Carbon pads

[tuvok]

I am in the process of doing some troubleshooting and added a pice of carbon padding to my filter for a few days in a very lightly stocked tank. I took it out and set it aside in order to dose some meds. Can this carbon still be used for a few more days or do I have to use another piece? While I'm on the subject of carbon are the pads better/worse than the traditional activated carbon that looks like black gravel? Thanks for any input anyone can offer.

PS: I was going to search this forum for this topic but I think search is disabled for now. I apologise if this question has already been addressed.

[ergo sum]

Carbon can be useful at times. With that said I never use it. The big boxes work just as well but the tend to be dirtier. There is a lot of fine dust in them. Some where around here I have one that is about 10 years old. Somebody gave it to me. I can't remember the last time I had a use for it.

It can help take the meds out when you are done with them.

[rohnds]

Carbon and acivated carbon acts the same way by removing impurities from your water.
First, why are you using carbon? Answer to this question would help in better answering your question.

Rohn

[tuvok]

I was noticing what looks like flashing by my corydoras, before deciding to dose for parasites I was trying to see if there were alternate causes. I read a post on a different forum where someone had the same problem with his corydoras but noticed that the flashing was eliminated with carbon. I figured it was worth a shot before resorting to medication in case there was something affecting water quality other than nitrogenous waste pollution. I will also use the carbon when I am finished dosing the medication in order to help remove it from the water.