# Black dust coming out of new filter?



## DragonPenguin (Mar 1, 2016)

So, I've installed a new filter into my 10 gallon aquarium, and I've noticed that there are some small patches of black dust at the bottom of my aquarium. I can't get any good pictures of it, but it almost looks like charcoal.

First off, I will admit this: I probably didn't rinse the filter well enough before installing it into the aquarium. My mistake. I'm quite a newbie.

It's probably carbon, right? If so, is it dangerous for my fish to be in there with it? I've been sucking it off of the bottom of the tank whenever I see it with a turkey baster, but it's probably still floating around in the water... What should I do?


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Sounds like the carbon filter pad, turn off filter and carefully remove the carbon portion and inspect it for any rips, if there is a rip you may want to consider not use the carbon. If no rip I'd go ahead and giving it a quick rinse just for the heck of it while its out before putting filter back together. 
DO a water change and siphon the black stuff (carbon dust) off your substrate, fill up tank and start up filter again.
I personally don't use carbon as I keep live plants and dose ferts (carbon would absorb ferts so plants don't get all of it). Also carbon is not a great place for the beneficial bacteria to grow no. Foam/sponge and bio/ceramic media is better.


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## DragonPenguin (Mar 1, 2016)

Thank you for your help.

I don't see any obvious tears in the pad, but carbon certainly appears to be seeping through the material. What a shame.

Would I need to buy a whole new filter in order to switch to a different type of media? I do want to have some live plants down the road (like those betta buddy moss balls sold in stores), and I don't want the carbon to harm them. 

Will I need to do a full water change, or just a percentage? Thanks, again!


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

There's always dust when you get a new package and it takes a couple rinses but there's no reason to throw it out if you want to continue to use it for a while still. Even if it doesn't come fully clean after rinsing, it would be okay to use it from there. The important part is just to get rid of the bigger particles, the smaller ones don't hurt anything at all and you shouldn't even notice them. The carbon doesn't harm anything at all but it does wear out quickly (carbon, not the pad it comes in). You can always buy some aquarium sponge and cut a piece to fit into the filter behind the pad if there's room. Or you can switch over to all sponge if you want, either way, it's not wrong and it won't hurt anything. Bacteria will still accumulate inside the filter and on the pad with carbon.


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## DragonPenguin (Mar 1, 2016)

Oh, okay. The particles don't seem to be large, but since the aquarium is gravel-less, the dust that is accumulating at the bottom of the tank is quite noticeable. Perhaps it would not be if it had gravel to hide under. 

As long as the dust isn't going to be harmful to my fish, then I'd like to continue using it for a little while, at least. It's a little hard for me to get out to the store very frequently. So, it may be a few days until I am able to buy an aquarium sponge. I'll rinse the pad again and continue clearing up what gathers at the bottom of the tank. Hopefully that will be fine for now.

Many thanks! c:


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## DragonPenguin (Mar 1, 2016)

Sorry for double posting. 

I've purchased a pack of Fluval filter foam, cut out a strip of it, and shoved it between the original carbon filter pad and where the water comes out in order to stop the carbon from seeping through. Do you think that this is okay? Does it look like a good setup? c:


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## ThatFishThough (Jan 15, 2016)

If you want, you can just take out the entire white filter part, and replace it with the foam. :3


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## DragonPenguin (Mar 1, 2016)

I tried that originally, but I couldn't get it to fit into the blue "holder" thing, and I wasn't sure if I could go without that portion (the holder). If I can, then I'm not sure if I have enough foam to do that anymore since I cut it up. Darn.

Is the carbon filter bag really bad, or will this work until I can buy some more foam (if it can go without the holder)? 

I'm sorry for all of my newbie questions. heh


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Carbon media isn't bad at all! It can be quite beneficial to a cloudy tank or one that smells. As we stated before, it isn't totally useful all the time since the carbon does get used up fairly quickly depending on how dirty the water was. It does have to be replaced often if it's dirty. Foam and bio-max/ceramic rings are the most beneficial for bacteria to accumulate on.


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## DragonPenguin (Mar 1, 2016)

Oh, okay. Thank you so much for all of the information and help!


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