I am currently treating my 55 gallon tank for ich. I took out the filter pads since the directions on the meds said to remove charcoal from the tank. In all, I took out four. I didn't want to lose the bacteria living on them, so I put them in very shallow water (only halfway covers them) and have been putting a little fish food in thinking maybe it will give the bacteria something to feed off of as it decomposes. Is this going to work, or am I just wasting my time?
Wasting my time?
- Thread starter vaheelsfan
- Start date
yeah that will work. If you are only treating the tank for ich, and it's only for about a week, your bacteria cultures will be fine. There is not really much need for the fish food, but it's not a problem either. May I ask which ich treatment you are using that requires you to remove your bacteria cultures??
Quick Cure. I don't have to remove the bacteria, but the carbon. Since that's in the filter pads, I had to take them out.
I see, okay, yeah it will be fine. your Bacteria will survive a long time without being in the tank, it won't need much in terms of "food" as long as it is not for a long, long period of time. It can last months as long as it is wet.
iF your pads weren't changed recently, you should even be fine with them in for now. The last thing you want are stressed fish AND ich. That'll only make it harder for them to recover.
Charcoal loses its effectiveness after a month or so, sometimes a little shorter, sometimes a little longer. If they're older cartridges the carbon is probably useless at this point.
Or, you could try cutting the carbon sections out of the filters. Normal tank operations dont' need carbon and you can always add fresh (active) carbon after you're done treating to remove the meds.
The pads need oxygen or what you're doing won't work.
Charcoal loses its effectiveness after a month or so, sometimes a little shorter, sometimes a little longer. If they're older cartridges the carbon is probably useless at this point.
Or, you could try cutting the carbon sections out of the filters. Normal tank operations dont' need carbon and you can always add fresh (active) carbon after you're done treating to remove the meds.
The pads need oxygen or what you're doing won't work.
Agree with Leopardess completely. The carbon will affect the medication minimally if it's been in the tank for 4 - 6 weeks or more.
If you decide to keep the pads out, fill the container up so that the pads are submerged completely and change the water daily to keep the bacteria viable.
It probably tells you to raise the temp in the tank while medicating. ICH does not like warm water. ICH also usually stays in the water after the first round of meds. have exhausted themselves, so I would re-dose when the original runs out.
Once you've replaced the old carbon with fresh stuff, let it run it's course and clean up the meds., and then you can go with just filter pads/sponges. Charcoal is useful for removing meds., but not at all necessary in the normal course of events. In fact it can be detrimental if left in the filter too long.
Len
If you decide to keep the pads out, fill the container up so that the pads are submerged completely and change the water daily to keep the bacteria viable.
It probably tells you to raise the temp in the tank while medicating. ICH does not like warm water. ICH also usually stays in the water after the first round of meds. have exhausted themselves, so I would re-dose when the original runs out.
Once you've replaced the old carbon with fresh stuff, let it run it's course and clean up the meds., and then you can go with just filter pads/sponges. Charcoal is useful for removing meds., but not at all necessary in the normal course of events. In fact it can be detrimental if left in the filter too long.
Len
"In fact it can be detrimental if left in the filter too long."
Yup. What happens is that new carbon is active. It actively sucks out old medications, organic wastes and other goodies that are often present in tanks. Over time, it loses its effectiveness. As a result, it leaches back out the junk that it had collected over time...and can cause fairly hefty build ups of all those things you didn't want in there in the first place
Yup. What happens is that new carbon is active. It actively sucks out old medications, organic wastes and other goodies that are often present in tanks. Over time, it loses its effectiveness. As a result, it leaches back out the junk that it had collected over time...and can cause fairly hefty build ups of all those things you didn't want in there in the first place