Topic: Carbon Question

[supaoopa]

Don't use it in any of my tanks except my 29 gal since i run a Penquin 330.  The filter cartiges come this carbon inside them, and i never bother to take it out.  It helps to keep my water from getting too yellow from all the driftwood i have in it.  

[eutopiandream]

i use carbon in all 4 of my tanks.  but i am still a little new (1 1/2 yrs in the hobby).  does anybody use some other type of media in place of the carbon?  what type of chem filtration do you use, or do you just use mechanical and biological?

[fruitcake]

Most of us use mechanical and biological only. If we have a problem and medicate the water sometimes we use carbon to remove the medicine to me its a waste of money except to remove medicine you don't really need it.

[eutopiandream]

is it true that if you leave the carbon bag in the filter after it wears out or loses its chemical activity that it will allow for more beneficial bacteria to grow essentially expanding bio filtration.

[Frisckey1]

Carbon in the filter does give a greater surface area for bacterial colonization.  The adsorbtion quality does go down, after about a week, most pre-filled carbon filters are spent.  If you replace with high quality activated carbon, rumor is its good for no more than a month - though I have no studies or evidence of it, just frequenting message boards and talking to a bio chemist.  I'd think he'd have a clue, right?

[platoslostdialogue]

I also heard someone say on this board that after a few weeks the carbon actually starts releasing some of the s...tuff that its supposed to be taking out.  Next time I clean my filters I'm just gonna get rid of it.  Seems to be more trouble than its worth, though my family members swear by it (my dad likes to fill the bio bags with LOTS of carbon).

[beakiebean]

I'm currently using it because I've got about 3 extra filter pads for my bio-wheel to use up and cutting it out of their pads would be a PITA. After I get these used up though I'm going to starting making my own filter pads. I know-very DIY but I'm giving it a shot-I don't think I can screw it up too badly.

[Frisckey1]

I also heard someone say on this board that after a few weeks the carbon actually starts releasing some of the s...tuff that its supposed to be taking out.  Next time I clean my filters I'm just gonna get rid of it.  Seems to be more trouble than its worth, though my family members swear by it (my dad likes to fill the bio bags with LOTS of carbon).

This can happen, but my understanding is it would take a serious PH shift to make conditions appropriate for this to happen.  So THIS I wouldn't worrry about.

[biologist101]

So do you guys just knock out the chemical filt completely?

[fruitcake]

I do I just take the carbon out and I don't use it at all unless my water smells funny or I need to remove medicine.