What Have A I Just Thrown Out?

[scooterchick]

Ok, normally my husband takes care of cleaning tanks and filters but as our fish are all ailing I thought I better take the task on. I've just cleaned the filter in a small tank with the purpose of putting in carbon to take out medicine, so I can remicate with something else (see emergencies for full story). Anyway, when I took the filter apart I found what looked like a carbon pad inbetween the sponges. The filter was bought brand new 3 months ago and we've never added anything, so my question is, do Fluval 2's come with a carbon pad as standard or is it something else? Should I get it back out the bin? Have I been throwing away medicines on my fish, not realsing they were being removed? When I take the carbon pad out tomorrow what, if anything, do I replce it with? Are the 2 sponges enough or do I need something in the middle?

Thanks!

 

[Arfie]

If the pad is black, it is indeed a carbon pad and you will unfortunately have been wasting medications

I would leave it in the bin and go buy a new one after 3 months anyway.

If you are medicating now (I've not been into emergencies) leave the carbon out altogether and then add it back in to remove the medications. Personally I don't use carbon other than for removing medications and generally I take carbon back out after a couple of weeks.

Arfie

 

[Teelie]

It most likely was a carbon filter but they aren't needed except to remove medicines from the water. Medicines are almost always a liquid, a food or a dissolving tablet of some sort so it's doubtful what you threw out was a medicine pad of some sort. You should add something else to the filter like pourous seeding material for bacteria to colonize. There are a lot of things you could use. Another sponge or those bio-balls. Even filter floss can hold bacteria. I'm not sure what kind of space you have in there though.

edit: If the carbon has been in there more than two weeks, the odds are likely it hasn't been removing medications or doing much of anything. The carbon can only hold so much before it stops absorbing and it doesn't usually take very long.

 

[Bloo]

do Fluval 2's come with a carbon pad as standard

I'm quite sure they do! So yes - as Arfie says you've been wasting your meds

 

[doresy]

Hi, they do not usually come with a carbon pad, just 2 filter pads. They do, however have a space designed for a carbon pad so maybe there was one in there. If it had been in there for 3 months then the activate carbon would have been filled and possibly 'leeching' back it's contents into your tank. They are not reusable so leave it in the bin!

You are quite right to use carbon to remove old meds but really, new carbon pads will do this job in a couple of days then should be removed as they also can take out stuff your tank needs.

Your filter will work perfectly well with 2 pads but it makes sense to have all available space used within your filter.

What I would suggest is, obtain a new carbon pad to filter out your old meds then, when done, replace it with an ordinary pad like the other 2.
If you then have the occasion to use carbon again at a later date, then simply remove one of the other pads and pop a new carbon pad in its place. However, while using the carbon make sure you suspend the pad you have taken out in your tank, preferable in the flow so you preserve the bacteria ready for replacing it back in you filter

Hope this make sense

 

[OohFeeshy]

They do normally come with carbon, it's in a little packet along with the other white thin one.

 

[MHunt]

Yeah the fluval filters come with two large sponges which are the filter media, then you get a black carbon for removing meds etc, and a white floss one for getting fine particles out of the water.

 

[jourdy288]

It most likely was a carbon filter but they aren't needed except to remove medicines from the water. Medicines are almost always a liquid, a food or a dissolving tablet of some sort so it's doubtful what you threw out was a medicine pad of some sort. You should add something else to the filter like pourous seeding material for bacteria to colonize. There are a lot of things you could use. Another sponge or those bio-balls. Even filter floss can hold bacteria. I'm not sure what kind of space you have in there though.

edit: If the carbon has been in there more than two weeks, the odds are likely it hasn't been removing medications or doing much of anything. The carbon can only hold so much before it stops absorbing and it doesn't usually take very long.

Don't be a cheapso and use dental floss(Especially mint) Sorry, I need to be more serious. After three months carbon is only good for drainage in potted plants.

 

[scooterchick]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I don't think carbon is something I would have knowingly added to the tank, however when we bought the filter we were completely green and the guy in the FS assembled it, all we did was put it in the tank and plug it in. I didn't even want the fish, my husband surprised me with a tank and 7 fish, it's been a steep learning curve and we now have around 25 fish, but 3 of the orignal 7 died and others have came and went in the 5 months. However while he can't be bothered with them anymore, I love them! Especially after I got brave last night and let one of the mollies nibble my hand, fisrt time I've touched one! I'll get there.

As far as the carbon goes, it's styaing in until tomorrow, then it's coming out for some anti-bac med to go in. I just hope my sick molly makes it through the night.