fishiefriend

Hi, does anyone know if a new filter cartridge can go bad or go off (not sure of the correct terminology)?

The reason I ask, is because when I opened a new filter cart. the other day (I use the AquaOne type that is a plastic cartridge that has the pad on one side & Act.car. encased on the other side) I noticed something was wrong with it straight away & the carbon pellets were all stuck together & wouldn't move when shaken, & I could smell an odor like rotten eggs coming from the cartridge, & also when I placed it in a container of old tank water (which I do for a few dys to get some bacteria on it) it didn't produce any bubbles at all which they usually do. I threw it away just in case.

I would be interested in any thoughts you may have as to why this might happen. I didn't think Act. Carbon could go bad-maybe it was in the shop for years.

Thanks
fishiefriend

Isabella

I'm not sure I get the picture of how your filter works and how it's designed. What kind of filter is it exactly? External, internal, power, canister, etc ... ?

Any filter should be able to pump water through its media easily. If the water flow slows down, that means either the filter media are clogged up or the filter's propeller is clogged up. Filter media should be rinsed about every 2 weeks. The propeller should be cleaned every 2-3 months. Activated carbon should be replaced every month. Sponges and any biological media should only be rinsed in tank water also every 2 weeks or so (not thrown away, as they contain the necessary nitrifying bacteria).

Peterpiper

Hi Fishiefriend
You did the right thing throwing it in the bin!
If something don't smell right or look right, why would you put it in your tank and risk all the hard work and $..
maybe you could have taken it back to the shop for a refund

jsalemi

Yea, it definitely sounds like the filter was contaminated, and the danger is that you don't know what contaminated it (could be cleaning solution that spilled, for example). So not using it was the right thing to do.

fishiefriend

Thanks guys, & sorry if I confused you Isabella-I will try to clarify.

I use AquaOne Clear View HOB external filters which has 2 plastic cartridges - 1 cartridge which is just plastic with holes is the biological media (I assume) & I only rinse that very occassionally as you mentioned, but the other cartridge that has the pad attached on one side of it & act.car.encased on the other side (which makes it nearly impossible to remove the carbon) is the one that I change monthly because of the carbon.

This is the cartridge I am referring too, it was a new cart. just out of the pack which I always let stand in used tank water for a few dys before putting it in the filter as I mentioned.

I hope this clarifies things-sorry if it doesn't.

fishiefriend