Tropical Fish and Aquarium Information

Go Back   Fish Lore Tropical Fish and Aquarium Forum > Archives > Fish Lore Aquarium Forum Archives > Freshwater Aquarium Fish Archive > Freshwater Fish Disease Archive

Freshwater Fish Disease Archive For storing old freshwater fish disease posts - Freshwater Fish Disease Chart, Quarantine Tank Setup, Ich: Old Cure for Old Disease, Sick Fish, What To Do

 

Online Fish Stores: Drsfostersmith.com | BigAlsOnline.com | LiveAquaria.com


Aquarium Forum
General
Welcome To FishLore
Using the Forum
General Discussion
Members Fish Tanks
Photos and Videos
Member Photos
Member Videos
Freshwater Aquarium Forum
Freshwater Beginners
Freshwater Equipment
More Freshwater Topics
Freshwater Fish & Inverts
Ponds
Saltwater Aquarium Forum
Saltwater Beginners
Saltwater Equipment
More Saltwater Topics
Saltwater Fish & Inverts
Member Blogs
Member Blogs
Misc. Topics
Reviews
Aquarium Fish Clubs
Buy, Sell, Trade
Fish Profiles
Freshwater Fish
Saltwater Fish
Fish Forum Archives
 
 
Fish Forum Thread Tools
Old June 19th, 2007  
Fish Helper
 
removing carbon filter for meds

While treating my tank with Melafix, i read it's recommended to remove the carbon filter. I'm assuming it's the black spongy thing in my filter. If I remove them, won't any good bacteria in them die? I have them sitting in some treated water at the moment

When can i put the filters back in?
choochiegirl is offline  
Old June 19th, 2007  
Fish Helper
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

The black spongy thing is not the carbon. Carbon is the little black rocks that are probably inside of a filter bag. Let us know what kind of filter you have and we can probably help a little better.
sick-lid boy is offline  
Old June 19th, 2007  
Fish Helper
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

it's a whisper 30-60 that hangs on the back, it has 2 sets of black sponges and then 2 white thing that looks like a bag
choochiegirl is offline  
Old June 19th, 2007  
Master Of Fish Poo!
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

the carbon -- if you have any should be in the white filter bag(s). the sponges are your sponge filtration and home to the good bacteria colonies. when you work on the stuff in the filter, it's best to turn it off during the maintenance to cut down on how much 'crud' gets released into the tank. To clean the sponges, put treated tap water in a bowl and swish the sponge in it (never use untreated tap water on the sponges).

if you use carbon, it's good to replace it once a week (unless you get the real good carbon that lasts 2 weeks). if you don't replace the carbon when it's "worn out", it will release what it's collected back into the water.
COBettaCouple is offline  
Old June 19th, 2007  
Fish Helper
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

I feel silly, I don't even know what's in the filter bags , I'm guessing I should have changed one by now then? could it be something else in there ?
choochiegirl is offline  
Old June 19th, 2007  
Master Of Fish Poo!
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

the white bags should only have activated carbon in them, if anything.. we either change or clean our bags every 4 weeks.. we change our carbon every 2 weeks.
COBettaCouple is offline  
Old June 19th, 2007  
Fish Helper
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

okey dokey, thanks, guess i need to make another trip to the lfs tomorrow. I should have my own parking spot there by now lol
if I have 2 carbon filters in there, i should only change one tho right? so i don't lose the bacteria? i finally found the instructions and it says only when it gets clogged and backfeeds, and the sponges yearly or when they look worn

so are they taking the meds out then?

choochiegirl is offline  
Old June 19th, 2007  
Fish Helper
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

Yeah, the carbon is inside the filter bag. Your filter will still run fine without it for a week while you use the Melafix. You can even dump the carbon out of the bag, rinse it out, and put the empty bag back on the filter. At the end of the week, when you're done with the medication, do a 25 or 30% water change and just get a new filter bag. On my whisper filter, I don't even use those filter bags, I just wrap the plastic bag-holder thing with filter fiber... I don't use carbon at all.

EDIT: You probably want to remove both carbon bags as they will remove the medication.
sick-lid boy is offline  
Old June 19th, 2007  
Fish Helper
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

Quote:
You probably want to remove both carbon bags as they will remove the medication.
Will do, i'll just keep the bags in there, i see from the manual i can buy just the carbon to fill up the bags

I'm also have a nitrite spike, will removing the carbon make a difference?
choochiegirl is offline  
Old June 20th, 2007  
Fish Helper
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

Nah, I don't think removing the carbon should affect the water parameters much, if at all. Just do a fairly large (30-40%) water change to take care of the nitrite spike. Should do the trick. Just keep an eye on those levels. Water changes are a good thing
sick-lid boy is offline  
Old June 20th, 2007  
Master Of Fish Poo!
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

the carbon in the white filter bags can come out without a problem. a lot of people run their filters without the carbon ever being in. you can take out all of the carbon and not hurt the good bacteria. they mostly colonize on the sponge. i'm not sure about getting rid of a sponge full of good bacteria.. if i was planning to do that, i'd stick the replacement sponge in the filter for a month or 2 before changing sponges to help ensure a good colony of beneficial bacteria on the new sponge.
COBettaCouple is offline  
Old June 20th, 2007  
Fish Helper
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

easier said than done, it took a while to get that carbon out, until I realized to just turn the bag inside out to get rid of it

so if I do a water change, will I have to re-medicate? or medicate in the am and change water in the pm?

I'm surprised that it's just tea tree oil, i have a ton of that stuff at home for other uses. But since it's for fish it cost a whole lot more

I read on the label that it's a good idea to treat when getting new fish... any thoughts on that?
choochiegirl is offline  
Old June 20th, 2007  
Master Of Fish Poo!
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

i'd do a water change, then start a course of treatment with the melafix.. i believe it's 7 days. i only use it if the platys show symptoms that need it.
COBettaCouple is offline  
Old June 21st, 2007  
Fish Helper
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

I just checked and his fin looks a lot worse now, all shredded, I'm guessing the melafix is NOT helping. Any med suggestions? I need to run to the lfs and get something else

and what to do about the melafix in the water? should i put in carbon for a bit before I do a new med?
choochiegirl is offline  
Old June 21st, 2007  
Master Of Fish Poo!
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

Quote:
Originally Posted by choochiegirl
I just checked and his fin looks a lot worse now, all shredded, I'm guessing the melafix is NOT helping. Any med suggestions? I need to run to the lfs and get something else

and what to do about the melafix in the water? should i put in carbon for a bit before I do a new med?
yea, i'd clear the melafix with some AC in the filter for a day - outta clear most of it, then you can start a course of TriSulfa.. which tends to be pretty good against fin rot.
COBettaCouple is offline  
Old June 21st, 2007  
Fish Helper
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

what are his chances? can his tail grow back?

I will run to the lfs this afternoon and grab some AC for the filters & run them and then do the new meds tomorrow, i did not add any melafix this am in case I was going to do a diff med. I hope the lfs has the Trisulpha
choochiegirl is offline  
Old June 21st, 2007  
Master Of Fish Poo!
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

Quote:
Originally Posted by choochiegirl
what are his chances? can his tail grow back?

I will run to the lfs this afternoon and grab some AC for the filters & run them and then do the new meds tomorrow, i did not add any melafix this am in case I was going to do a diff med. I hope the lfs has the Trisulpha
i couldn't say for sure, not seeing how much damage he has, but fins do regrow and the trisulfa will be the most likely med to give him a good chance. if you can get some liquid vitamins like vitachem from the DFS website, that would help too.
COBettaCouple is offline  
Old June 21st, 2007  
Fish Helper
 
Re: removing carbon filter for meds

his pic is on this thread http://www.fishlore.com/Forum/53-gup...-photos.0.html near the bottom. His tail looks great there compared to today tho, the bottom is almost non-existant today tho and that pic was taken last night
choochiegirl is offline  
 

Fish Forum Thread Tools

Fun Fish and Aquarium Games!
Fish Tycoon
Fish Tycoon
Insaniquarium - Insane Aquarium
Insaniquarium
Insane Aquarium
Jenny's Fish Shop
Jenny's
Fish Shop
FishCo
FishCo!

Similar Aquarium Fish Forum Threads
Thread Fish Forum
Help: Carbon removed for ich meds??????? Freshwater Fish Disease
Question: need to know about carbon in my filter Filters and Filtration
Removing the undergravel filter Freshwater Substrates - Gravel, Sand
How long until activated carbon removes meds from water Freshwater Fish Disease Archive
removing carbon from penguin filter? Freshwater Aquarium Filter Archive



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
LinkBacks Enabled by vBSEO 3.2.0 RC5 © 2008, Crawlability, Inc.
© 2008 FishLore.com - Aquarium Fish Information