Is carbon good for a tank?

[freshcichlid]

ok i have seen a lot of stores carry tubs of black carbon and someone said that you just add the pieces to your gravel and it helps get CO2 in the tank and helps plants grow?
what is the truth to this?

 

[zig]

Fact or myth? id say its a myth, ive never heard of this anyway, carbon is usually used in filters to polish your water, its a type of filtration that will remove toxins from the water, the carbon usually doesnt last very long as it gets saturated and needs to be replaced every month or so in an ordinary filter.

But for planted tanks carbon filters are not recommended, as they remove minerals or trace elements from the water that the plants require, so people with planted tanks will remove them and not use them at all.

 

[blackfinshark_3]

oh wow, i guess i should get rid of my carbon!