Took charcoal pad from canister...OK?

[wiz561]

Hi!

I have an EHEIM canister filter and I took out the charcoal pad because I am administering meds to my fish. Since my squarium has finally cycled and don't want the fish to go through that again, I was wondering if it's OK to keep the charcoal pad out from the filter, or should I put it back in.

I want to say that since the bacteria is present in the filter substrate, then it turns the ammonia to nitrite than nitrate (or is it nitrate to nitrite...always forget), and the charcoal pad is pretty much useless.


Thanks!
Mike

 

[Allivymar]

Activated carbon is an unneccessary addition to most tanks IMHO. Its good for removing tannins from driftwood which tints the water, and fresh AC is a must for removing meds once treatment is done. Other then that its pretty much an extra place for bacteria to colonise.

 

[TheNewGuy]

you have to be careful using med especially one's that are anti bacterial. they will kill off the colony you just spent a month growing to make your fish happy.

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi Mike,
I just recently cycled a tank, and then had to add medicine. I only have a sponge filter in my tank. The med. label said it wouldn't kill the biological filter, but my ammonia rose to .25. So the med. killed some of it. Luckily I had some Bio-Spira, so I just used some of that, and the next day my ammonia was back to 0. The order of the cycle is ammonia, nitrite, then nitrate. In a cycled tank, the ammonia and nitrites are 0, and the nitrates are 20-40 ppm. When the nitrates get high, it's time for a water change. After I used the medicine, I got a small ammonia spike, and I watched it closely, but the tank didn't start all over and go through the full cycle again.

I don't run any carbon in my tank on a daily basis. I do run carbon for about 24 hours to remove medicine, and then I take it out. I use a small plastic corner filter for my carbon. It's not very powerful. Your canister filter could probably remove the medicine a lot quicker. There are better media for the good bacteria to live other than carbon, like sponges or floss. They also live in the gravel, on plants, or decorations. We were discussing carbon in another topic, and it's useful for removing medicine, but (help, tkos!!) it may release the medicine back into the water, if another substance comes along that the carbon wants to bond with instead. (I understand the concept, just can't word it too well!) So, use carbon to remove medicine, and then take it out and throw it away. If you need to use carbon again another time, use fresh carbon.

 

[wiz561]

wow

Wow, thank you for the tips! I never knew it could be such a complicated matter with the carbon!

The stuff I'm using is called MelaFix from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. So far, it is working (visually) really well on the fish and they are starting to grow back their fins.

It says on the bottle that it won't mess up the biological cycle, but who knows. I hope it doesn't because I had a heck of a time trying to cycle the tank. When I first got it, I used...hmmm...i forgot the name of it. It wasn't bio-spira, but something like that-that wasn't refridgated. I think it started with a Z. Well, that didn't work well. So then, after I put my fish in a few days later, my ammonia and nitrite skyrocketed for awhile. I started to dump in more of the Z bottle I had, but it didn't work. I tried to dump in some of the stuff from AP (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) to remove cholrine and other chems from the water, but that didn't work. I tried carbon but that didn't work. I then went to my LFS and explained to them and the guy gave me some bio-spira, which didn't work either! Finally, I started to relax and be a good boy and do water changes, which FINALLY started to make ammonia and nitrites come down to normal. Finally, after a few weeks, everything was fine.

I just hated the whole process and hope that the melafix won't mela-mess up my bio cycle!!!!


Thanks!
Mike

 

[tkos]

I have never used carbon in my tanks and they are doing great. I just rinse out the floss and sponges with every water change. That being said fresh carbon should be kept on hand for removing meds. But as mentioned before always use fresh.

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi Mike,
Wow, what a time you've had! It gets easier, I promise!

I don't think Mela-fix will hurt your good bacteria. It says that it's an antibacterial remedy, but the tea tree oil ingredient isn't the same as the more tradtional antibiotic treatments out there.

Did you use Stress-Zyme? I wouldn't use that again...as you figured out! When I cycled my very first tank, I used it, and I got into a mess like you did. Bio-Spira will work. It's the only product with the correct bacteria in it to start the cycle. I cycled my recent tank without it, but used it after the med, when the ammonia crept up again slightly, and it helped. Bio-Spira is supposed to be used when setting up your tank -- I don't know if it's really meant to "clean up the ammonia mess" after it spikes. No wonder it didn't work for you -- you had so much other stuff in your tank! If you started with a fresh tank, it would have helped you, but if not, you just do water changes frequently, and you'll be fine, as you have said.

Here is a link to the Bio-Spira website if you're interested: http://www.marineland.com/products/mllabs/ML_biospira.asp

 

[TankGirl]

Melafix is a wonderful tx for fin rot. It is from the melaleuca plant, and is tee tree oil. I have used it many times and it does not harm the biofilter. I took my Eheim carbon pad out when it got gunky, having installed it in the new filter since it came with it anyway. Once it got gunky I tossed it. Just use an extra white fiber floss pad in its place, and you are good to go. Melafix does not need to be "removed" like other medications.