To use or not to use carbon

[sylvia]

Carbon removes a lot more than just ammonia and nitrIte. That's why it isn't reccomended for planted tanks - it takes out a lot of the nutrients and minerals plants need to grow healthily. When someone says carbon leeches chemicals back into the water, it just means that when the carbon is 'full' so to speak (it no longer reacts, it has reached the end of its 'lifespan') it stops taking in the various substances in the water and instead begins to leak stuff out. People keep carbon in their filters because it removes a lot of harmful stuff and excess nutrients but if they don't replace it regularly it, essentialy, has no effect after about 6 weeks. I personaly think carbon is only realy useful to remove meds from the water and personaly I don't use it at all as most fish meds are biodegradeable anyway so after a certain period of time they are broken down and pretty much 'disappear' and are undetectable and have no effect. Coupled with water changes, all traces of the meds would be gone after a very short time. The downside is that if you forget carbon in your filter and try to medicate, the meds are removed and have no effect - sometimes this can make the difference between life or death. Realy carbon is only necessary if you want to remove something from the water asap - for example if you think you may have sprayed something harmful near the tank and want to make sure some of that stuff isn't left in the tank. Obviously, carbon can't take care of this sort of problem alone under serious circumstances but it can help, with water changes, to elliminate anything dangerous and save the fish. As I said though, I don't think carbon is necessary on an everyday basis in most tanks but do have some handy in case you do need it.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Thanks for the info sylvia i'm glad i don't use carbon in my tanks, but i might consider getting some just to remove meds after i've treated my fish with them

 

[shuhu]

wow, I didn't knew that about taking away plants nutrients I have a couple, so I will use it only to remove the medication (couple of days) and remove it afterwards for the sake of the plants.

 

[tim_in_brighton]

Interesting reading, this. I have a little Jewul Rekord 60, with the usual Jewul filter box in the corner. I take it the second-to-top filter is a carbon one, as it's gritty and black. Can I just remove it and replace it with some other filter element? I'd like to help boost my plant growth best I can.


Cheers,
Tim

 

[gadazobe]

tim_in_brighton

I have a little Jewul Rekord 60, with the usual Jewul filter box in the corner. I take it the second-to-top filter is a carbon one, as it's gritty and black. Can I just remove it and replace it with some other filter element? I'd like to help boost my plant growth best I can


Yes you can - I have 2 juwel tanks - neither of them with carbon. Instead I have extra blue sponges.