Carbon in my bio wheel

[mr.wen]

I have two penguin bio wheel filters for my 75 gal that I'm getting ready for my discus tank. The filter
Pads for these filters have carbon in them and from what I read here on this site it says not to use carbon. what do I put in the filter if I can't use carbon?

[Sean Buehrle]

Carbon doesn't hurt discus.

My opinion on your filters is that the filter pads are worthless and shouldn't be used.

Your bio wheels in my opinion are good bio filters and the filter itself adds oxygen to your tank from surface agitation so thats a good thing.

I use the same type filters and like them but the pads in my opinion are just a toilet trap running good clean water over rotting food and poop.

Daily water changes and siphoning the bottom take care of your mechanical filtration so I would hang onto them when you have a use for carbon.
I also use sponge filters.

Jmo

Good luck :)

[Keith Perkins]

If I'm using external filtration on a tank I always use prefilters to keep the nasties Sean is describing out of it for the most part. I've used pads like your describing with nothing in them as a good places for biological filtration. Just another approach.

[Eddie]

Skip the carbon, make a better filter.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?76945-Turbo-Powered-350-Penguin&highlight=Eddie

[chrisb01]

I do something similar to post #4. I use the pad for two or three weeks with the carbon in it. Then I brake down the pad, take out the carbon; but I use quilt batting (doubled), I glue it to the frame with GE 100% silicon type 1. You need to wait 48 to 72 hours for the silicon to cure before you use it, but I have plenty of those frames to always have some already made filter pads. In fact, at least once a week I sit down at my dinning table and make a whole bunch. Since I have a few tanks.

I also always run water through the pad for a little while before putting it in the filter.

[JEC11718]

I use hot glue instead of silicon

[mr.wen]

Thanks so much awesome ideas. Think I might try #4 where do I get that sponge.

[Eddie]

Thanks so much awesome ideas. Think I might try #4 where do I get that sponge.

Its poret foam from Hans.