Carbon Media in HOB filter

caoder

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 18, 2011
31
0
0
Montreal
how useful is the activated carbon in a HOB, i understand that they wear out over a month, but whats the benefits of having them and how do they affect planted tanks. from my initial reading on google it seems that they are only effective for a short time (24-48 hours) and then they just keep things inside the water to be re-released. It seems a bit counterproductive then if there's a lot of HOBs with cartridges that have built in carbon within filters.
 

1974Pantera

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 3, 2008
734
0
0
San Carlos, Ca.
I run HOB's on all 5 tanks/ with two FX-5's on the two big ones I have and I don't use carbon.

I have just recently experimented with chemipure elite as a test on my 75 long. This tank is heavily stocked and am watching the nitrates close while using the product.
 

importracer

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Dec 22, 2005
2,285
22
68
43
NorthernCalifornia
When it comes to HOB's, I tend to look at the whole filter a polisher........I fill the whole compartment with one sponge, maybe two.......If there is still some type of open water at the top, I throw in some Bio-Max............A canister filter or wet/dry filter should be used for proper biological filtration............
 
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