Changing Carbon Medium
- Thread starter ggrowney
- Start date
patoloco
De seguro no sabes lo que dice aqu
Carbon works as a mechanichal and chemichal filter medium, but after a short time it becomes clogged and stops working. You might want to replace it every month. This will not necesaruilly mean an amonnia spike, since you also have other filtration material thet hold bacteria as well.
But, you might consider stop using carbon. It works for a very limited period of time, and unless you have something ugly in the water, you don't need it. Most people use it only to remove medicines left after a treatment, ot to remove tannins leached into the water by driftwood.
But, you might consider stop using carbon. It works for a very limited period of time, and unless you have something ugly in the water, you don't need it. Most people use it only to remove medicines left after a treatment, ot to remove tannins leached into the water by driftwood.
I am starting to realize that carbon does not do too much. This month one the fish magazines had a couple page article on carbon. Everyone should read it. If ther water in nature does not use carbon to filter the water, why should anyone use it in their tank(s)?....
Well, we can only replicate nature so much. A river environment, for example, is continuously refreshed with new water while our tanks are not. The carbon filtering helps keep the water a bit cleaner so we don't need to change it so often.
Of course, your mileage may vary.
Of course, your mileage may vary.
I understand that, but carbon does not take everything out of the water. And if you do not change it after it goes bad, which you have no way of knowing when it does go bad, the cardon will just release everything back into the water.
It all depends on how much stuff is in your water. Carbon also acts as a great bio medium. Carbon will often last for only a week or two, but it can last a month. I don't use carbon and my water is fine. IMO most of the ammonia eating bacteria are in the tank itself. I have completely changed filters (not just media, but whole hob filters) with no ammonia spike.
Carbon makes a good (very) short term chemical filter. It doesn't last a month, it doesn't last a week or two: it lasts a few days at best. It doesn't degrade slowly over time. It doesn't leach nasties back into the water column.
It removes certain chemicals and leaves others behind. Good for removing medicines, also removes fertilizers (if you're planted). Doesn't remove the need for water changes (and is generally a lot more expensive than fresh water).
It does make a nice mechanical filter and a nice biofilter after the chemical filter has filled up (think 48-72 hours). No harm in leaving it be. If you want to have steady chemical filtration you'd need, like rbishop, to change it out weekly, if not more often.
Changing it shouldn't result in an ammonia spike: if it does you've got other problems.
I more or less never use it (and am very happy with the clarity of the water).
It removes certain chemicals and leaves others behind. Good for removing medicines, also removes fertilizers (if you're planted). Doesn't remove the need for water changes (and is generally a lot more expensive than fresh water).
It does make a nice mechanical filter and a nice biofilter after the chemical filter has filled up (think 48-72 hours). No harm in leaving it be. If you want to have steady chemical filtration you'd need, like rbishop, to change it out weekly, if not more often.
Changing it shouldn't result in an ammonia spike: if it does you've got other problems.
I more or less never use it (and am very happy with the clarity of the water).