HOB Filter While Medicating?

[WDE15]

Hi everyone!

I've been having issues with ick for the last 2 weeks on some Corydoras that I purchased. I purchased Ick-X and have been following the directions, changing my water 30% daily prior to applying the product. I was wondering why I have not seen improvement with my fish at this point. I think I found the culprit. I use a HOB filter (Marineland Emperor 280) with the Marineland filter cartridges. Little did I realize that the cartridges themselves have carbon on the back which completely ruins the Ick-X. I am very hesitant to remove the filter cartridge entirely and lose all of my beneficial bacteria. Has anyone run into a similar issue? What do you do with a filter like this when you have to apply meds to your tank? 

Thank you!

Edited January 16, 2021 by WDE15

[Dawn T]

My HOBs are... well... "hotrod" as Cory calls it. I removed the cartridges (which hold very little beneficial bacteria anyway given such limited space) and filled the compartment with coarse filter sponge. WAY more room for beneficial bacteria.

If you have coarse filter sponge on hand, you can do that, too. To keep the bacteria already established on your cartridge, you could simply cut the filter pad portion away and insert it back into the filter along with the new sponge. That way you don't lose what beneficial bacteria you do have on it. Throw away the carbon, of course.

In a pinch, you could do that with any filter media you might have on hand. It doesn't have to be sponges. Filter floss, bioballs, anything of that nature could work. Of course, sponge or something like bioballs gives you a permanent bacteria bed.

[Dawn T]

Here's Cory's video on what I talked about above.

 

[WDE15]

Wow, that's a great idea and thank you for sending me the video from Cory. I'll definitely be implementing this. Thank you!

[Dawn T]

You're welcome. 🙂

[FrozenFins]

Heres what I did when medicating for ich:

-I removed the cartridge and put in a bucket of dirty tank water. I put food in it every day or so to keep the beneficial bacteria alive.

-I didn't feed till the third or fourth day to keep that amonia down

-I dosed the reccomended dose EVERY DAY.

-I did a waterchange on the 3rd and 5th and 6th day

It is important to note that I kept my filter on to have a source of oxygen. Many dont do that but I did.