why do i need to take the carbon filter out of my fish tank?

Question

i looked in my tank this morning and it looked like one of the fishes may be getting white spot. i was just about to add anti white spot plus 6 from interpet and then noticed your suposed to remove carbon and zoelite filter media(it says this on the bottle) then i read the box and that says harmless to filters and all spicies of fish, except... and so on,

so what should i do listen to the box or bottle?

please only answer if you know for sure.
i dont have a clue i dont even know about filters only got it yesterday please help?

so call me a dumb blonde (which i am) do i take out the whole filter or just the carbon bit?
and what about the sponge in it?

7 days seems like a long time with no filter.

Answer 1

The carbon removes the medication from the water...as in municipal water systems, it removes many impurities. You need only remove the carbon...the sponge part or the floss is needed to continue denitifying the ammonia from the fish waste...if you have a box filter then replace the carbon with clean glass marbles to weight it down. The Sodium Zeolite helps to soften the water and does remove ammonia...remove both before adding any medication...depending on the species of fish, an old trick was to drop a penny in the aquarium (minted prior to 1965) and it would slowly release copper ions into the water and kill off ICK...white spot dieases (Ichthyopthirus) and Cryptocaryron (a different white spot diease), some breeders used copper scouring sponges (without soap of course) for the same reason.

Answer 2

You should change your carbon filter (the cartridge) every month. Carbon removes any odors from the water, the yellowness, and any medicine or chemicals that may get into the water. It won't harm your fish if you don't change the carbon. I'm guessing, though, that your carbon is in a filter cartridge and those can get dirty. Not that being dirty will hurt your fish, but is the filter cartridge gets clogged, it cuts back on the amount of water being turned over in your tank, and in extreme cases, it can cause the filter to over flow. You can not add gravel to your filter to help with filtration. Depending on your filter, you can add additional media if space allows. Some filters come with baskets to add additional media - like more carbon, zeo-lites, filter floss, bio-balls, lava rocks, etc. If there is space, I would add something for bacteria, like the bio balls. As for what other things you can do to help your filter, filter your tank - make sure you are not over feeding. Keep up on water changes. Make sure the impeller doesn't get funky. Rinse the dirty filter cartridge off in fish tank water when you are doing water changes (if you rinse it with tap water, it will kill the bacteria).

Answer 3

Yes, the medication will not hurt your filter. But the purpose of the carbon is to absorb chemicals from the water. The carbon won't discriminate between waste products from your fish and the medication. That is why the instructions tell you to remove the carbon - the carbon would remove the medication from the water and it won't work.

Answer 4

Carbon removes the meds from the water. If you want to treat the fish with meds then you have to remove the carbon. When its says it won't harm the filter its talking about harming the beneficial bacteria that lives it in, so it won't harm your cycle.

Just the carbon, cut a little slit in the top on the cartridge and dump out all the carbon. The sponge traps all the debris so that needs to stay.

Answer 5

The carbon absorbs the meds for the water rendering your medicating usless. So make sure you remove your carbon....otherwise you've just wasted perfectly good medication.
Your fish shold be fine without the carbon as long as you keep the filter running for the duration of the treatment.

Answer 6

take the carbon filter out because it will clear the medication out of the water,
just take the carbon bit out, leave the sponge in the filter in the tank switched on

Answer 7

You do not need to use carbon at all. It removes chemicals from the water such as meds, plant fertilizers etc. and so is only needed when you are trying to remove meds from the water (such as when switching from one medication to another).

Answer 8

because the carbon will absorb the medicine therefore you need to take it out. Otherwise your medicine will not effective.

Answer 9

You need to change it because if you don't it could get bacterial build up, and that could eventually kill the fish.