stuff in filter cartridges

[baseballfan111]

ive only had my aquarum for 2 days (10 gallon 2 guppys) And i thought the filter was funny so i looked in the cartridge and there was a bunch of black rock like things that broke abart. Are these spossed to be in there or are they not spos to be in there? Should i get a new cartridge. By the way i threw the black things in the garbage.

 

[steve-0]

ahhhhh are you talking about carbon???


Carbon is filled with microscopic pores that cause certain organic or inorganic materials to stick to them. New carbon works more efficiently than older carbon. When all of the pores are filled, the carbon is no longer effective and the filter begins to act as a biological filter. Carbon removes many harmful elements from your aquarium, such as: copper, chlorine, dissolved proteins, and carbohydrates. It also removes sulfa drugs and antibiotics, so it should be removed when the aquarium is being treated, then replaced when treatment is completed to remove any leftover medications. Activated carbon can make your aquarium look so clear by removing discolorants that you'll question whether water is still in it.

 

[Tanked]

I'd have to say steve-o is dead on. the little black rocks in the filter cartridges is carbon used for removing impurities from the water. I personally don't use carbon except for a few day a month just to keep the water sparkling or for about a week after a med treatment to remove the meds from the water.

somewhere between the 4 and 6 week mark (depending on if you clean the cartridge weekly by swishing around in a bucket of tank water) you will want to replace the carbon with new carbon as it will be used at that point and then can start to leach the impurities it removes back into the water.

I hope this makes sense, I running on no sleep and too much coffee

 

[baseballfan111]

thank you but the kind i have you can easly remove and they self replacment cartridges when the carbon gets old. THANKS A Ton

 

[Tanked]

the kind i have you can easly remove and they self replacment cartridges when the carbon gets old.

that is what I meant, replace the cartridges. sorry m8, lack of sleep.