Filter Media

[OldMan47]

That is almost it GrumpySteve. The carbon might also adsorb nitrites and release the chlorine. It is why carbon ends up with a reputation for releasing what has already been adsorbed. It doesn't just happen but a carbon bed entirely consumed by a single chemical will inevitably release some of that in order to reach a new equilibrium. How much it would release depends mostly on the original chemical and the new one and how well each is attracted to the carbon. The one more strongly attracted to the carbon will be the main one tied to it when equilibrium is reached. I do not have a set of tables in front of me so please don't try to ask what will replace what on a carbon adsorber.
The thing is that the exchange takes place over a fairly long time so you could indeed use carbon impregnated sponge as a permanent biological filter.

 

[grumpysteve]

i think i over simplified my explanation by saying if it was only chlorine in the water..... but i get it.
do you think heating up a carbon sponge in a pan of water would release everything thats been adsorbed, therefore making it reusable?
if so that would be a brilliant money saving tip, and would mean that economically there wouldn't be a reason to not use carbon in a fish tank

sorry we went a bit off topic here! just thought some of this would be useful information for everyone

 

[Deleted member 55926]

sorry we went a bit off topic here! just thought some of this would be useful information for everyone

Yeah, it's no problem. It has been interesting to read and there have been some very helpful posts regarding my original post.

 

[OldMan47]

Nothing that is safe to use with a sponge will regenerate the carbon that it has been impregnated with. The sponge will be completely destroyed long before the carbon is hot enough to release all of its adsorbed materials. That takes several hundred degrees F to happen, definite sponge melt down temperatures.

 

[Deleted member 55926]

I have 2 carbon pads that came with my Juwel tank(s). Is the conclusion of this thread that I shouldn't use them if I wanted to get rid of the water staining from the wood? Anyway, the tannins are good, right? Would they help keep my water pH down slightly (at least for a while)?

 

[OldMan47]

There is nothing wrong with having tannins n the water in small amounts. As with anything, we should not allow a build of any chemical to extreme levels, but by the time the tannins became a problem, you would have trouble seeing the fish. If you want to use the carbon sponges, go ahead and do it. They won't cause any harm. One of the uses of carbon is to remove tannins. The only problem you run into is that the place where you have the carbon sponges needs to leave you plenty of room for other media to build your beneficial bacteria. Until you are cycled and the filter has a chance to mature somewhat, you w8ill not want to remove any of the media, not even the carbon sponge. All media holds some part of the bacterial colony.