# When Do You Use Carbon?



## BBradbury

*Using Activated Carbon*



Tenor1 said:


> Do you regularly use carbon in your planted tanks or not at all? What are the benefits or detriments in a plant tank?
> 
> Here are the wives-tails I've know of and thus don't use it.
> 1. Don't use carbon in a planted tank
> 2. The effectiveness last only about a month
> 3. Use carbon as a chemical filter to remove medications added due to disease.
> 
> Thanks


Good morning T...

Carbon (chemical media) is fine to use in a planted tank. It does a couple of things: It attracts and holds dissolved pollutants and particles in the water and keeps tank odors to a minimum.

However, if you remove and replace at least half the water in the tank every week, you really don't need it. But, it's not wrong to use it, just don't rely on it to keep the tank water pure, only large, weekly water changes can do that.

I use carbon pads in my planted tanks. They do a good job of eliminating tank odors and trapping floating particles in the water, keeping the water clearer. I also change 60 to 70 percent of the water in my planted tanks every week and that helps too. 

Above everything else, have fun! 

B


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## HD Blazingwolf

as brad said. changing large portions of water weekly is the best thing u can do period. carbon and fine filter pads are basically useless if you do that. but it won't hurt to use it either... i find it a waste of money time, and space. i use bio filtration only and my water is never not clear if that helps as well


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## DogFish

I use it to remove tennis or meds.

In display tanks:
For wood/ChollaTannis, I presoak for a week prior to placing it in the tank in a large tote tub. I change water as the tub water darkens, usually daily. I do this outside near the garden hose, makes it easy.

I do very large frequent water changes initially usually a few a week. 30-50%

Then I use the carbon in-between the weekly water changes until I get the clarity I want.

In Q-Tanks:
I'll run it after a med course in conduction with water changes.

I think Carbon is a good tool for specific application. I don't use it as a regular part of my system.


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## Tenor1

Thanks for the responses. What about it having a definite end life of about a month? Also does it remove any plant supplements?

I don't use it but was responding to another thread on here. My 36-gallon tank has 2 canister filters, one totally biological and the other mechanical, plus 30% water change per week. The tank is perfectly clear. I think part of it is being WAY under stocked and sparingly fed (I use an auto feeder to control that).

One benefit if good water is fish seem more active.

When we started tanks over 50 years ago charcoal/carbon was always used by all the LFS's and any hobbyists we knew.


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## BBradbury

Tenor1 said:


> Thanks for the responses. What about it having a definite end life of about a month? Also does it remove any plant supplements?
> 
> I don't use it but was responding to another thread on here. My 36-gallon tank has 2 canister filters, one totally biological and the other mechanical, plus 30% water change per week. The tank is perfectly clear. I think part of it is being WAY under stocked and sparingly fed (I use an auto feeder to control that).
> 
> One benefit if good water is fish seem more active.
> 
> When we started tanks over 50 years ago charcoal/carbon was always used by all the LFS's and any hobbyists we knew.


Hello again T...

I replace the carbon pad in the tank every couple of weeks. The large weekly water changes keep the pads very clean, but the carbon treated pad does lose it's effectiveness after a short time. The carbon bags you can get contain more of the media and so it can last up to 30 days.

B


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## DogFish

Tenor1 said:


> Thanks for the responses. What about it having a definite end life of about a month? Also does it remove any plant supplements?


Carbon has a saturation point, once it get to that point it will leach out what it has stored if the content of the surrounding water is less concentrated in those minerals/toxins.

Yes, it will pull out supplements. This why carbon filtration's used in drinking water.

The month time period will be work load dependent.


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## fresh.salty

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/general-planted-tank-discussion/146424-myths-activated-carbon.html


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## ryc120

DogFish said:


> Yes, it will pul out supplements. This why carbon filtration's used in drinking water.


So carbon will remove Flourish excel, and Flourish???


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## Tenor1

Hi BBradbury and Dogfish,

Are you both using carbon in your planted tanks and WHY since it removes supplements you're adding??? Seems there must be some good reason, but I just don't know it yet.

Thanks again,


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## DogFish

Tenor1 said:


> Hi BBradbury and Dogfish,
> 
> Are you both using carbon in your planted tanks and WHY since it removes supplements you're adding??? Seems there must be some good reason, but I just don't know it yet.
> 
> Thanks again,


Only temporarily in my display tank and only to pull the tannis out from the Mopane wood. Then I pull it. 

I run a HOB just for that purpose that is normally on a plant grow out tank. I keep shrimp or a few small fish in those tanks.

My display tank is filtered by a power sponge.


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## Jeff5614

ryc120 said:


> So carbon will remove Flourish excel, and Flourish???


No.


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## Daximus

I never use it anymore.


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## BBradbury

Tenor1 said:


> Hi BBradbury and Dogfish,
> 
> Are you both using carbon in your planted tanks and WHY since it removes supplements you're adding??? Seems there must be some good reason, but I just don't know it yet.
> 
> Thanks again,


Tenor...

I use a carbon treated polyfiber. It serves two purposes: The carbon treatment in the pad keeps tank odors down and the dense pad does a nice job of filtering the small, floating particles that are common in heavily planted and stocked tanks. I like the "polishing" effect it has on the tank water. Keeps the water nice and clear.

I don't use plant supplements. I have quite a large number of "Livebearers" in my heavily planted tanks, so as long as I feed my fish a balanced diet, they take care of providing all the nutrients the plants need.

Good talking with you.

B


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## smiller

DogFish said:


> My display tank is filtered by a power sponge.


What's a power sponge? That's something I haven't seen mentioned so far in my readings here.


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## DogFish

smiller said:


> What's a power sponge? That's something I haven't seen mentioned so far in my readings here.


A foam/sponge filter run by a power head.










*Tenor1 Sorry for going off topic* wanted to help the newbie


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## smiller

My apologies, also. Thanks, DogFish.


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## Tenor1

*Tenor1 Sorry for going off topic* wanted to help the newbie[/QUOTE]

I had the same question Dogfish and we are all here to learn. Even after 50 years with fish I've never used a sponge filter.

Thanks for helping and sharing!


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## GDP

With my eheims I use the carbon filter pad until my first cleaning (usually a few months) just because once it runs out the pad makes for a great filter pad as well. Anything else like HOBs I dont normally.


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