# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Activated carbon in a planted tank okay?



## Paige (Apr 2, 2003)

I have a 30 gallon tank with the Marineland Emperor 280 filter. I've been reading that you shouldn't have chemical filtration all the time in a planted tank. The Emperor mechanical filtration has carbon as a part of the cartridge. 

I had the same sort of filter in my planted 12 gallon tank and never had any problems with the plants, however this time I am trying to grow more variety. Are my fertilization efforts going to be hopeless with the activated carbon in the filter?

Thanks,
Paige


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## Paige (Apr 2, 2003)

I have a 30 gallon tank with the Marineland Emperor 280 filter. I've been reading that you shouldn't have chemical filtration all the time in a planted tank. The Emperor mechanical filtration has carbon as a part of the cartridge. 

I had the same sort of filter in my planted 12 gallon tank and never had any problems with the plants, however this time I am trying to grow more variety. Are my fertilization efforts going to be hopeless with the activated carbon in the filter?

Thanks,
Paige


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## something fishy (Aug 12, 2004)

I would have agreed to your statement that you shouldn't. But I have two tanks and on one of them has a Regent HOB Filter which also includes carbon in the cartridge. 
It really only just occured to me that I have activated carbon in the filter, yet my plants are growing like crazy. They are actually doing better than in my 20 long which has no activated carbon in the filter at all. 
So although a lot of people will disagree with my statement, so far (for the last two years anyway) my plants are not adversely affected by this activated carbon. And I dose ferts every other day.

-Adrian


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

Activated carbon filters out some kinds of organic compounds, and in aquariums that is it's primary purpose. It has also been shown to remove trace elements from solution and that is an unwanted side effect. If you are adding trace elements and use activated carbon then you are fighting yourself.

On the other hand...

The chemical properties of activated carbon don't last as long as most people keep it around. In fact, if your activated carbon has been at work on an established tank for more than a day or two it has probably lost most of its effect. That's because bacterial films quickly grow over and cover much of the surface of the activated carbon just like they populate everything else in the tank and filter. Once the surface of the carbon is contaminated it has very little chemical effect.

While activated carbon can remove trace elements from your tank, it isn't likely to be a problem unless the activated carbon is brand new. Also, unless the activated carbon is brand new it probably isn't doing any desirable chemical filtering either.

The best way to use activated carbon is as a short-term treatment to remove color, films, medication and so on. If the carbon is removed after a quick treatment and allowed to dry then it may be used again later. If it's left in the water then it will become fouled and lose it's effectiveness.

In the aquarium hobby we have been taught to think of activated carbon as a chemical filter media. That is a role that it fulfills only briefly. When activated carbon is used in high level sewage treatment plants it is used largely as a biological medium; when freshly regenerated it does have a chemical filtering effect, but that effect goes away. It's role as a large surface area for bacterial populations is a more long-term role.


Roger Miller


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## Paige (Apr 2, 2003)

Well both of your replies makes me feel much better. Thank you! Then I just won't worry about it since the carbon only gets changed out when I put in a new filter cartridge. But how often should I fertilize? Sorry I guess that's another topic? My anubias from my previous tank are looking like they need some manganese (veins are dark green and leaves are light).

Thank you for putting my mind at ease. This is a continuous learning process even though I've been at it for a couple of years!

Paige


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