Adding a new filter pad...will it hurt water quality?

[JPA]

So I have a Penguin 200. It has slots for two filter pads. I was only using one filter pad, and then decided to add a second one - so the original one is still there.

Should I expect the activated carbon to kill my bacteria etc? Or should it be fine because I left the old pad in there?

 

[dkpate]

The carbon will not kill your bacteria. The carbon is mostly to help with the ammonia and/or taking meds out. Leave the old one in there until you see brown junk on the newest one, which is the good bacteria. Most people on here just swish their filter media around in old tank water, and don't change them out unless they are falling apart.

 

[mgamer20o0]

carbon is also only active for a week or two after that it doesnt do anything other then another place for the bacteria to grow on. the added pads should only help.

 

[JPA]

carbon is also only active for a week or two after that it doesnt do anything other then another place for the bacteria to grow on. the added pads should only help.

I had read somewhere else that if left in for more than a week or 2 the carbon will become saturated with nitrates and actually lead to an increase in nitrate in the water. In fact, someone suggested going so far as to just buy a media basket and fsponge material to make your own filters and leave out the carbon...

Will leaving in a filter pad too long lead to nitrates in the tank? Is there any benefit to not using carbon?

Thanks!

 

[BigJim]

Not cleaning your filters once in a while can lead to high nitrates. All the waste and debris sucked up by the filter will start to break down if you don't remove it.

 

[mgamer20o0]

its not the carbon that would cause it. it acts like any other bio media once its used. there are pros and cons for both sides on carbon. maybe this will help you.
Carbon in the filter - Aquaria Central

 

[jsoong]

The main reason for using 2 pads is so you can do a pad change safely.

Since most of the bacteria resides in the pad, removing all of it at once might trigger a new cycle. <Yes, the bacteria is also on your ornaments, etc .... but lets say you have a bare bottom tank ....> Having 2 pads allows you to change out one pad, and have the new pad seeded from the old so there is no risk of a cycle.

So go ahead & run both pads. Clean as usual. When one pad is falling apart, change it for a new one. Leave the old one in for a least 3-4 weeks to make sure the new pad is sufficiently colonized. <If you stagger the pads right, you will prob. be changing out one pad every 6 month or more.>

As for carbon, it is effective only when fresh. I tend to treat carbon as just another surface for the biofilter. <Carbon might even be better than some of the bioballs, etc as a bio-media substrate.> If I need to use carbon to pull out med, etc. I put in fresh as needed.