carbon, Why use it

[chunmak]

I use active carbon in my tank as recomened by my lfs but i've tried not using it and there seems to be little or no change in the condition of the water or the fish.

So Why should i use carbon?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I think it's supposed to remove toxins from the water, this is why it should be removed during medication. However, I do not use it in any of my tanks and my water is grand!

HTH

 

[wuvmybetta]

I don't use carbon, only filter floss. Carbon is expensive and if you forget to remove/change it, it will leach toxins back into your tank,not good.

 

[guppymonkey]

Carbon can remove some toxins from the tank but it only works for a few days to a couple weeks at the most. After that it is pretty much useless. I only have carbon in my filters because they come preassembled with the carbon in them so I don't see the point in tearing them apart to take it out.

 

[Adrinal]

Short answer: carbon WORKS. the more advanced and larger the system carbon becomes more and more like... mmm say medicine... The less you have to use it the better and you can use it in a quick needed fix. There are lots of reasons for this and if you are really interested I am sure you will find them digging on the net


I never need carbon (now a days hehe) I never overstock and I always over filter...

 

[CFC]

I only use carbon if i have had to treat the tank with a medication and have finished the course, other than that there is no reason to use carbon if you have a well established biological filter.

 

[ryan]

This is the way I understand it-Carbon filter sponges remove chemical impurities from the water or at least lower them. Fish in the wild live in water inaffected by chemicals that humans use but our fish live in the water we use which is treated with several chemicals which can affect the fishes immune system.

I use a Carbon filter in my two largest freshwater tropical tanks.

 

[CFC]

Carbon also strips essential minerals from the water over time causing poor plant growth and weakened immune systems in the fish.

 

[ryan]

Do you think I should remove my Carbon filter sponge from my tanks then. I have always been advised to have them below they debris removing sponge and above the first sponge to develop bacteria.

 

[CFC]

I presume you are talking about the juwel filtration system? If so then my advise is rip the dam thing out altogether and replace it with a decent external, i found the juwel filters to be absolute rubbish since they trap a lot of dirt in the casing which cannot be removed for cleaning, next time you do a water change remove all the media and push the hose into the bottom of the filter casing, you will be disgusted at the ammount of gunk that you can suck out This trapped gunk causes the nitrates in the tank to rise to dangerously high levels and impairs the filters performance.

As for the carbon when i used the juwel fliters i didnt bother with the carbon and doubled up on the white floss pad.

 

[reg2k2]

As above, it can remove toxins, so I've always used it, as a safeguard if nothing else.
Also, older tanks can develop a yellow tinge to the water...carbon removes this as well.

But then, I have no live plants...

ryan, the debris-removing sponge sh. be the first sponge?
If you keep it, it should come after the debris-removing media....so the 'pores' don't get clogged too quick.

 

[Shizat]

Carbon actually does 2 things

1. It removes any abnormal colors from the water that you may get.
2. It removes odors from the tank which can often smell really foul.

 

[rbcxpeter]

i was once informed that carbon lowers nitrite. Is this true?

 

[chunmak]

nah carbon donsn't remove nitrate