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strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 3:27 pm
by hammer
I added a new carbon sponge to my filter of my juwel rio 180 and it made the tank completely reak, and when i left it it still stank, any ideas what this could be?
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 7:27 pm
by bertie 83
This is a strange one. Maybe bad carbon? You don't need to use carbon, just keep up with water changes
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 7:29 pm
by Pufferpunk
I agree--with all the WC you'll be doing to keep up with ammonia/nitrite, you aren't going to need any carbon.
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 5:01 am
by hammer
ok I've removed it. done a 50% water change yesterday (in uk time) and I also added an ammonia remover, but I am planning to only add it in small doses and keep up water changes, after first water change and adding of ammonia remover the strange smell started to go so maybe it could have been the ammonia reacting with the carbon sponge or something. will do another 50% water change today. should I continue to add the treatment because the test results show ammonia is slightly lower or should I just do water changes? I fear that I may eventual run out of salt, have about 1/5 of tub left will that do?
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 5:04 am
by bertie 83
Do not use ammonia remover. It is the devil. Just waterchanges
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 7:56 am
by hammer
how is it 'the devil'? how bad is it?
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:19 am
by bertie 83
Additives like that can hinder your biological filtration. It is never good to add these additives to your aquarium.
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:26 am
by RTR
It all depends on how the "ammonia remover" works. If the ammonia remover locks ammonia into the ammonium ion form, it may be OK. The ammonium ion form is the one used by the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. and that is their energy source. Without that ammonium ion being present and available to your bacteria, your biofilter will die off or never establish.
HTH
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:58 am
by hammer
I am not sure it does not say, but it is called 'interpet ammonia remover' and it says it 'removes ammonia and chloramine'
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:27 pm
by Pufferpunk
Ammonia removers will prevent your tank from cycling. Use Prime to detoxify the ammonia.
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 5:46 pm
by hammer
do you know a website that I can get it from? I can't find it, also I noticed my puffer breathing quite heavily, do I have to do a water change now? 21:00 or can it wait till tommorow will the little guys life depend on it?
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 5:49 pm
by matt612
What are water readings
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 5:50 pm
by bertie 83
I would do it now to be safe. Prime can be purchased from most privately owned stores or ebay.
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 6:40 pm
by JRC3
bertie 83 wrote:Prime can be purchased from most privately owned stores or ebay.
Doesn't Amquel do the same thing in case Prime is unavailable to him?
Re: strange smell from carbon sponge
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 6:46 pm
by bertie 83
I have no experience with amquel so cant say either way im afraid