Do I need a carbon cartridge for my Fluval Nano?

[ocncheffy]

Hi there,

My Fluval Nano filter did not come with a carbon cartridge insert but it turns out amazon does sell them separately. I'm fairly new to this hobby and my tank hasn't even finished a full cycle yet (1.5 weeks in) but I've heard it's good to have carbon in the filter but it could be bad for the live plants I have too. What are your recommendations?

http://www.amazon.ca/Carbon-Cartrid...8-1&keywords=fluval+nano+filter+carbonhttp://

 

[Ian086]

Hi there,

My Fluval Nano filter did not come with a carbon cartridge insert but it turns out amazon does sell them separately. I'm fairly new to this hobby and my tank hasn't even finished a full cycle yet (1.5 weeks in) but I've heard it's good to have carbon in the filter but it could be bad for the live plants I have too. What are your recommendations?

http://www.amazon.ca/Carbon-Cartrid...8-1&keywords=fluval+nano+filter+carbonhttp://

You don't really need carbon except for removing meds or odours. It can become quite expensive to run carbon continuously. If you can get some in, I would add some filter floss. It will do as good, if not better job of polishing the water. It is harmless to the tank and also extremely cheap to buy....

 

[Fishfur]

+1 for filter floss and no carbon. Unless you have a nasty odour, too much colour leached from wood or leaves or some type of medication that must be removed from the water, carbon is just not needed.

 

[Sf1]

Do I need to buy a special filter floss? Or any?

 

[Ian086]

Do I need to buy a special filter floss? Or any?

You don't need floss in your filter but it really gives the water a good polish. It removes the tiniest of particles. The only thing you have to check for when buying floss is too make sure it has no additives, eg fire retardants. Just make sure it says 100% polyfil on the wrapper. Graft stores sell large bags of it for a few dollars. These will last you a long time, up to a few years. You can also use bed pillow stuffing, again just check it is 100% polyfil, brand new, unused and unwashed.

 

[Fishfur]

If you buy craft or pillow stuff, make sure it is not treated for mildew ! Some are, they'll say something like' stays fresh for years, or a brand name of some of the products used to make things mould resistant. Just be careful..

If I used enough of it, I could buy an entire bolt of extra thick quilt batt, which is what the LFS bags under their own name for floss. Quilt batt comes either with mildew treatment or without, and I could get it dirt cheap. But it's forty metres on a bolt, far more than I have space for, and would take years upon years to use up. Be nice to share among a number of people though. My local fabric shop will give me 40% off the price if a entire bolt is taken at one purchase.

 

[Ian086]

Yeah this stuff goes a hell of a long way. I use the economy brand of bed pillow stuffing from my local supermarket. 2 euro for a bag. Enough to fill an average bed pillow. I've used it my internals, HOBs and canister for nearly two years now and I've about half a bag left. The batting can be purchased in much smaller quantities on ebay/amazon....

 

[Sf1]

How often I need to change it?

Thanks

 

[Fishfur]

I don't change mine until it's falling to ragged bits, it lasts months in my Aqua Clear 70s. I rinse and squeeze them out, they will turn grey, but still work fine. Once they get very ragged and are in small pieces I replace half of it at a time. I also wrap it in a bit of plastic net, which I harvest from a bath puff. They are made of soft netting and can be taken apart easily. Or any netting, from produce or something, well washed first of course. Just helps keep it all together and neat.

 

[Ian086]

I don't change mine until it's falling to ragged bits, it lasts months in my Aqua Clear 70s. I rinse and squeeze them out, they will turn grey, but still work fine. Once they get very ragged and are in small pieces I replace half of it at a time. I also wrap it in a bit of plastic net, which I harvest from a bath puff. They are made of soft netting and can be taken apart easily. Or any netting, from produce or something, well washed first of course. Just helps keep it all together and neat.

Agreed. Whenever you like really. Some people do what Fishfur does or what I do, change it when It gets dirty. I don't rinse it, I just dump it. It so cheap, it doesn't really matter. You shouldn't rely on it for your BB, so it's up to yourself...