# Disadvantages of using Carbon filter in low tech?



## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

This topic is very debatable. Though, IMO, you should be fine with carbon


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

Carbon has a very short active life. If you want clear water, i would use purigen. Plus, it can be easily recharged at home. 

In a low tech tank, carbon would be more harmful than good. It strips(briefly) the nutrients your plants otherwise get from food and waste. Purigen is much superior in clarifying.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Purigen or AC, either is fine.

If you "believe" in allelopathy and algae control, then adding either would serve as a control, thus if you "believe" it(the hypothesis) to be true, then you would have to get algae as a result.

But.......no one has I know of.

It's fine for the purpose you plan on using it for.
You can recharge AC also, cook it in the over for 1-2 hours at max heat.

Sort of stinky though.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## fishyjoe24 (Dec 10, 2009)

it can be used but over time it will start stripping micro fets out of the water, well that's what i've heard... my 55 is low tech I have no problems when my tanks gets cloudy I just use seachem clearitiy and it's good to go. also once planted try to not replant the plants, that will stir up the substrate.


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## CptanPanic (Jan 13, 2004)

Thanks for the info, I will use Purigen then.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I don't believe that activated carbon strips out any fertilizers that we dose. I don't even see why it would. The tiny amount of activated carbon we normally use would quickly become saturated and stop adsorbing anything even if it did adsorb some of the micronutrients. (It would have to be either cations, due to the high CEC of activated carbon, or chelators used with iron or other metallic trace elements, I think.) The real problem with AC is that it is effective for such a short time, so unless it is being used for a short term problem I don't see the point in using it.


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## TequariumLerro (Aug 18, 2010)

I don't have access to water chemistry kits, so I use a little carbon as I feel its better for fish. Doubt it strips away anything vital for plant life. After all, it is low tech. From my experience, proper lighting, temp, and water changes are most important.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

fishyjoe24 said:


> it can be used but over time it will start stripping micro fets out of the water, well that's what i've heard...


No one has shown this or observed this, it's one of those dogmas and myths that keeps being repeated and is very hard to kill.

Amano uses Activated carbon, I do to get rid of tannins etc or the like.
I find no factual basis for the claims about it removing nutrients, it does remove larger organics.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

plantbrain said:


> no one has shown this or observed this, it's one of those dogmas and myths that keeps being repeated and is very hard to kill.
> 
> Amano uses activated carbon, i do to get rid of tannins etc or the like.
> I find no factual basis for the claims about it removing nutrients, it does remove larger organics.
> ...


+ 1


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## celine (Nov 19, 2010)

so, for someone who gets easily confused (not me of course ), carbon is a yes?


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

celine said:


> so, for someone who gets easily confused (not me of course ), carbon is a yes?


Sure if you have some yellow water etc and want it removed/do not wanna do a water change etc.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

celine said:


> so, for someone who gets easily confused (not me of course ), carbon is a yes?


I say it's another weapon in your arsenal against algae and cloudy water. Why not have it? Sometimes it's not feasible to load your tank with plants and/or do water changes. Best to do all these things if you can.


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## celine (Nov 19, 2010)

thanks plantbrain & houseofcards! it's always nice to have things said a few times to be super sure, lol


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## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

I can't comment on whether the carbon removes essential nutrients for the plants, but what I _can_ say is that in MY experience, activated carbon did not have any apparent detrimental effects on the plants in my low tech tanks when I use(d) it. I've used it when starting up tanks to remove tannins, and then I usually just leave it in there as a secondary substrate for beneficial bacteria to grow on roud:


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

houseofcards said:


> I say it's another weapon in your arsenal against algae and cloudy water. Why not have it? Sometimes it's not feasible to load your tank with plants and/or do water changes. Best to do all these things if you can.


I know you do not disagree...but some have suggested that allelopathy is real, if so, then why no algae bloom or problem after adding activated carbon?

It removes the allelopathic compounds(and there's ample research to support this statement), so if those are not present, according to allelopathy proponents, we should see algae if those are removed.

So where's my algae?

Where's every body's algae?
If anything, we see improved plant growth and health and general improvement.

That's the opposite of what pro allelopathic crowd has been claiming for the last 12 years. If you can remove the compounds and show an increase in algae in a planted tank, I'm all ears.

Regards,

Tom Barr


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## ReefkprZ (Aug 21, 2010)

I just want to point out that an oft overlooked fact about activated carbon, the cheap stuff leaches phosphates into the water, so in a planted tank cheap carbon is actually going to ADD a nutrient desired by plants. this is one reason we avoid it in reefs. since phosphate is harmful/leathal to coraline algae (can stunt coraline growth up to the point of killing it). this is basicly drependant on the ash content of the carbon, but most LFS supplied carbons are the cheap stuff.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

plantbrain said:


> I know you do not disagree...but some have suggested that allelopathy is real, if so, then why no algae bloom or problem after adding activated carbon?
> 
> It removes the allelopathic compounds(and there's ample research to support this statement), so if those are not present, according to allelopathy proponents, we should see algae if those are removed.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I agree. If data supports this removal than without a doubt the theory is wrong. Playing devil's advocate I wouldn't know how to apply weighting to clean water vs water that contains these allelopathic compounds.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

houseofcards said:


> Yeah, I agree. If data supports this removal than without a doubt the theory is wrong. Playing devil's advocate I wouldn't know how to apply weighting to clean water vs water that contains these allelopathic compounds.


Well, the problem with most all allelopathy test and research, is that they fail to show it occurs in REAL plant communities.

They can show it pot test etc, or take extracts and dump those on plants, but that's not what is occurring in a submersed planted tank nor natural communities.

It's more likely a case of people not understanding the methods and how to test for allelopathy and also people wanting to believe it is true.

Then they spread more myth.

Hard to stop that.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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