Activated Carbon VS. No Carbon?

M

mx4ever

AC Members
Nov 5, 2009
50
0
0
39
Canada
So I read through all of the cycling threads. The question as to whether or not one should use activated carbon was asked but never answered. Question:

If your using activated carbon that removes ammonia and nitrites, would that not interfere with your cycle?

What's everyone;s take on this? I've heard conflicting responses. Should I be using activated carbon at all in my HOB filter? What about the ammonia remover packets you can by?

I currently have an AC70 HOB and a AC 20 HOB on my 50 gallon. I have just regular activated carbon in the AC70 and combined carbon/ammonia remover in the AC20.

What is your guys take on either of these filter medias? Should I even be using them? Thanks again for helping out a NEWB!:bowing:
 
Hey mx,

From my understanding on carbon - it should only be used to remove meds or some other impurity you want out of the water and discarded after 3 days of use. I have 26 aquariums in my small hatchery and have never used carbon - I have sponge filters in all the tanks and emporer 400 or some other type of bio filter on my bigger tanks. I have had this set up for over 3 years, raised thousands of angels and never had a problem. A well cycled tank, regular tank maintenance and water changes and you do not need carbon.

That's just my opinion - other may disagree. Everything I have read about carbon is negative and that is typically does more harm than good.

HTH,
 
I agree, carbon is not necessary unless special circumstances apply.
 
I stopped adding the carbon to my HOB filter according to AC advice because it would counterbalance my attempts so soften my water. I think it has helped me keep hardness down. My only complaint is that because I am using peat filtration, my water has lots and lots of tannins without the carbon to remove them. If I don't do water changes all the time people will ask me why my tank is orange :irked:

So if you're adding lots of driftwood that might leech tannins I'd suggest keeping in the carbon for a bit if you're not ok with slightly colored water.
 
I had no idea about the activated carbon... I thought it just cleaned your water without removing ammonia and such. This is probably going to sound soooo dumb but I thought I also heard somewhere that it kept the smell down?
 
The activated carbon doesn't remove the ammonia and nitrites.

There are good reasons to use carbon, depending on your water conditions. Most folks may not need it. But for those of us that want crystal clear water, it is great.
 
mx4ever said:
So I read through all of the cycling threads. The question as to whether or not one should use activated carbon was asked but never answered. Question:

If your using activated carbon that removes ammonia and nitrites, would that not interfere with your cycle?

What's everyone;s take on this? I've heard conflicting responses. Should I be using activated carbon at all in my HOB filter? What about the ammonia remover packets you can by?

I currently have an AC70 HOB and a AC 20 HOB on my 50 gallon. I have just regular activated carbon in the AC70 and combined carbon/ammonia remover in the AC20.

What is your guys take on either of these filter medias? Should I even be using them? Thanks again for helping out a NEWB!:bowing:
Click to expand...

The activated carbon alone won't remove ammonia. The combined carbon/ammonia remover will.

I would stop using the combined activated carbon/ammonia remover immediately because the ammonia remover WILL interfere with your cycle by starving the beneficial bacteria (BB).

If the BB are starved then they won't grow. If the BB don't grow then your tank does not cycle.

Also the ammonia remover will wear out and stop working over time causing an ammonia spike because of the lack of BB. This spike could harm or even kill your fish if it is big enough.

You can continue to use the activated carbon but not the combined carbon/ammonia remover.
 
Rbishop said:
The activated carbon doesn't remove the ammonia and nitrites.

There are good reasons to use carbon, depending on your water conditions. Most folks may not need it. But for those of us that want crystal clear water, it is great.
Click to expand...

:iagree: I like to use carbon, i dont see any disadvantages and it polishes my water
 
I use carbon for 3 main reasons, one becasue for the same reason its used by municipal water districts, in gas masks, and by NASA to recycle the air, nothing and I mean nothing purifies like carbon and unlike zeolites it is incapable of leaching once it has trapped toxins unless recharged.

Two becasue no other filter media comes remotely close to providing surface area for nitrifying bacteria as 1 teaspoon of carbon has a surface area of 7800 square feet and why they recommend to never remove more then half your carbon at once. If there is any media that rivals bacteria colonization compared to your aquarium itself, carbon is it and all the other rings and bio-balls and sponges don't even remotely come close, not by the longest of shots blind folded on the back of a mechanical bull.

Three becasue it is relatively inexpensive and can be steam pressure recharged in a microwave an indefinite number of times.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom