I have 55 gallon Discus tank with 7 adult Discus. I just bought a canister filter that came with the following – Sponge – CarbonMax – Zeo Wonder – Spike Balls Mini. I have read that Carbon is bad for Discus and Cichilds and wonder what I might replace the CarbonMax with?
Carbon is not bad for any fish, although you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to. I have a discus and angel tank with carbon in my canister filter, and all is well. Discus require such large amounts of water to be changed so often that carbon usually isn’t necessary in their setups unless you just feel like using it.
You can replace the carbon with any other type of media, like sponges or the little bio-cylinders. Low quality carbon can introduce phosphates into your water which can sometimes cause algal blooms, but carbon has its merits in polishing off the water of other pollutants.
Replace it with more sponge media. This is all I use in my filters now, coarse foam and finer sponge because it works equally well as a biological and mechanical media.
Discus grow to 8 or even 10 inches and they don’t tolerate foul conditions in any way. With that kind of stocking you’d better take real good care of that tank. Discus really need much more water and room to thrive.
References :
Carbon is not bad for any fish, although you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to. I have a discus and angel tank with carbon in my canister filter, and all is well. Discus require such large amounts of water to be changed so often that carbon usually isn’t necessary in their setups unless you just feel like using it.
You can replace the carbon with any other type of media, like sponges or the little bio-cylinders. Low quality carbon can introduce phosphates into your water which can sometimes cause algal blooms, but carbon has its merits in polishing off the water of other pollutants.
References :
I agree with Ghapy, go with more sponge material in the filters.
References :
http://www.discusfishforbeginners.com