What is your opinion on carbon?

Do you use carbon in your filter?

  • Never use it, hate it. It's messy.

    Votes: 8 5.0%

  • Rarely use it, it removes good things in my tank.

    Votes: 11 6.9%

  • Use it on a short term basis when needed.

    Votes: 45 28.1%

  • Have some in my filter but it's quite old.

    Votes: 40 25.0%

  • My filter is always packed with carbon.

    Votes: 56 35.0%
  • Total voters
    160
E

EhfiYann

Now would be a good time
Jun 29, 2004
42
0
0
www.wow.com
Hello everyone,

I'm puzzled :(

Do you use carbon for filtration?
Opinions vary a great deal from hobbyist to hobbyist...

Help :eek:
 
Last edited:
"Short term use for a specific reason."

Ditto. Maybe I'll use it to remove tanins from my tank, or after completing a medication cycle, but I don't use it regularly.
 
Same here. I see no reason to use carbon except on an as-needed basis. I always have some on hand for emergency use (e.g., toxin in water) but rarely use it.

Jim
 
Besides the $$$ factor of course, how is it that some companies advise to replace the carbon insert once a month or more often if necessary? Carbon is not necessary, right?
 
I use it for funny smells, tannins, etc. I do a 30-40% change about weekly- every 5 days, so I don't need it often, but running it for a few days every now and then helps make the water sparkle.
 
Just like Meds and/or salt, I use it only when a situation deems it necessary, for instance removing meds, or if there is a possibility of chemicals getting into the tank from an outside source etc. Otherwise it's sponges and floss, nothing more is needed IMO.
dave
 
Ditto daveedka, RTR, JSchmidt. I have yet (I better not be cursing myself!) to have to medicate my main tank and I do water changes to remove meds from the Q-tank.
 
Originally posted by ChicoRaton
I use it for funny smells, tannins, etc. I do a 30-40% change about weekly- every 5 days, so I don't need it often, but running it for a few days every now and then helps make the water sparkle.
Click to expand...

Even in the best tanks you can have some slight tint from a lot of sources and carbon does remove those.

Still, I rarely use it. I have some that is so old it is probably useless.
 
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