leave my carbon ?

[aquaplantfish]

My carbon on the HOB is due for change but I was thinking of leaving it alone, will that backfire the filtering system?

 

[shellieca]

Is it carbon in a filter cartridge or a compartment in the filter you put carbon in? Most people don't use carbon unless removing meds or smell from the water. I have a canister filter & there's a compartment for carbon, I replaced the carbon with polyfil, in the HOB's I used to have I replaced the filter cartridge with all sponge. I've heard but don't know how factual it is that carbon over time if left unchecked could cause a problem but I don't know how true that it is or how long it takes.

 

[aquaplantfish]

Is it carbon in a filter cartridge or a compartment in the filter you put carbon in? Most people don't use carbon unless removing meds or smell from the water. I have a canister filter & there's a compartment for carbon, I replaced the carbon with polyfil, in the HOB's I used to have I replaced the filter cartridge with all sponge. I've heard but don't know how factual it is that carbon over time if left unchecked could cause a problem but I don't know how true that it is or how long it takes.

It's in the HOB aqua clear filter. And I'm gonna replace it with polish pad

 

[aquaplantfish]

Is it carbon in a filter cartridge or a compartment in the filter you put carbon in? Most people don't use carbon unless removing meds or smell from the water. I have a canister filter & there's a compartment for carbon, I replaced the carbon with polyfil, in the HOB's I used to have I replaced the filter cartridge with all sponge. I've heard but don't know how factual it is that carbon over time if left unchecked could cause a problem but I don't know how true that it is or how long it takes.

I have a wood decor that holds its self together with a screw, now is the screw going to affect the. Fish or the water quality in anyway? Caz its metal screw.

 

[shellieca]

if the screw isn't specially made to be submerged in water it could rust which could be dangerous if I'm not mistaken.

 

[VOXGM]

Only run carbon when removing meds or smelly water. Carbon only lasts for about 1-2 weeks. As for the screw. Metal + water = rust. I would suggest u remove it.

 

[DavidAl]

Size up the situation...

If your tank is clear, replace the carbon with biological media. Otherwise, go with the floss.

David

 

[bshenanagins]

I have a wood decor that holds its self together with a screw, now is the screw going to affect the. Fish or the water quality in anyway? Caz its metal screw.

If its stainless steel your fine, anything else get rid of it.

 

[VOXGM]

If its stainless steel your fine, anything else get rid of it.

Agreed.

 

[AxonBitshift]

Carbon is really not needed except to remove meds as mentioned above. It can also help remove tannins if you have wood in your tank.

 

[bshenanagins]

Carbon is really not needed except to remove meds as mentioned above. It can also help remove tannins if you have wood in your tank.

If your insistent on using it get purigen, carbon is a waste of time and money.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

It's in the HOB aqua clear filter. And I'm gonna replace it with polish pad

I just started a very similar thread as this one with regard to questioning whether carbon "leaches" any toxins back into the water upon exhaustion; seemed to be a VERY "up in the air" situation in terms of answers, feedback and opinion...

At any rate, I too had the carbon pouch that came stock in the box with my AquaClear 110; after awhile, the carbon gets "exhausted" and useless (the time this takes varies between a LOT of factors -- manufacturers, opinions from hobbyists, etc.) and with the AquaClear, I just ditched it after some use and replaced it with two 100ml sacks of Seachem's Purigen. In my other HOB, however, an Aqueon QuietFlow 55, this runs two carbon cartridges in cotton floss material, and this is where my questions came into play...the manufacturer states these should be changed every six or so weeks, but hobbyists will advise you never to change these things and instead just rinse them off by dunking 'em in removed tank water during water changes when you think they're really filthy...

I personally haven't decided what I am going to do yet with these cartridges...if I am going to replace them when suggested, continue dunking them in removed tank water until they fall apart even though the carbon is exhausted or swap out one at a time in a "staggered" method so that the BB colonies attached to them aren't lost. For what it's worth, what most are saying in this thread is correct from all accounts -- that is, carbon has been dismissed by serious modern-day hobbyists save for when you want to remove medications from the water or combat a horrific odor. I think it gives some water polishing qualities when it's fresh and new and generated (i.e. cartridges right out of the box) but I am concerned with regard to its exhaustion and if this can "toxify" the water with phosphates and maybe even pathogenetic life forms (though, from what I have been told here, these "things" need to be in the water column already to attach to the exhausted carbon)...

Good luck with whatever route you take.

 

[VOXGM]

I just started a very similar thread as this one with regard to questioning whether carbon "leaches" any toxins back into the water upon exhaustion; seemed to be a VERY "up in the air" situation in terms of answers, feedback and opinion...

At any rate, I too had the carbon pouch that came stock in the box with my AquaClear 110; after awhile, the carbon gets "exhausted" and useless (the time this takes varies between a LOT of factors -- manufacturers, opinions from hobbyists, etc.) and with the AquaClear, I just ditched it after some use and replaced it with two 100ml sacks of Seachem's Purigen. In my other HOB, however, an Aqueon QuietFlow 55, this runs two carbon cartridges in cotton floss material, and this is where my questions came into play...the manufacturer states these should be changed every six or so weeks, but hobbyists will advise you never to change these things and instead just rinse them off by dunking 'em in removed tank water during water changes when you think they're really filthy...

I personally haven't decided what I am going to do yet with these cartridges...if I am going to replace them when suggested, continue dunking them in removed tank water until they fall apart even though the carbon is exhausted or swap out one at a time in a "staggered" method so that the BB colonies attached to them aren't lost. For what it's worth, what most are saying in this thread is correct from all accounts -- that is, carbon has been dismissed by serious modern-day hobbyists save for when you want to remove medications from the water or combat a horrific odor. I think it gives some water polishing qualities when it's fresh and new and generated (i.e. cartridges right out of the box) but I am concerned with regard to its exhaustion and if this can "toxify" the water with phosphates and maybe even pathogenetic life forms (though, from what I have been told here, these "things" need to be in the water column already to attach to the exhausted carbon)...

Good luck with whatever route you take.

This covers it all. Tho I would like to add if u wait to long rinsing your media I could result in a nitrate factory. I agree with this quote 100%.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Yes, indeed -- HOB media baskets can become Nitrate factories if uncleaned media is left in too long...good addition....

 

[DavidAl]

Yeppers...before you know it, you'll have a case of Old Tank Syndrome in a fairly new tank. Maintenance is the key.

All this talk is making me feel like doing a water change...

David

 

[VOXGM]

Yeppers...before you know it, you'll have a case of Old Tank Syndrome in a fairly new tank. Maintenance is the key.

All this talk is making me feel like doing a water change...

David

Haha me too

 

[Ian086]

Yeah I would remove the screw. Replace the carbon with Purigen or floss or if you have room, both. There's a guy on Ebay.uk selling pruigen in a sealed bag, ideal for hobs and internal filters.....

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Haha me too

Me three...

Except I did my 50% just yesterday...

 

[VOXGM]

Me three...

Except I did my 50% just yesterday...

Lol me too! Only 25% for me. Ima do another 25 tonight

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Lol me too! Only 25% for me. Ima do another 25 tonight

I hear ya...

But with goldfish, as I keep, it tends to be better to get out at least half their water at a time because of their bioloads -- still, in addition to the weekly 50%, I normally also do a mid-week 15-gallon exchange just to be sure the water is really getting flushed; I figure half of the 50% change for the mid-week exchange, so half of 30 gallons is 15 gallons...