Should i take out the carbon now? Advice needed, thanks

[swallow1]

Hi guys,
My external filter got a tray that fill with carbon and i just heard from my friend that it should be taken out in a planted tank. ( been there for 2 months ). Can you guys advice me what should i replaced the carbon with or juz take out the carbon and leave the tray empty. Will
there be any effects?
Many thanks in advance.

[Aeon]

Take it out around 1 week after your biological filteration has established.

[vinz]

I've never started a tank using carbon and they turn out fine. IMO, you can take them out now.

You can leave the tray empty for now. Tell us whjat you have in the other trays, then we can tell you how to fill up the empty one. And which filter brand and model.

[swallow1]

I,m using a dolphin C1000 for my 3 ft tank and there are 3 tray in my external filter. The top tray is 1 black sponge and 1 white woolen sponge,
the 2nd tray is carbon and the bottom tray is ceramic rings.

[vinz]

Recommendations is like this:
- The bottom tray should be ceramic rings,
- The second tray more ceremic rings and the coarse filter pad on top of them.
- The top tray sintered glass topped with the white fine filter pad.

I am assuming the black pad is the coarse one?

[elmike]

Hi vinz


Would your recommendation apply also to internal filters? Like Juwel internal filtration systems? Mine has a carbon compartment which I'd replaced w a black sponge, but have always wondered if it would make any difference if I were to replace this w ceramic rings or bioballs. The thing is there's no box and I would have to find some fitting container if I really want to do that.

[swallow1]

Yes, the top tray black sponge is the coarse type.
BTW what is sintered glass ? Is it sold in LFS?

[fleekk]

[quote:010489c67f="elmike"]Hi vinz


Would your recommendation apply also to internal filters? Like Juwel internal filtration systems? Mine has a carbon compartment which I'd replaced w a black sponge, but have always wondered if it would make any difference if I were to replace this w ceramic rings or bioballs. The thing is there's no box and I would have to find some fitting container if I really want to do that.[/quote:010489c67f]

Hi Mike,

How are you, man.... How is the tank coming along.......?

Anyway, if you want to add in the ceramic rings, just get a netting, put in the rings, tied it, insert it between the coarse & fine sponge, as there is a gap available.

[vinz]

[quote:60a449a60e="swallow1"]Yes, the top tray black sponge is the coarse type.
BTW what is sintered glass ? Is it sold in LFS?[/quote:60a449a60e]

A form of glass that is opaque, and full of microscopic pores and channels which allow bacteria to colonise. Two branded ones on the market are BioHome and Ehiem EhfiSubstrate. Sintered glass offer very high surface area per volume, which makes them a very compact bio-filtration media.

[vinz]

[quote:18e0e15e2a="elmike"]Hi vinz


Would your recommendation apply also to internal filters? Like Juwel internal filtration systems? Mine has a carbon compartment which I'd replaced w a black sponge, but have always wondered if it would make any difference if I were to replace this w ceramic rings or bioballs. The thing is there's no box and I would have to find some fitting container if I really want to do that.[/quote:18e0e15e2a]

I'm not sure of the layout, but personally, if it's possible, I will replace some of the media with sintered glass.

Ceramic rings have another function in canister (and other appropriate)filters. They split the flow of water into multiple smaller and slower channels, and create eddies. The overal result is that larger deritus drop out of the current and settle to the bottom of the canister filter instead and moving forward and clogging the finer filter media.

As bio-filtration media, ceramic rings are not as compact as sintered glass. Similarly bioballs.