What Media?

[sam.bird3]

The reason I use 3 types is because it keeps the filter wool from completely clogging up.
The first sheet (Course) takes the larger particles, the 2nd sheet (Medium) takes smaller bits that escape through the course and then the last sheet (fine) polishes off the remaining stuff which prolongs the life of the pads by avoiding 1 pad clearing the lot.
The problem with Carbon and the reason lots of people don't use it is (in laymans terms) once it has taken out all of the **poo** and can't cope with anymore, it starts leaching it back into the tank, so all the stuff it has taken out just gets put back in, sometimes this can be as little as a few weeks depending on how much you have,
In my opinion Carbon should only be used a few days at a time, for either clearing meds out the water or like you say clearing the Fishy smell you get, but never left in a filter constantly, regardless of how much you clean it out.

Hope this explains it as well as it was explained to me.

Sam

[catwoman]

thanks sam,
i need to remove my carbon anyway as i recently added melafix to my tank.

so basically if i notice a fishy smell then pop some carbon in untill it has gone then remove the carbon & repeat as necessary?

i think i will use 3 types of floss as also you can then replace one at a time rather than replacing the one which must deplete the bacteria in the filter!!!!???

[sam.bird3]

so basically if i notice a fishy smell then pop some carbon in untill it has gone then remove the carbon & repeat?

Yes that pretty much how I was told to use carbon. But once it's removed you then clean/recharge it so it's ready to do it's job when needed again.

Sam.

[catwoman]

what do you use to clean/recharge it?

[sam.bird3]

I use water in a bucket from a water change. Swirl it around till the water goes black empty it out and do it again and that should be ok.
Someone on here may correct me on this but this is the method I was shown.

[catwoman]

thanks sam,

can the carbon be recharged in this way after removing meds?

[sam.bird3]

I'm not sure. Best person to ask would be Kev (kmac)

[olderwiser]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I always understood that carbon, (and it is activated carbon that should used), should be discarded after about 2 weeks.

The pores become clogged and the contents that the carbon has absorbed leech out of the carbon back into the tank.

To recharge activated carbon would, I seem to remember, need baking it in an oven to reactivate it - which, I believe, is a process to remove gas absorbed by the carbon. It is difficult to do and you have no way of knowing if you have really been successful.

I think carbon is only really of limited value to remove medications.

If you want to remove organics, colour and dissolved material, then Seachem Purigen is the stuff - and is probably cheaper and safer over the term.

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product ... rigen.html

But you shouldn't need either!

[sam.bird3]

This is also the understanding i had of activated carbon, but I Cant remember who itwas but someone told me you can just clean it out and reuse it every time it's needed so long as it's not left in situ and is rinsed out after every use.
I may have misunderstood this advice so appologies if I've given poor advice.

[michael duguid]

does this matrix need washing before i use it? And which basket do i put it in? I have a fluval 405

[FunkyFish]

i ran 25 litres through it befor putting it in my filter... any basket is ok, after ceramic rings if you even have them

[michael duguid]

thanks i will wash it when it comes. I have the the ceramic rings and there last in the filter but i have a empty basket at the bottom so i will swap.