reusing HOB filter material

muse435

On my HOB TopFin filter there is no bio material, just the replaceable insert. Since there is a lot of bacteria on the filter insert i think it would be foolish to just through the whole thing away and put a new one in every month. Can I just dump the carbon out, rinse it in extra tank water, put loose carbon back into the insert, and reuse the old insert?

zof

I'll make it simpler for you, leave carbon in and just wash the whole insert in used tank water keep doing this until the insert falls apart or when after you wash the insert water in the filter can't pass through fast enough and has to bypass the insert. After that head to the pet store and buy the blue and white filter material for $4 and cut it to size of your insert and just use that since its basically the same thing minus the carbon that we don't need in the first place. But leave the carbon in the insert for right now since some of your bacteria will be on that.

muse435

ok.

my understanding is that the carbon helps remove the fishy smell and it was mostly for us not the fish, but i could be wrong.

DKRST

Agree, leave the carbon in, it's probably used up anyway but will provide a surface for beneficial bacteria! If your tank is well maintained with weekly water changes, you shouldn't get a fishy smell. Might smell "earthy", but not fishy!
The blue stuff's cheap and works very well!

zof

A fishy smell is a sign of a overstocked tank or not well maintained. Only had a hint smell of fishy in my tank once and that was due to neglect on my part. Have to remember alot of things they sell at the stores is to cover up neglect while profiting. Plus depending on the load most activated carbon will lose effectiveness after a couple of weeks.

muse435

I have never had a "fishy smell" from my aquarium, but i thought that it was b/c of the carbon. I will try your guys suggestions. How often should i rinse off the filter medium?

zof

Every other water change in drained tank water, unless it appears it needs it before.

AbbeysDad

+24 - yep, just rinse 'clean' in tank or conditioned water and reuse that cartridge till it's falling apart.

Tetra Guy

I used to use activated carbon also. Then these folks taught me I don't need it, so I stopped replacing it. I've been running without it for a while now, and there is no fishy smell. I get an earthy smell when I stick my nose in the tank, but its not an offensive smell, and I have to have my head practically in the tank to smell it. Biological, mechanical filtration is all I need.