Carbon replacing

[girl_interrupted]

Ok what is the purpose of replacing the carbon inside the filter? Or when you replace filters (if so) do you replace the entire thing (with the thing that holds the carbon) or just the carbon itself?

Sorry if this sounds super ignorant lol

 

[smpage]

carbon soaks up toxins then, after a while, they release those toxins back into the water. I Stopped using carbon in all of my filters maybe one year ago and my water quality has never been better!

 

[Zebra]

Carbon removes fine particals from the water and keeps it clear as well as removing chemicals, harmful and otherwise. The only problem is that it runs out every month or so and needs to be replaced. You replace the carbon NOT the whole filter or you will wreck your biological bacteria and have a mini-cycle on your hands. If you need to clean the filter because it is clogged then take the foam and squeeze it over a bowl of tank water. This should clear up the foam for the most part. If you have two foam parts in your filter you can just replace one and it more effective then squeezing out both.

 

[milliontimme]

i have a 350 magnum and i change carbon and the pad about every month, the biowheel filters keep all the biological bacteria.

 

[cichlid_starter]

Yeah I have a pad in mine that never gets changed. So I don't loose all the bacteria when I replace the filter.

 

[12 Volt Man]

carbon soaks up toxins then, after a while, they release those toxins back into the water

no, it doesn't. thats one of those myths. no more toxins are adsorbed because all the binding sites for adsorption are full. they are not released back into the water. they are held in place by electrostatic forces (van der walls forces for you chemistry buffs)

I use carbon but rarely replace it.

so it acts as:

1. a great substrate for bacteria to colonize

and

2. a good mechanical filter as the carbon bag gets slightly clogged.

typically, I only replace it after the addition of meds, so that the carbon can remove it.

 

[girl_interrupted]

no, it doesn't. thats one of those myths. no more toxins are adsorbed because all the binding sites for adsorption are full. they are not released back into the water. they are held in place by electrostatic forces (van der walls forces for you chemistry buffs)

I use carbon but rarely replace it.

so it acts as:

1. a great substrate for bacteria to colonize

and

2. a good mechanical filter as the carbon bag gets slightly clogged.

typically, I only replace it after the addition of meds, so that the carbon can remove it.

**ok, is there some sort of limit to how much carbon I can put in there?
**And are there different types of carbon? lol That sounded a little funny.

I medicated one of my fish a month ago or so and after that my tank didn't feel right as before. So I guess I should replace it tonight! I'm zooming over after work.

thanks guys

 

[12 Volt Man]

there isn't really a limit, you can put as much as you like. typically though, you don't need tons. you want the water to flow through properly, so if you put too much it will restrict water flow.

there are different grades of carbon that relate to how fine the granules are, ie granular activated vs. powdered activated carbon, but only the GAC type is available for aquariums because the PAC is too fine.

 

[girl_interrupted]

there isn't really a limit, you can put as much as you like. typically though, you don't need tons. you want the water to flow through properly, so if you put too much it will restrict water flow.

there are different grades of carbon that relate to how fine the granules are, ie granular activated vs. powdered activated carbon, but only the GAC type is available for aquariums because the PAC is too fine.

Oh man that helps a lot. Thanks!! My fish and I thank you.

 

[knicks791]

Use CHEMI PURE, probably the best carbon out there.