# Activated Charcoal?



## LVKSPlantlady (Oct 4, 2009)

Simply put... Use it or lose it in NPT?:twitch:


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Use it at start only if you need to clear up tannins or odors. Otherwise, lose it as it will absord precious ammonia that your plants will want to gobble up.


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## LVKSPlantlady (Oct 4, 2009)

Humm OK I will I've been useing it...


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

If you've already been using it and it's been a few weeks (done what it can and isn't really absorbing much anymore) you can leave it as biological media. But, even that is still not really needed. No harm either, though.

-Dave


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## LVKSPlantlady (Oct 4, 2009)

Ok I'll do that, I'll save on filter media!


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## Cliff Mayes (Jan 29, 2007)

Threre have been reports that Carbon will release all of its load at one time (no I do not have the reference) thereby presenting a fish hazard so I would, for safetys sake, take it out. It can become a Bio medium after it gets coated and filled up and probably becomes inert (but who knows?.)


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

If activated carbon could 'release its load' so well it would be possible to rejuvenate it at home. 
Let it become biomedia.


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## LVKSPlantlady (Oct 4, 2009)

Humm... Seems like it would be best to just take it out, I've got some just plain old filter pad I can replace it with...


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## Cliff Mayes (Jan 29, 2007)

Carbon can be reactivated but the mehodology gets up to 1600 degrees f which is a bit more than even a pizza oven so it is not typically something that is done at home.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Cliff Mayes said:


> There have been reports that Carbon will release all of its load at one time (no I do not have the reference) thereby presenting a fish hazard so I would, for safetys sake, take it out. It can become a Bio medium after it gets coated and filled up and probably becomes inert (but who knows?.)


Charcoal, which is totally inert, absorbs dissolved organic carbons for the first couple weeks. It then becomes a site for bacterial colonization [food plus attachment sites always attract bacteria].

After two weeks, charcoal acts exactly like any filter media you could find (I would guess that its a pretty good filter media, as it has lots of pores, and therefore, considerable surface area). Bacteria grow in it just as they would in filter media.

The only time it would release all its "load" is if the bacteria were suddenly killed. This can happen to any bio-filter. It happened to me when the power went off a few hours and suffocated the filter bacteria in my canister filter. Once bacteria start dying, they release their toxins. This kills more bacteria and you get a "filter meltdown" that can indeed endanger fish.

I don't use charcoal unless I have a specific purporse (remove tannins or antibiotics). However, charcoal is essentially harmless and once in the filter can probably be left there forever. Once I've put charcoal into the filter, I generally forget about it.


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## shakiraa (Oct 10, 2009)

Hi all,

Would the activated charcoal filter absorb those nutrien that we add in? ie ADA brighty k, step 1, python git etc etc.

thanks.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Activated carbon is more likely to adsorb more complex molecules such as certain organic wastes, pesticides, medications and similar things. It does not seem to remove much of the simple molecules that are plant fertilizers.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/marineland_carbon.php


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## shakiraa (Oct 10, 2009)

Diana K said:


> Activated carbon is more likely to adsorb more complex molecules such as certain organic wastes, pesticides, medications and similar things. It does not seem to remove much of the simple molecules that are plant fertilizers.
> http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/marineland_carbon.php


thanks diana. i'm just worried that i will absorb those nutrien that i put in.

now i can happily put in the charcoal filter


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## jackgood (Feb 9, 2007)

I've had the same bag of charcoal in my canister filter since the day I bought it about a year and a half ago. It makes a perfect bio media.

It's nice to see another Leavenworth person in the hobby


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## LVKSPlantlady (Oct 4, 2009)

Woop Woop go LV, KS!! :supz:


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