Activated Carbon VS. No Carbon?

Depending on your water and the contaminates in it, the carbon is rarely effective for more than two-three weeks except as a surface to grow bacteria on.
 
FWIW, I was a bit behind on water changes until today. When I rinsed the filter media (2 sponges and months old carbon in 2 AC20's on a 20g long) I dropped in a new carbon bag in one of them to help clear up the water and help with the water quality. It shouldn't hurt your cycle at all.
 
I see carbon as a mostly win-win situation. It removes quite a bit of organic substances, particularly colorants, which may or may not be a good thing, depending upon the look you are going for. It also absorbs various phenolic compounds and a wide variety of other organics. A potential downside is the relatively rapid and efficient removal of desired metals that are often coupled with an organic chelator. While this is advantageous for removing copper, it also applies to many iron supplements for plants. As for other desired elements, it is relatively light on them. The elements in question would have to be organically chelated to be removed in any appreciable amount.
 
Carbon does a fine job of removing iodine from the water which molting crustaceans wouldn't appreciate.
 
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.
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I agree with the Bishop for the most part. :p:
I use to use carbon but I found my plants THRIVED when I decided to try going without it. Replacing it every 2 weeks was a pain in the butt, as well. I went carbon-less for a long while but now I use a single bag of Purigen in one of my filters. It seems to do a good job in my experience so far, and you can 're-charge' it when it starts to become less effective. It also doesn't seem as harsh on my plants.
 
True and recent story. last week I received my broad spectrum fungus and bacteria fizz tablets and had a tank wide case of rot that I got introduced by an LFS chain where I bought 2 silver dollars.

A few days before receiving the Fizz tabs by mail I decided to clean out my FX5 as it had been running for 4 months non stop and decided since the carbon was only 4 months old I would give it a thorough massage and rinsing clean in both treated water and RO and then just placed it back into its basket resting on a layer of bio balls about 3 cups of carbon.

After finally receiving my meds by mail and dosing I noted one of the medications in the fizz-tab cocktail was MB (methylene blue) a substance I had used as a kid when that is about all they had back then in the 70's. I wasn't concerned because the carbon was old and theoretically ineffective and kept inside for its bio mass.

Well to my surprise knowing what and how MB remains and lingers in color and intensity without the use of carbon, the MB color only lasted for about 2 hours before the tank was once again crystal clear no doubt due to the carbon, which is a prime example of how life often contradicts theory.
 
CWO4GUNNER said:
True and recent story. last week I received my broad spectrum fungus and bacteria fizz tablets and had a tank wide case of rot that I got introduced by an LFS chain where I bought 2 silver dollars.

A few days before receiving the Fizz tabs by mail I decided to clean out my FX5 as it had been running for 4 months non stop and decided since the carbon was only 4 months old I would give it a thorough massage and rinsing clean in both treated water and RO and then just placed it back into its basket resting on a layer of bio balls about 3 cups of carbon.

After finally receiving my meds by mail and dosing I noted one of the medications in the fizz-tab cocktail was MB (methylene blue) a substance I had used as a kid when that is about all they had back then in the 70's. I wasn't concerned because the carbon was old and theoretically ineffective and kept inside for its bio mass.

Well to my surprise knowing what and how MB remains and lingers in color and intensity without the use of carbon, the MB color only lasted for about 2 hours before the tank was once again crystal clear no doubt due to the carbon, which is a prime example of how life often contradicts theory.
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Interesting because I have to use Clout at work as an Ich treatment which I think is the same thing (or maybe it's malachite green, I think, and maybe it's a little different). The tanks treated are off the main system, and have no carbon filtration. The color is always gone within two hours. But like I sad, maybe it is different than MB, I don't know my chemicals all that well.
 
I switched over from carbon to just plain filter pads. I use about 3 pads of the blue generic filter media to catch larger particles after that I have 3 pads of micron filter material. It's pretty much white felt. It makes the water super clear. More clear then when I ran carbon.

The Blue filter material lasts about 3 changes and cost $7. The micron pad cost about the same and I made about a dozen pads out of it. The micron pads are supposed to be washable which I haven't tried doing yet. But I am keeping them for when the time comes. I know for a fact the micron is taking tannins out because when I take them out they are stained brown instead of white and the water is crystal clear.

So for everyone who is worried about cloudy water and using carbon for it. Just use micron filter pads for way cheaper and they work better. As for someone who mentioned taking chemicals out of the water, nobody ever said carbon shouldn't be used to remove medications. I just don't want my fertilizers to be removed. If your tank isn't planted carbon isn't going to hurt other then your wallet.
 
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