[BoxxerBoyDrew]

Hey Everyone!

I have a question that might sound dumb, but I thought I would ask it anyway as it wouldn't be the first time I asked a dumb question and it probably won't be the last! :iamwithst

I have 3 mesh bags of carbon that Fluval puts out to fit in the 205/206 series canister filters. I used them in the filter for 2 DAYS, over a YEAR AGO when I was trying to cure my Swordtails of Columnaris, after treating the tank with Seachem's Kanaplex. When I realized I was going to have to retreat the tank I pulled the carbon out, and rinsed them in R/O water, then hung them in the "fish closet" to dry and there they have been.

While cleaning the closet yesterday and looking for something else I saw them there, and got to thinking if I would be able to use them again in A DIFFERENT TANK SINCE they have been dry for so long???:icon_ques If you don't know the Columnaris was a BA$^@&D of a disease and I fought it for over a year in that Swordtail Colony and I finally had to put down the entire group because I couldn't get rid of it!!!:crying: So I DO NOT WANT TO get it in another tank by using the carbon IF there is a chance of it!

I just hate to throw away $12 worth of product when I used it for 2 days!!! Being disabled and on a fixed income you have to make everything last as long as you can, BUT it will not be worth getting ANY OTHER FISH SICK to save $12!!!


SO THANK YOU in advance for any advice Yall can offer!!!

Take Care,
Drew

 

[roadmaster]

I would toss it, just to keep me from wondering.

 

[lksdrinker]

I would toss it, just to keep me from wondering.

I agree. No point in risking it even if it does seem almost impossible for anything to still be there. The price of new carbon is much cheaper than having to replace everything in your tank.

 

[Nordic]

Buy a large bag full and store in a plastic tub that seals well to keep airborne contaminants out. You can make your own pouches as needed.

throw the old carbon into your flower beds.

 

[ktownhero]

The good news is you don't have to worry about reusing it, because using it in the first place is unnecessary

 

[jeffkrol]

First, I'd never use anything exposed to disease bacteria (well certain tools ect. could be "sterilized"), regardless of how "old" it is.
Second, as stated above, I feel carbon is unnecessary unless you are trying to clear "meds" from a tank, and a few asst. chemicals
Third carbon used strictly to capture gasses can be reused w/ proper baking out (degassing) but not as relevant for an aquarium.

carbon can be reactivated depending on the substance it was in contact with. Often it involves drying and baking but in aquarium it gets plugged and coated with solid materials (bacteria colonies, poo, etc.). Baking will not be sufficient nor cost effective in aquarium use.

In your case 2 days wouldn't really apply (much) but see 1 and 2..

 

[BoxxerBoyDrew]

Thanks for the input Everyone!!!

I was thinking the same thing about it being it was exposed to the bacteria, and it was the vicious strain of Columnaris that I was unable to kill with many different types of meds!!! It is just I HATE being wasteful!!! And using $15 with tax of product for 2 days and trashing it when on an VERY TIGHT FIXED INCOME is something that is hard to swallow, at least for me!!! 12 years ago when I made $4,000-$6,000 a month bring home plus my wives income, I still would have griped about doing it, because I was raised not to waste anything, but it would have been trashed without question! Skip forward to today and I bring home less than 1/4th of what I was, then add multiple prescriptions and monthly Dr. bills and it is more like 1/6th! So I MUST make my pennies count!!! Don't get me wrong I am HAPPY to be getting anything, but it just doesn't go very far!!!

I don't run carbon in my filters on a normal running tank! But like I was saying I was cleaning out the fish closet and ran across them, so I figured I would ask about using them now or trash them to get them out of the way so I wouldn't forget where they came from and reuse them and cause problems at a later date!

So AGAIN THANKS for all of the help, and TAKE CARE!!!
Drew

 

[psyflyjohn]

As Ben Franklin would say, "Don't be penny wise and pound foolish". Toss it...