ammonia absorbing charcoal

[zeo]

Hi,

I'm currently building an external filter for my fishes, based on a redesign on a smaller bases of an external bio filter i once bought for my fish pound.


anyway, I read somewhere about ammonia absorbing charcoal and was wondering if this was a special type of charcoal or would any charcoal work in the same way to lower the free ammonia in the water?

if it is a special type of charcoal can someone plz tell where i'd b able to get some, i'm from the uk london.

thx

 

[wetwetwet]

Hi Zeo,

There are products that remove ammonia or convert to a less harmful form.... - whether there's one that's charcoal based idk but wouldn't be surprised....

....but why do you need it? - biological filtration will take care of ammonia

Charcoal also has the problem that once full it can dump toxins/contaminants back into the water - probably only good for 4-6 weeks and so can become quite expensive to use...

 

[YngUrbanCMH]

Hagan makes an ammonia nitrifying insert for their aquaclear line. I've never used it though, I was afriad it would interfere with my complete bio filter developing and I'd be stuck always using it. You might be able to make it work it work in your filter.

 

[superman]

Keep in mind that if you remove the ammonia with means other than with your bacteria colony, you will actually be starving your bacteria colony and COULD send your tank into a cycle and harm your fish. The best thing to do in most cases is too let your bacteria colony take care of taking ammonia out of your water.

 

[minh]

well if your tank is new then obviously you should await for the bacterias that help reduce amonium levels to form... if you are in a situation where a few fishes die then its best to cut back on your fishes... maybe get a friend to look after some.

RIP

 

[zeo]

Minh... allow being a knob

sorry i know the guy personally, (hence him stating 'friend')