Should I change my activated carbon filter or not?

[Parfitt1234]

Hello!

 

So I now successfully have a new tank with two Darwin clownfish and a couple chromis which is doing really well! I’m doing a water change tomorrow and just a quick question about my filter. I still have my old filter sponges attached to my new filter and the new activated carbon cartridge was introduced to the new tank around 2-3 weeks ago. 
 

shall I replace the big activated carbon filter cartridge tomorrow or would I just been throwing away a load of BB. I’ve had problems with the tank and now that every thing is fine: 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 40 nitrate, I don’t want to mess everything up. 
 

I will attach pictures of the new filter cartridge so you can see. 
hopefully this makes sense.

 

thanks 

[seabass]

How big is the tank?  If that's an undersized filter, I'd probably change out the activated carbon.

[Parfitt1234]

It’s a 105L tank. It’s quite a decent size actually (the filter) which probably doesn’t show on the pictures

[seabass]

That's cool.  Can we get a pic of the tank?

 

About the media, it won't matter that much either way.  I'm kind of a fan of activated carbon, although I don't always run it.  After two weeks you might assume it's shot, but either way you choose should be fine.

[Parfitt1234]

Yeah sure. Ok I’ll keep it in till next week maybe. I just don’t want to mess the tank up seeing that I had problems! 
 

 

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Parfitt1234 said:

Yeah sure. Ok I’ll keep it in till next week maybe. I just don’t want to mess the tank up seeing that I had problems! 
 

 

Nice tank! Are those live corals?

[Tired]

I guarantee you those are fake plastic corals. Though the ones on the right are kinda cool.

 

All your BB should be in your live rock. Filter cartridges are a comparatively tiny amount of surface area for them to live on.

 

Your nitrates are a bit high. Most people shoot for under 20, though some have success at or slightly over that number. Good thing you're doing that water change, and you'll probably want to try and keep them below that number in future.

[Parfitt1234]

Yes I have some fake corals but I do have a live one aswell!

 

and yeah I only added the chromis a few days ago so that’s why I waited a bit for the water change 

[Parfitt1234]

I’m going to replace the fake ones with real ones over time 

[TerraIncognita]

changing out carbon will reduce your Params. That filter is growing nothing but algae, there may be SOME BB living in that filter, but the amount of waste, and detriment in that filter I'm sure greatly out-weighs the BB.

 

Don't remove Biomedia, early in the game and if you do later do it gradually. BioMedia is anything in your tank in which you have Beneficial Bacteria Growing (also known as BB) Rock, sand mainly (Or there will be Bioballs, or Biospheres, or bio rings they are ceramic and rock like and are porous) any Biomedia is going to be porous rock type.

 

Those cute plastic plants as well while they look great now. In 6 months will be covered in Algae, or Coraline. With Saltwater, it's hard to keep anything in your tank that's not ALIVE other than rock and sand.

 

Unwanted growth like Algae, and Pests will grow on other things like plastic. I think it's because there is NOTHING else on the plastic organism besides the algae. For example on rock you have ALL kinds of bacteria, and animals fighting for the nutrients, but with Plastic, the only thing fighting for the nutrients is pests and algae. Which is why the GIANT floating Plastic Island the size of texas is in the ocean. The Ocean + Plastic = no no.

 

Again you're not causing any harm. But why have plastic plants if they're not helping anything in that tank, and potentially making a landing pad for problems.

 

I recommend however you go to any LFS and try to get someone to help you figure out a better filtration system for this tank. If you want to keep any fun and large amount of real living animals in here (including coral, they're animals and alive, they're not rocks or minerals grouped together, they're actual animals) the filtration will have to be a lot better.

 

You can even custom make this nice tank into an AIO with some Acryllic and Silicone and some handyman knowledge and tools.

 

I personally am against HOB's in Saltwater, but that's just me. Otherwise enjoy your tank! But yes, if your carbon filter looks like that change it. realize the way your filter is working is it's using that filter floss and carbon in 1 go. meaning as it goes through the filter floss it hits the carbon and you get a dual effect.

 

That filter floss should be changed weekly or minimally bi-weekly. the carbon is just an added bonus.

If you did change it every week though I imagine actually that you could maintain a pretty low nutrient system as you'd be removing a LOT of detriment all the time. Might not be ideal for long term SPS or certain LPS due to nutrient issues, but your fish will be happy!

 

This is the pro and cons of HOB filter, either too much or too little filtration. Hard to get "just enough"

 

With all that said, with your current bio load I don't see an issue. But in another post of yours you said you already lost a few fish, and I can guarantee you it's because of your filtration system.

[Tamberav]

FYI...the chromis might die one by one. They generally start to slowly pick each other off in captivity....it is difficult to keep them schooling or getting along long term in our tanks...even large tanks.

 

It is also a pretty big bioload on the tank so it might be a blessing.

[Parfitt1234]

31 minutes ago, TerraIncognita said:

changing out carbon will reduce your Params. That filter is growing nothing but algae, there may be SOME BB living in that filter, but the amount of waste, and detriment in that filter I'm sure greatly out-weighs the BB.

 

Don't remove Biomedia, early in the game and if you do later do it gradually. BioMedia is anything in your tank in which you have Beneficial Bacteria Growing (also known as BB) Rock, sand mainly (Or there will be Bioballs, or Biospheres, or bio rings they are ceramic and rock like and are porous) any Biomedia is going to be porous rock type.

 

Those cute plastic plants as well while they look great now. In 6 months will be covered in Algae, or Coraline. With Saltwater, it's hard to keep anything in your tank that's not ALIVE other than rock and sand.

 

Unwanted growth like Algae, and Pests will grow on other things like plastic. I think it's because there is NOTHING else on the plastic organism besides the algae. For example on rock you have ALL kinds of bacteria, and animals fighting for the nutrients, but with Plastic, the only thing fighting for the nutrients is pests and algae. Which is why the GIANT floating Plastic Island the size of texas is in the ocean. The Ocean + Plastic = no no.

 

Again you're not causing any harm. But why have plastic plants if they're not helping anything in that tank, and potentially making a landing pad for problems.

 

I recommend however you go to any LFS and try to get someone to help you figure out a better filtration system for this tank. If you want to keep any fun and large amount of real living animals in here (including coral, they're animals and alive, they're not rocks or minerals grouped together, they're actual animals) the filtration will have to be a lot better.

 

You can even custom make this nice tank into an AIO with some Acryllic and Silicone and some handyman knowledge and tools.

 

I personally am against HOB's in Saltwater, but that's just me. Otherwise enjoy your tank! But yes, if your carbon filter looks like that change it. realize the way your filter is working is it's using that filter floss and carbon in 1 go. meaning as it goes through the filter floss it hits the carbon and you get a dual effect.

 

That filter floss should be changed weekly or minimally bi-weekly. the carbon is just an added bonus.

If you did change it every week though I imagine actually that you could maintain a pretty low nutrient system as you'd be removing a LOT of detriment all the time. Might not be ideal for long term SPS or certain LPS due to nutrient issues, but your fish will be happy!

 

This is the pro and cons of HOB filter, either too much or too little filtration. Hard to get "just enough"

 

With all that said, with your current bio load I don't see an issue. But in another post of yours you said you already lost a few fish, and I can guarantee you it's because of your filtration system.

Thanks I have just order an external filter (image attached)

 

so after time I will slowly get rid of the old filter

[TerraIncognita]

Mmmm.... Not to be rude I'm not sure if that will work???? Anyone else know of External Filters like this can work for Saltwater?

 

But why not make a sump if you're willing to expand it like that?

 

Watch this video.

 

 

 

It does not have be this big of a sump for that tank, but maybe a 5-10G Sump would be perfect! It's really easy to make if you understand basic working of plumbing and gravity.

[Tamberav]

Canister filters can work but they need to be cleaned more often in saltwater then freshwater....think weekly. It makes it a chore...which is why most don't use them.

 

I am not sure if what you are using now is a HOB or an internal filter (looks like internal?) but HOBs are generally the easiest and are successful for many. It is just 5 seconds to swap floss vs opening a canister once or twice a week.

 

Seachem tidal is really nice if you have those available?

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

Canister filters can work but they need to be cleaned more often in saltwater then freshwater....think weekly. It makes it a chore...which is why most don't use them.

 

I am not sure if what you are using now is a HOB or an internal filter (looks like internal?) but HOBs are generally the easiest and are successful for many. It is just 5 seconds to swap floss vs opening a canister once or twice a week.

 

Seachem tidal is really nice if you have those available?

I do agree, I have canisters for freshwater, and even though I only clean them every 2-3 months every time I do it takes multiple hours per, plus loosing all the water you have in the canister.

[Parfitt1234]

Well I have purchased the external filter now and I can’t change it unfortunately! But that surely must be better than my internal filter. After time if I find it a hassle I will purchase the HOB.

 

thanks for your help everyone