# Adding Carbon to an Eheim



## sailblue5 (Jun 4, 2004)

Hey everyone,

I bought an Eheim pro a couple weeks ago from a friend, but I didn't get the manual with it. It came with the bio and mechanical media. I have a couple questions that I needed help with.
1. I was thinking of adding carbon to the filter. How should I go about doing that? The filter is already filled with the other media, should I take some out?
2. DO I ever need to replace any of the media, and how often?

Thanks
Michael


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## turbomkt (Jun 9, 2004)

The only thing you have to replace should be the fine floss at the top. Everything else should be rinsed in tank water.

As for carbon, a fine mesh bag is the way to add it. It's up to you if you completely replace one type of media with it or if you just take out enough to make room.

Are you trying to remove meds? Other than that, I can't think of a reason to use carbon.


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## Daud (Jun 23, 2007)

Can somebody explain why Eheim is recommending replacing part of the bio medis after several months ?
I would say once colonized why to remove the media ?


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## riverrat (Jul 14, 2005)

Daud said:


> Can somebody explain why Eheim is recommending replacing part of the bio medis after several months ?
> I would say once colonized why to remove the media ?




Hmmmm maybe because they sell the media? I do not replace mine. I occasionally rinse it in tank water and reuse.


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## lawgman (Jul 30, 2007)

turbomkt said:


> Are you trying to remove meds? Other than that, I can't think of a reason to use carbon.


I presume you don't live with someone who hates the smell of aquariums. No matter how clean I keep the tank, and how many water changes I perfrom, fish + plants + warm water = an aquarium smell. My wife hates the smell. Carbon helps that big time.

Because I hate cracking open my canister filter unless I need to, I stuff an internal filter full of carbon pads that I cut to size. It only lasts 2-3 weeks but its much easier than adding carbon to my Eheim.


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## ohiofishguy (Aug 6, 2007)

I am in the process of setting up a 55gal tank and bought a eheim 2213, which came with a thin carbon pad. The instructions said to remove after 2-3 weeks. Since the pad is at the very top of the other filter media, removal will be easy after the tank has been set up a while. I concur with the prev. replies, if you feel you need to clean the media, rinse using tank water, (during a water change would be a good time) and reuse. Be careful not to kill your biological filter and cause your tank to re-cycle.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

lawgman said:


> I presume you don't live with someone who hates the smell of aquariums. No matter how clean I keep the tank, and how many water changes I perfrom, fish + plants + warm water = an aquarium smell. My wife hates the smell. Carbon helps that big time.
> 
> Because I hate cracking open my canister filter unless I need to, I stuff an internal filter full of carbon pads that I cut to size. It only lasts 2-3 weeks but its much easier than adding carbon to my Eheim.



I stopped using carbon awhile ago due to the fact it may be absorbing/removing the nutrients that I am dosing for the plants. So I removed it just to be safe and haven't experienced any fish odors coming from the tank. Or at least the wife doesn't complain of the tank smelling.:icon_bigg 

Brian


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## turbomkt (Jun 9, 2004)

lawgman said:


> I presume you don't live with someone who hates the smell of aquariums. No matter how clean I keep the tank, and how many water changes I perfrom, fish + plants + warm water = an aquarium smell. My wife hates the smell. Carbon helps that big time.


I don't know what the difference is, but with three tanks (55g, 50g and 10g) in one room, I don't have an aquarium smell.


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## Aqua Dave (Feb 23, 2004)

Carbon will remove fertilizers in the water so it's kind of counter productive to use it in a planted tank. I don't use any chemical filtration in my tank and don't have a bad smell. I do think planted tanks have a natural smell to them, but a bad smell indicates some sort of problem.

Some people use purigen or renew in their filters, which will not remove the fertilizers. They won't function as deodorizers, though.

David


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## LS6 Tommy (May 13, 2006)

riverrat said:


> Hmmmm maybe because they sell the media? I do not replace mine. I occasionally rinse it in tank water and reuse.


X2. I've only had my Eheim opened up three times since I got it. All I ever do is rinse the coarse & fine pads, rinse the Ehfimech with cold tap water, lightly rinse the Substrat Pro with tank water & reasssemble. 

Tommy <9))>>{


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## lawgman (Jul 30, 2007)

Aqua Dave said:


> Carbon will remove fertilizers in the water so it's kind of counter productive to use it in a planted tank. I don't use any chemical filtration in my tank and don't have a bad smell. I do think planted tanks have a natural smell to them, but a bad smell indicates some sort of problem.
> 
> Some people use purigen or renew in their filters, which will not remove the fertilizers. They won't function as deodorizers, though.
> 
> David


My tank does not have a bad smell, but it does have, as you call it, a natural smell. Very similar to a potted orchid plant we have that has no flower right now. My wife does not like the smell. Carbon pads help that. I compensate with the ferts.


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