40 g tank with koi / need help in regards with filter media

[melissa1977]

Hi guys,

My BF's mother has a 40 gallons tank. She keep a Koi in there, go figure...

Anyway, she just moved, and she asked me to help her to set it up correctly.

She just bought a Fluval 404 filter. I never use carbon in my own filter for my tank. I have no experience with coldwater fishes, and was wondering if I could set up the filter with no carbon as well....

 

[theotheragentm]

Carbon helps polish off the water, but it's not necessary. I'd toss it in there if there is space. After a month it won't be anything except a surface area for bacteria to grow on like anything else.

 

[jsoong]

Some sort of bio-media for the biobugs & filter floss is all you need. I use carbon as a cheap substitude for the ceremic bio-media. <Carbon apparently has a lot of surface area & is as good as the fancy stuff. Of course you don't change the carbon.>

 

[newfound77951]

Whatever you do for filtration, with a koi in a 40 gallon just be sure to do a lot of water changes!