# activated carbon?



## George W (Sep 19, 2006)

Do you use in 24/7 in your planted tank, occasionally or not at all?


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Not at all, removes needed nutrients from the water. Can be used on occasions to remove medication or clear water.


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Jun 12, 2006)

dont use it on my "planted" tank. dont ue it on any of my cichlid tanks either.

have noticed that when i use carbon on my tanks the develop a pond like smell that isnt there when its not used.

I do use it for medcine removal occasionly, but prefer to loose the unwanted compouds by my regular 50-75% weekly wc


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## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

i dont use it at all


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## banderbe (Nov 17, 2005)

Read the Aquatic Plant Digest list.

The claim that activated carbon takes needed nutrients out of the water has been debated many times and to my knowledge still has not been shown conclusively to do so.

Even folks who believe activated carbon harms a planted tank use it when setting one up for the first few weeks.

I think what you'll find though is that you don't need it in a healthy planted tank.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I agree with Banderbe, you'll definately find that you can do without the carbon in a planted aquarium. I don't use it because after a month, you'll have to replace it. One less cost in aquarium budget.

-John N.


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## evercl92 (Aug 14, 2006)

agreed - I dont use it. Heck, I don't use any filtration, except a piece of thin cloth to catch solids (leaves and such)... no bioballs, biomedia, ceramic media, etc...


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Haven't used it in years on any tanks, planted or African.


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## nswhite (Aug 25, 2006)

I only use mine when I'm trying to take medication out of the water.


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## aquariageek (May 27, 2006)

I don't use it either. I put a piece of filter floss over the plastic frame of an old Penguin Carbon filter (sans carbon) in my HOB. It works pretty well for mechanical filtration and the plants take care of the biological.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Well, I'll be different here. I use it in 3 of my 4 tanks regularly, but not at all in the 4th. I keep getting tanins leached into my water despite the tanks being set up for over a year and I don't like my water getting really dark. Weak tea is ok, strong tea is not.  I also have a little trouble with the "moderate to lightly stocked" part of NPT,  so in part it's insurance.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Since I haven't used Carbon in a while, how often are you guys (those that use carbon) replacing it? I'm thinking about using some to irmprove water clarity degraded by driftwood tannins.

-John N.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

I replace mine every 4 to 6 weeks or so. I'm not on a strict regiment about it.


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## caymandiver75 (Sep 7, 2006)

I have the Fluval 305 that contains the following:
* 4 Foam Pads
* 3 x 70g Polybag of Carbon
* 3 x 150g Polybag of BioMax

Are you guys saying I don't need to use the Carbon bags? Or is there a difference with normal carbon and activated carbon?


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## bigmark (Sep 8, 2006)

I have a Fluval 204, and I still use the carbon. My 204 has a place for carbon, ceramic, and one empty. The empty I fill with filter floss, and put it on the bottom. I have the carbon in the middle, and the ceramic in the top. After a month my water was still crystal clear, and when I serviced the filter you would not believe what the filter floss and the bag for the carbon looked like. It was no wonder the HOB I had before this could not keep the tank clear. 

I am very happy using the carbon, and the plants are not showing any signs of doing anything except growing like crazy. I have a Banana plant (real name not known, would like to know what it is called though) it's leaves are doubled, and now as of yesterday there is a shoot that is about 4 inches long coming out of the center. Don't know what that is all about, but it is intriguing.


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## elaphe (Aug 24, 2006)

I have three turtle tanks with still small turtles. I run a Fluval 204 on each of these. I always use carbon in the middle basket (the one that is pellet shaped). I change it out about once every month or so.

It really keeps the nasty organic film/slime from coating the surface. I once tried running a tank without it and it got nasty fast! I also keep various floating plants in the tanks (java moss, Frogbit, Duckweed, Riccia... they eat everything except the java moss)

No carbon on my planted tank though. I have been thinking about trying some for a week or so to see if I can get rid of that film on this tank. I'm sure it will just come back in a week or so?

Brian


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## will5 (Oct 26, 2005)

*Hi*

OK on my 29 gallon i always use carbon because i still filter cartridges on my hang on back filter. I leave them and rinse them out and reuse them until my tank water can no longer run through them. Then swap the out with 2 new ones. I really don't worry about loosing good bacteria because i have had the same gravel since i was 10 i am now 23 so the gravel has a good 13 years of bacteria and if that is not enough i don't know what is.


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## George W (Sep 19, 2006)

Thank you for all of the replies. 
I can see it removing things from the water that would be beneficial, but it also keeps water clear for better light penetration. But from what I have gathered the typical planted tank does not require a whole lot of light, so that is not as much of an issue.


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## andy485 (Aug 19, 2005)

I always wanted to use carbon on my tank to keep the water clear. It seemed like everytime I put it in I would have an algae outbreak. I think it was the phosphate. Then I read on a post on this site about using Seachem's Renew. It is suppose to be carbon for a reef or planted aquarium that does not remove trace elements or leach phosphate. I thought it would be very expensive but it was not. I have been using it for two months my water is crystal clear and have no algae in the tank(first time in 2 years). I can't give the credit to renew though I have learned alot over the last 2 years. I does make the water alot clearer.


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## George W (Sep 19, 2006)

Some carbon is very bad for leeching po4, I always use the marineland black diamond.


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## bigmark (Sep 8, 2006)

OK, I never heard that carbon will increase Po4. That would explain a lot.


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## Fizgig777 (Jul 5, 2004)

I used Diamond Blend and SeaGel in all my filters. The plants grow like crazy. Personally, I find the tanks are much healthier than without the use of chemical filtration. I've never had algae issues either and the water is always crystal clear. Granted, unlike most people, I replace the filter media in its entirety every 1-2 months. Yes, I have run tanks without chemical media and with... .there's no adverse difference to the plants with the use of chemical media. If anything, they grow better. One major difference is that without chemical media, I don't like the marshy smell that the aquariums developed.

That's my experience... might vary from others.


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## elaphe (Aug 24, 2006)

I just got my order from Jeff at ADG. I'm replacing all the media in my Eheim 2213 over to ADA media. I'm going to run the NA Carbon, then switch out to the Bamboo Charcoal - along with Bio-Rio on the bottom. Fluvals on the turtle tanks will continue to get HBH carbon and filter floss.

Now I've just got to wait until my ich problem is gone and I lower my temps back down.

Brian


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## George W (Sep 19, 2006)

You can test carbon for po4 by placing a grain or two in a vial of DI water and po4 test kit (I like Salifert test kits). Those leaching a lot of phosphate will quickly turn the water very blue.


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