Cutting The Carbon Out Of Tetra Carbon Cartridges?

I have white ick and need to treat with medication. I have the Tetra Carbon Cartridges. They are white cloth bags with carbon inside. I was just curious what the right process was for treating. Should I cut the bag and pour the carbon out, then replace the empty bag into the filter? Should I put something in the bag in lieu of the carbon like a sponge or just leave it empty? Also, when treatment is done, should I put the old carbon back into the bag to preserve bacteria? Or maybe the same bag with new fresh carbon? Or whole new cartridge altogether? Thanks for your help!

 

Just remove the cartridge for the treatment period. Afterwards replace with new bags or refill the old bags with new carbon. The carbon is only good for 30 days. After that it needs to be replaced.

 

Get a knife, slice the belly of the cartridge and pour the carbon out. After that just stuff it back into the tank.

I disagree with Tony M about replacing it with a new bag...what I would do is after your done with treatment just leave the cartridge in there. Than you can decide to add more bio-media into your tank. If you replace the cartridge your going to crash the tank since most of the beneficial bacteria is in the padding of the cartridge.

I don't even use carbon in my tanks...you'll do fine without it.

 

Here is a link on the forum for ideas on DIY filter media.

No more cartridges....

 

I agree with Fashooga - just cut the floss open and get the carbon bits out. Warning, it's messy, and it will get black stuff on your fingers. I'd suggest using rubber gloves if you have them.
Is that cartridge the only one in your filter? If so, keep it in there, minus the carbon. That is what is holding most of the beneficial bacteria that keeps your cycle going.
If there's room, you can add a new cartridge in (along with the old one) that has fresh carbon, after you are done with the meds, if you want to. It's always a good idea to have media in the filter that can stay in there indefinitely, like sponges and/or biomax/ceramic rings. That way, if you need to use carbon, removing or replacing the cartridge isn't going to kill your cycle.

 

Hello, do these cartridges have a green or black clip on top? If so there is no need to cut bag, just remove clip & slip floss bag off plastic frame. Make sure you do this in a bucket if tank or treated water so you don't hurt bacteria. Hope this helps.

 

Maybe you can post a pic of the cartridge? Sounds like this might not be the 'floss' type... and let us know what other media, if any, you have in your filter?

 

Bags of carbon aren't for beneficial bacteria. Bacteria lives in our filter media. Carbon is useless after 30 days.

 

Maybe you can post a pic of the cartridge? Sounds like this might not be the 'floss' type... and let us know what other media, if any, you have in your filter?

Should have been more clear! I have a whisper filter which has a slot for a cartridge that contains the carbon. In ADDITION to this cartridge there is a “bioscrupper” that is used to contain BB. It has a bunch of rubber frills. If you search “whisper bioscrubber” its the first that comes up. Same if you search “tetra carbon cartridges”. I will not be removing the bioscrubber. I might not have the best idea of how filters work so that is most likely where the confusion is coming from.

 

That is an interesting looking contraption Spangledhoagiees .

The link I posted before may interest you.

 

That is an interesting looking contraption Spangledhoagiees .

The link I posted before may interest you.

I did check out your link. Lots of great info there but for now I am just trying work with what I have