Removing Carbon From Filter To Treat Ick

[KrystaK]

I bought a new filter for my tank about three weeks ago. I did my best to jump start the new filter with media from my old filter. I gather I didn't use enough media because three days ago I tested the levels and the Ammonia was between 0-.25. I did a 50% water change. (I use an API kit, if the test isn't exactly yellow it's sort of hard to tell exactly what level it is)

Anyways, A few of the fish developed minor fin rot as a result. (I test weekly or every 4-5 days, so when I noticed the fin rot I tested).
I'm treating the fin rot and everyone is improving. I am noticing a platy is developing ick. I have medication but on the back it says remove activated carbon from filter.
My filter has those convenient filter pads. If I remove the carbon I'll be removing everything but the motor from the filter, and then most of my bacteria will be removed (I assume).

As far as I can tell I'm basically in the middle of a fish in cycle and I don't want to have to re-re-start my cycle in order to treat a few Ick infected fish.
I suppose I'm trying to choose the lesser of two evils. I have other tanks I can borrow media from to jump start this second cycle if I remove the filter pad but last time I tried that... well it didn't really work well.


So should I remove the filter pad and treat the ick and just allow the filter to keep running with no pad for the week of treatment (With hopefully a daily water change to help keep levels down) or should I leave the filter pad in and dose anyways?
I don't want to harm all my fish in an attempt to help the few that are suffering. But I want to treat the ones who need to be treated.

 

[thereverendturtle]

Cut open the cartridge and dump out the carbon, then replace with fresh carbon after the treatment. Also anytime you medicate you should remove the carbon, whether or not its specified on the packaging.

 

[Aquascaper]

Do you mean that your filter only contains carbon pads?
If that's the case then you may as well remove them and replace with normal sponges and start again.

If that's not what you meant then go with what DrRob said and remove it while you medicate.

 

[raptorrex]

to be honestest there is no point in having carbon in a modern aquarium.
its a throw back to 20 years ago.
but it makes LSF and filter makers money, so they still pump it out.


for me, carbon is to remove meds.
or to clear a tank for a bout of photography.
and nothing else.

 

[DrRob]

If that's not what you meant then go with what DrRob said and remove it while you medicate.

I see I'm now giving good advice while I'm asleep .

Either that or you're psychic and know what I'd have thought.

We've had members try treating things with old carbon in the filter, assuming that it would be full, and struggled, it's all about concentrations.

I also use carbon to remove excess tannins, but that's probably because I've got some, rather than anything else, and I have some crazy blackwater tanks that even I think are too brown, and I like the look (it's a pain when you can't do ammonia tests as the water is the colour of the top result before you start).

What is the filter, out of curiosity?

 

[Aquascaper]

I think I possibly meant thereverendturtle

(I'm half asleep)

 

[DrRob]

So am I, we've all done similar things, did confuse me for a bit though as it's something I'd have said but couldn't remember saying it.

 

[Aquascaper]

Maybe I am psychic

(More likely psychotic though with all these fishtank popping up around the house)

 

[ColR1948]

Once carbon has been removed from the filter can it the same carbon be re-introduced again after the medication period or is it best to renew with new stuff.

Having asked that I read above where it is a bit of a myth from years ago to add carbon so is it worth it?

 

[DrRob]

Carbon adsorbs stuff, and will eventually reach equilibrium with it's environment. In most tanks they'll load up in about 6 weeks on average, which is fine so long as nothing changes. The problem with carbon is that, if you add stuff, they start to adsorb again until the concentration equalises again, and if you take stuff away (such as in doing water changes) they release toxins again until they equalise.

This is why we don't really like carbon in a filter. It goes in, it does it's job, it comes out. So yes it's worth it, but only for certain uses.