Does The Filter For My Betta Need To Have Carbon?

[GuppyGoddess]

Hi,

Today I purchased the Red Sea Nano filter for my betta's new 5-gallon tank. The filter is for up to a 3-gallon, but the fins on my betta are very long, so the Nano is the slowest moving filter I could find and even on the lowest setting with a bit of extra water diffusion (via stuffed sponge on the outtake), it's still the most my little guy can take.

Question is, the filter came only with sponge and that white filter media and there was a gap left and I stuffed that with additional sponge and media. My question is, is it better to have put a packet of carbon in the filter (rather than the additional sponge) or does a filter for a betta even need carbon? Is the goal only biological filtration?

Here's the filter:

[URL="http/www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?sku...lyviewedproduct"]http/www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?sku...lyviewedproduct[/URL]

 

[rebrn]

Hi,

Today I purchased the Red Sea Nano filter for my betta's new 5-gallon tank. The filter is for up to a 3-gallon, but the fins on my betta are very long, so the Nano is the slowest moving filter I could find and even on the lowest setting with a bit of extra water diffusion (via stuffed sponge on the outtake), it's still the most my little guy can take.

Question is, the filter came only with sponge and that white filter media and there was a gap left and I stuffed that with additional sponge and media. My question is, is it better to have put a packet of carbon in the filter (rather than the additional sponge) or does a filter for a betta even need carbon? Is the goal only biological filtration?

Here's the filter:

<a href="http/www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?sku...lyviewedproduct" target="_blank">http/www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?sku...lyviewedproduct</a>

Hi, well I am not positive, however, every filter I have seen has had some kind of chemical filtration, i.e carbon, ammonia chips or a combo of the two, so I would say that yes you should have carbon in there. However, I looked at your filter on-line and the replacement cartidges for it, it appears that on the couse side it has carbon imbedded in the sponge but, I can't find any web site that confirms that. By looking at your filter it looks like it is just a sponge with a black side and a white side but it looks like you would still have some room in the section where the sponge goes. Therefore, you might be able to purchace media for a different filter that would work in your filter, or even make your own media bags. You could buy a sponge for it and a carbon bag and if you want some biomedia and then you know you would have all three. You may have to experiment with different media bags before you find one from another manufacturer that would fit, you may be better off making your own media bags and just buy the sponge for your filter then add your "home made" carbon and (if you wanted) bio-media bags. If it helps the replacements for the Aquaclear 20 or the Aquaclear 30 look like the may fit your filter. The sponge and carbon bag is around $2 each and the Bio-Max (bio-media) bag is around $3 at eithor PetCo or PetSmart. Note last I checked PetSmart was having a sale on the media refills for the Aquaclear.

Hope that helps and good luck

 

[bitteraspects]

to put it simply, no.
no filter "needs" carbon. (or any other chemical media for that matter)

 

[howard_hopkinson]

I'm with bitteraspects on this.

You don't need carbon, or any other chemical media unless you specifically need to clear some chemicals out of the water.

 

[rebrn]

Good to know, I wasn't sure about that one. Just every filter I have seen comes with carbon so I just assumed it had to have it. But I am glad to know that that is not the case .. it will save me some money on the carbon replacements

 

[rami]

Exactly none of my tanks have carbon filtration. Exactly all of my fish (and frogs) are happy.

 

[bitteraspects]

in fact the addition of carbon (and ammo chips) can be harmful to your filter in the long run, as they are only meant to be temporary.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

in fact the addition of carbon (and ammo chips) can be harmful to your filter in the long run, as they are only meant to be temporary.

Thanks everyone. That's what I was pretty sure I read on here before. Would it be good to do a light "clean up" once a month by putting carbon in for a few days? I'm careful about washing my hands w/only hot water, but cannot for sure say that there isn't any residue from something on my hands. I do put hand cream on a few times per day and later when I do tank work, wash them very good, however, I am guessing that stuff lingers?

 

[bitteraspects]

There is no need for the carbon unless you are dosing chemical meds.
As far as the lotion, just wash your hands before they come in contact with tank water. Pretty basic stuff there. Also I'm sure there are other things in the lotion that even the carbon won't remove. Just practice common sense when touching the water, and you will be just fine.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

There is no need for the carbon unless you are dosing chemical meds.
As far as the lotion, just wash your hands before they come in contact with tank water. Pretty basic stuff there. Also I'm sure there are other things in the lotion that even the carbon won't remove. Just practice common sense when touching the water, and you will be just fine.

Okay, thanks. When I set up my first tank, right after I filled it up with water, my son took his fingers (which had been covered in dorito "cheese") and dipped them in the tank. lol I freaked out but didn't change the water out. The fish were fine

I did look at the Aquaclear and the carbon bags are too big for the filter. . .I would have to remove carbon and sew the bag back up. Guess that would be the best option *if* I do have to use carbon.

 

[rebrn]

There is no need for the carbon unless you are dosing chemical meds.
As far as the lotion, just wash your hands before they come in contact with tank water. Pretty basic stuff there. Also I'm sure there are other things in the lotion that even the carbon won't remove. Just practice common sense when touching the water, and you will be just fine.

Okay, thanks. When I set up my first tank, right after I filled it up with water, my son took his fingers (which had been covered in dorito "cheese") and dipped them in the tank. lol I freaked out but didn't change the water out. The fish were fine

I did look at the Aquaclear and the carbon bags are too big for the filter. . .I would have to remove carbon and sew the bag back up. Guess that would be the best option *if* I do have to use carbon.

*IF* you do need to use carbon, you might be able to make your own to fit, might actually be cheaper too. I have a friend that buys pantyhose (knee highs, new obviously) and fills with carbon then ties the end she has been keeping fish for 20 + years and has never had a problem, or you might be able to use a fine mesh cheese cloth as well. BOth of those options are dirt cheap, you can make them up and have them on hand if you ever need to use them. Just a thought.