Should I Replace Chemical Filtration Or Toss?

So I'm running a Fluval Aquaclear 110 HOB. Just did my 3 months chemical on my filter. I figure the chemical filtration bag that comes with it, is most likely done filtrating by now lol. SO I was looking for any suggestions to either a chemical filtration to add? or if anyone suggests just adding more media or maybe an extra sponge? I do have a pretty big piece of spider in my tank just a fyi!

 

I never throw away media. Yes your carbon is exhausted, but most of us don't use carbon unless we need to take medication out of the water. I swish out cartridges in old tank water during a water change and put it right back in. If it is really falling apart, I cut filter pad to fit and put that in there with the ripped up media behind it for about a month so that the bacteria transfers over.

 

if you have enough biological seeded and ready to go. I would toss the chemical. It does nothing once the pores are all clogged.

 

Cut the bag and dump the old carbon and save the bag. You can repurpose it for another application and either zip tie or sew it closed.

Here is a pic of my media basket in my AC110. I posed a thread last week about AC110's.

AC110 media

• Islandvic
• Nov 15, 2018

AC110 sponge, polyfil, 100 micron pad, poly media pad cut from bulk roll, 1 liter of assorted...

AC110 back view of reservoir stuffed with media

• Islandvic
• Nov 15, 2018

I cut down the height of the sponge to fit more media in the bssket.

I run a Filter Max III as a pre-filter.

ATI Filter Max III

• Islandvic
• Nov 15, 2018

ATI Filter Max III with Aquaclear 70/110 intake tube

ATI Filter Max III assembled

• Islandvic
• Nov 15, 2018

ATI Filter Max III pre-filter coarse sponge attached to Aquaclear 70/110 intake tube

 

So I'm running a Fluval Aquaclear 110 HOB. Just did my 3 months chemical on my filter. I figure the chemical filtration bag that comes with it, is most likely done filtrating by now lol. SO I was looking for any suggestions to either a chemical filtration to add? or if anyone suggests just adding more media or maybe an extra sponge? I do have a pretty big piece of spider in my tank just a fyi!

If you're worried about tannins (I presume the spider reference is to spider wood) then you want chemical filtration. Skip the carbon, it's disposable, and if it's left in after it's done adsorbing chemicals, it can leach them back into the water, which defeats the purpose. I'd grab a 100 ml Purigen pillow for ~$8. Lasts for months, and if you want, you can recharge it with bleach (Seachem will have instructions you can use for that) and reuse it time and again. Personally, I've discovered I like the tannins, so I've pulled all of my Purigen pillows and replaced them with more biological media. I have driftwood, spider wood, alder cones, and even Indian almond leaves.

 

If you're worried about tannins (I presume the spider reference is to spider wood) then you want chemical filtration. Skip the carbon, it's disposable, and if it's left in after it's done adsorbing chemicals, it can leach them back into the water, which defeats the purpose. I'd grab a 100 ml Purigen pillow for ~$8. Lasts for months, and if you want, you can recharge it with bleach (Seachem will have instructions you can use for that) and reuse it time and again. Personally, I've discovered I like the tannins, so I've pulled all of my Purigen pillows and replaced them with more biological media. I have driftwood, spider wood, alder cones, and even Indian almond leaves.

Hey man I appreciate it! I'm gonna check that stuff out.. So tannins make the water a bit of a tanish color correct.. so I'm guessing you just enjoy the color? any pictures I'm just curious.

 

Yes, tannins make the water much browner. The humic acid that causes the color change is good for fish and inverts in that it's also got.... I think it's antibacterial or antifungal properties. I actually didn't think to take pictures when the tank was darker, and my 55 never got quite as dark, and I'm out of alder cones and IAL. I have some more coming soon (subscribe and save, FTW!) and when the tanks color up again, I'll take some pictures and post. My 55 never got dark, so I'm going to add more cones/leaves at a time than I had been, and my 10 was nicely colored, but have had some ammonia spikes after ghost shrimp deaths, and then adding embers to it, so I've been doing more water changes, and without anything to replace the tannins, the water's crystal clear again.

Also, don't put a lot of the tannin leaching stuff into the tank at one time. It can cause a drop in pH, and if you make a big enough drop, that can be harmful to your livestock.

 

Got some alder cones back in the 10, and I'm already seeing color changes. I'll gradually be adding more, and once it gets darkened up to where I want it, I'll post a picture.

 

Here are two pictures. I don't have the water as dark as I like yet, but here's a comparison of before water change, and after.
Before:


After: