Carbon In Filter

[matt1713]

how is that supposed to work out because the carbon is in the filter pad and if you remove that the bacteria dies right?idk have any fish yet but i have alot of medicines just in case and they all say to remove it

 

[*Fishkies*]

Often carbon is like little pellets, that are in a filter cartridge. If you have just a filter pad, you may want to consider getting another filter pad, that is not carbon but is like a sponge or something similar that takes fine particles of of the water. This way when you remove the carbon pad, you are not just depending on that for your bacteria.

 

[backtotropical]

Is there only one filter pad? Usually there are at least 2, and the black one is the carbon one.

 

[matt1713]

there are 2 pads in the filter but there both ment to put carbon in them. there like poaches witha plastic frame and u pour carbon in them run it under tap water and then put it in the filter

 

[WhoFlungPoo]

if the carbon needs to be removed, get out your trusty scissors and make cuts on 3 of the four sides of the media. You should see the carbon from the inside of the media. You can just dump that carbon in the toilet and put the carbonless pad back in the filter.

 

[Puffdaddy]

Carbon is really unnecessary. I run all my tanks carbon free. Just pop the little clip off on the top, pull out the plastic frame and pore out the carbon in the garbage, then reassemble. Carbon is basically useless after a very short period of time anyway. The only time I use carbon is if I need to remove meds. and then I use fresh carbon.

 

[matt1713]

so wheres all the good bacteria if its not on the carbon?

 

[WhoFlungPoo]

On the spongy part of the filter media, or if you have the biowheel, on that.

 

[Puffdaddy]

The "good" bacteria grows on any surface area in the filter. It adheres best this such as sponges and filter fiber or any other porous material as well as bio wheels (which are great by the way).

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Some of your bacterial colony will be living on the carbon, but as long as you aren't getting rid of the entire filter cartridge you should be fine.

Since you don't have any fish yet I would say go ahead and get rid of the carbon in the filter and replace it with a more porous type of filter media. Activated carbon has it's uses, but it just doesn't last long enough to keep it in the filter all the time. If you have already bought medications in advance to be prepared I'd also recommend picking up a carbon filter pad to keep with your fishy emergency kit. That way you'll have one around to remove any medications you put in the tank once treatment is over.

 

[matt1713]

it mite get another filter with those same filter bags but not put carbon in them but instead gravel.Willl that hold bacteria

 

[rabbut]

it mite get another filter with those same filter bags but not put carbon in them but instead gravel.Willl that hold bacteria

The gravel will hold some but not much. You would be better off removing all the carbon from both frames, and stashing it within your fish emergency kit. I would then re-assemble one frame with foam (more surface, thus more bactiria) and place it closet to the pump. In the secon frame, I would place filter floss to act as a mechanical filter. This will remove floting debree, preventing it from clogging the bio filter(foam pad). The floss gets rinced when blocked, and the foam gets a gental shake in old tank water when it eventualy gets glogged(less often than floss). If you ever need to remove meds, place the carbon in the place of the floss for a week then dicard. Relpace the floss after the week.
HTH
Rabbut