

I treated my tank in this fashion for a week.

Yes you can take the carbon out for good. IMO, filter floss is a LOT better than carbon. I've seen lot's of us argue about what filter is best and they all are good but I'ver never seen any arguments about which is better..carbon v. filter floss. Most experienced aquarists never use carbon. IMO, it's worthless. It lasts only 2-3 days anyways so the rest of the time you aren't actually using it anyways. The cost compared to filter floss is astronomical. You can buy a bag of filter floss at your lfs for $1.50 and that bag should last you at least 2 years and mine last me 3-4 years. It's not taking the cheap way out either because imo it's better than carbon.

Carbon is used to take meds out but why worry about the meds when you've been adding them and a simple water change will dilute it? If the meds were so bad to have them in your tank then you wouldn't have used it in the frst place right?

Carbon, imo, is all hype and marketing to the unsuspecting consumer.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

My cartridges come w/ carbon. I was told to not use the carbon and that my cartridges (4) would last a year or so w/o a problem. I was told to remove a cartridge once it began breaking apart.

The filter floss was $6 at the lfs I went to...! I was told I could use polyester fiber that's used in stuffed animals to get the same results. Is that true?

 

[smb]

My cartridges come w/ carbon. I was told to not use the carbon and that my cartridges (4) would last a year or so w/o a problem. I was told to remove a cartridge once it began breaking apart.

I'm sorry if you take offense to this incase it's someone close to you but they are VERY seriously misinformed. The best carbon you can get only lasts about 10-12 days. The carbon in most lfs's only last 3 days. I don't expect you to just take my word as gospel but you should ask others if carbon is even needed and if so, how long does it last. I've never heard of a year or until it falls apart.

The filter floss was $6 at the lfs I went to...! I was told I could use polyester fiber that's used in stuffed animals to get the same results. Is that true?

Not sure but because some of that stuff is flame retardent etc and I want to be positive, I'm just going to say no. I would spend the $6 and get the stuff you know is aquarium safe. No sense on being cheap here and carbon costs more than that per use. Filter floss lasts for years.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Stupid me! I meant to say that the cartridge would work for a year w/ filter floss.

 

[smb]

Stupid me! I meant to say that the cartridge would work for a year w/ filter floss.

Ohhh ok.

Yea, with filter floss I've heard of quite a few people going a year without changing it. Personally, I change mine every 6-8 months tho just because it's so cheap.

 

[pondfreak4365]

hi tempestuousfury
Don't throw out your cartridge with all that lovely bacteria on it, just use a razor blade to cut into the plastic on the side where the carbon is and empty it out.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Then what? Add the filter floss? B/c the tank gets really dirty (the one w/ the carbon inside the cartridge) and I have to throw out the cartridges b/c of all the gunk that's on it. (I have to change it every two weeks, sometimes b/f that!)

 

[Inchworm]

...Not sure but because some of that stuff is flame retardant etc and I want to be positive, I'm just going to say no. I would spend the $6 and get the stuff you know is aquarium safe.

I posted that, smb.

It really is the same thing.

I have in my hand a bag of "Polyester Filter Fiber" made by Blue Ribbon Pet Products. It cost $4.99 at Petland Discounts. After improvising with the polyester quilt batting, when my regular lfs was out of the floss, I saw this and bought it, thinking that I finally had the real thing again. To my surprise, when I opened the bag, I found that I had a handful of the same exact thing I had been using. It looks the same and feels the same.

I'm not sure if the material for stuffing toys is the same as quilt batting, but I think it is--just spun polyester.

As for being flame retardant, I'm not sure, but I think that this stuff would be labeled if it were because this is a selling point, especially when it comes to bedding and children's things. (Can polyester even burn?)

 

[pondfreak4365]

hi tempestuousfury,
You should only be rinsing those cartridges with tank water that you've siphoned off. Some of the gunk you see is the aerobic bacteria (looks brownish and feels slimy). Any particles will rinse off in the used tank water. I believe that some aquarists stuff the filter floss in the cavity created when you empty out the carbon or you may be able to wrap the floss around the cartridge. The point is that this is your bacterial colony oir at least a good part of it, when you replace it, your tank could go through a mini-cycle.