Your thoughts on using carbon..

[electromen]

I've recently set up a moderately planted 20 gallon tank..
I have some different filter options but currently I'm using a whisper filter. Just curious of anyone substitutes the carbon for something else... or just anyone thoughts on filtering the planted tank.

[Mgamer20o0]

there is excel which is a liquid carbon. not as good as the gas but it works.

lol i was thinking about co2 i think you meant carbon in the filters. i dont run carbon but others do.

[electromen]

there is excel which is a liquid carbon. not as good as the gas but it works.

lol i was thinking about co2 i think you meant carbon in the filters. i dont run carbon but others do.
haha.. Yeah I meant activated carbon..

[Sammie7]

I don't bother with carbon for everyday purposes either. I just replace the carbon with filter floss to add to the surface area for bacteria growth in the filter. I save carbon for taking out meds, accidental contaminants in the tank, and some use it to remove tannins in the water caused by driftwood. For the most part it is not a dire necessity and is not needed for a healthy tank.

[j_chicago]

Only use it as Sammie does, and mainly to remove tannins from new wood. Many say it can pull the micro-nutrients from the water column and then leech all the bad stuff back into the water at the end of its life span. Its completely unneeded in an established healthy tank. Many use it for the first few months of a tanks life to ensure the health of inhabitants and pull any chemicals associated with new tank decor and substrate, but I don't.

[maronov]

I also replaced my carbon with filter floss after reading that it can remove plant ferts in the same way it removes meds. Odors or discoloration can be removed with water changes.

[magakitty]

we use it in the cichlid tank, but not in either of the others

[Sammie7]

Yea, just want to note that the "leaching bad stuff back" is a myth. It can only be released after being heated to ridiculously hot temps. Though the people who sell this as a product would like you to think otherwise, so you will keep buying the product and out money in their pockets.

[electromen]

I wasn't planning on using it, I'm considering a blackwater biotope anyways... there's just something cool about them.
Thanks for the replies.

[J double R]

sammie's 2 posts had it all. :)