# Do filters remove liquid fertilizers from the water?



## daddyo72

Does the carbon in filters remove fertilizer. I'm refering to the liquid kind of fertilizer. Thanks.


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## gpodio

Filters in general don't but if you are using carbon media then yes it's likely absorbing some of the trace elements.

Giancarlo


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## Simpte 27

Depending on the quality of the carbon, they may actually leech them (and anything else they have absorbed) back into your aquarium as early as 2 weeks.


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## JanS

I stopped using carbon in all of my tanks years ago, unless I need to remove meds or something. 
With regular water changes and maintenance it really isn't necessary.

Cabon doesn't stay active very long, but it's still a little inane to let it remove something you're trying to add to your tank.


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## gpodio

I agree, haven't used any carbon in a long time.

Giancarlo


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## aquarium boy

i have never used carben on my planted tanks after i used $50 worth of 
ferts and wasted it all to the carben so yea get the carben out asap


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## Simpte 27

I don't understand that post. :?:


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## Robert Hudson

Carbon remover organic compounds. It will remove the Chelate that makes iron available to plants, turning it into oxidized iron that plants can not use. In liquid ferts chelates are things like EDTA. So while it does not remove the minerals themselves, it removes those agents that make them usable to plants. But, and this is a big but, it is a very gradual process. No one has been able to determin at what rate this happens, and by adding liquid minerals often enough, you can stay ahead of the carbon.


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## JanS

But, what would the point of regularly using carbon be, except the cases when you need to remove toxins or meds? Is there an advantage? 
I can't see adding extra liquid minerals just to stay ahead of the carbon if there is no big advantage to have it in the tank.

I'm not challenging your statement Robert, just wondering if there's some reason for using it that I haven't heard about (except the above stated).
Usually regular water changes remove most unwanted things in the tank.


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## Robert Hudson

I agree Jan. I don't use carbon either! some people argue the high build ups of DOC, dissolved organic compounds is harmfull, but on the other hand water changes usually take care of that.


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## daddyo72

What do you use in place of carbon?


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## ShaneSmith

Ceramic rings or anything with lots of surface area for biological filtration. Personally i just like a lot of Mechanical and small smounts of Biological. In my filstar, which has 3 sections, i have Pads in one, Rings in the other, and fine floss to top it off.


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## BigFoot

hi all hope to make this my home and get some good help and give some along the way
I dont even got Biological just filter floss which scrubb throughy on a regular basis and or course co2 injection with controller , lights on a 75 gal.


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## Simpte 27

What are you using (if any of you have penguin bio-wheel) in place of the cartriges they sell? I haven't seen any without carbon, though it would be a nice idea.


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## kris

i bought some floss in bulk and have slid it into the slot for the filter cartridges.
the biowheel is still spinning so i think it's working out okay.


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## Mnemia

Simpte 27 said:


> What are you using (if any of you have penguin bio-wheel) in place of the cartriges they sell? I haven't seen any without carbon, though it would be a nice idea.


I bought a $1.99 filter sponge and cut the back off of the plastic frame on the cartridge that came with the filter. I jammed the sponge onto the frame and put it in the filter. Every week or so I take the sponge out and rinse it out...don't replace it until it shows signs of disintegration. My water quality appears to be just fine without carbon and is better than any non-planted tank I had in the past, carbon or no. As far as I'm concerned, there is no point in paying for carbon that has no major benefit most of the time and may actually be harmful to a planted tank.


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## trenac

Simpte 27 said:


> What are you using (if any of you have penguin bio-wheel) in place of the cartriges they sell? I haven't seen any without carbon, though it would be a nice idea.


Here is a link to show how it is done, very simple... http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=5
This is the method I use too.


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