Cheap carbon pads for eheim classic

eli2k

Just curious if anyone had tips for getting cheaper carbon pads for this filter. Did you buy bulk, square pads, and cut them down? Thanks.

1077

Carbon such as that found in cartridges, pads ,given no more than is there..are only effective for maybe two week's, and then the carbon is way less effective.
Were it me,,I would purchase another of the coarse blue pads for the classic, and do away with the carbon altogether.

AbbeysDad

I think 1077 is being optimistic - carbon impregnated pads aren't effective very long at all. If you want to use carbon, use a fair amount (I like bagged activated carbon) and stick to regular pads or floss.

Also, if you use activated carbon, you really don't need it all the time...more like once a month or every other month or when the water is colored or smells.

eli2k

I see. In the old days when I had a hang-on-back filter, the pad you replaced consisted of coarse mesh filter and the activated carbon. I think I'll stick with the regular coarse/fine pads!

AbbeysDad

Even still today, many cartridge filters use pads that have a sprinkling of activated carbon inside. Frankly the volume of activated carbon in most of these is pointless in the average tank. Activated carbon adsorbs impurities and this ability is exhausted once the carbon fills with 'stuff'. A small amount of carbon isn't going to be effective for very long at all. So it's not that this small amount of carbon is bad...just that it's not very good. If you have this type of filter, the cartridge can be used for a very long time - basically until the filter mesh is falling apart....but the carbon was only effective for a week or so.