Carbon, fish and plants

[AbbyDaisey]

I am attempting to grow live plants. I went to a fish store and they had plants growing on driftwood. I bought one and currently have them banded to the wood. I have a canister filter and have always run carbon.

In reading through the forum, is the carbon harmful? Should I remove the carbon and never use it again? If so what about my fish, I have one discus, 2 gourami, 3 tetras, 2 kribensis, 1 plecostomus. Should I run the filter with carbon in it one week out of the month? If I don't use carbon should I have ammonia chips instead?

Appreciate any help!

[Kasakato]

You should never need carbon. It is only used if you are trying to take some kind of med or chemical out of the tank. The problem with it is that, it becomes un active in a week or two and has to be thrown out, so it dosent leach out the bad stuff it has already collected.

You should not use any kind of "ammo chips, ammo lowers, ect" because you should never need them. If you test your water and have high results do a water change, then find where it is all comming from.

[Harlock]

Just a slight correction. Carbon leeching is a myth. ;)

[Karnaaj]

References? Proof? I would need something more than a simple statement to believe that.

[Harlock]

References? Proof? I would need something more than a simple statement to believe that.
Well, assuming you are familiar with adsorption from discussion on bacteria and how it adheres to surfaces, Activated Carbon works in much the same manner. And also assuming you trust RTR, who has done a lot more research on it than I, here's a clip from his multi-part article on filtration from Aquasource Magazine... aand I do hope I can use this without offending anyone or being accused of plagiarism or something silly...
There are many warnings against carbon on the boards, saying that after saturation, it can release material back into the water column. This is not true. Repeat: GAC does not and cannot release material it has captured under tank or household conditions. In the lab, carbon can be extracted to some extent by use of specialized solvents, generally very strong bases (alkalis). This is far outside the range of any biological or household situation. But there could be considered to be a tiny exception – certain long-chain or cyclic organic molecules may be captured only by a specific part of the molecule, leaving some part of the attached chains hanging out in the water. In this case, it is theoretically possible that the part of that organic molecule chain not adsorbed could be attacked as food by microbes using it as food. But this would be a vanishingly small quantity in relation to the material adsorbed, and undetectable other than by sophisticated laboratory experiment, if the effect even exists in working situations.Does that satisfy you?

[Jay]

Harlock is telling you the truth..do a little reading and research!!