Carbon use in Planted tanks
- Thread starter jasonG75
- Start date
The answer is a definitive - maybe. Or - occasionally. Or - as needed.
While the question seems simple, an answer depends on too many variables.
On the whole, carbon isn't needed in the filter of a healthy planted tank.
As to carbon striping fertilizer from the water, I've challenged people to provide something other than anecdotal tales, and gotten no citations of any research supporting the theory. I work in a university research library. I have access to subject librarians. The university happens to have a fish lab and we happen to have more fish related literature and journal access than most.
There is a lot of data on what carbon or charcoal will do to or for water in tanks. There is lots of data about what happens to carbon over time, in tank filters. The important take away from those studies is that carbon stops being useful after some period of time. A time period that varies depending on the type of carbon and what it is derived from.
If you want a personal take, I use an AmmoCarb mix in new tank setups if I'm going to put fish in before I'm sure the tank has fully cycled. For example, I have a fresh tank setup with filter squeezings from a mature filter and a used sponge in the AquaClear filter. I'll be moving mature air driven sponge filters in there as well.
Tomorrow, I'll be putting a couple of dozen CPDs in that tank. A bag of AmmoCarb in the filter basket and a few drops of Prime each day will help ensure the health of the fish. There will also be a piece of Poly Bio Marine Poly-Filter® in there so I can visually monitor the water quality.
After a couple of weeks, I'll pull the bag of AmmoCarb.
While the question seems simple, an answer depends on too many variables.
On the whole, carbon isn't needed in the filter of a healthy planted tank.
As to carbon striping fertilizer from the water, I've challenged people to provide something other than anecdotal tales, and gotten no citations of any research supporting the theory. I work in a university research library. I have access to subject librarians. The university happens to have a fish lab and we happen to have more fish related literature and journal access than most.
There is a lot of data on what carbon or charcoal will do to or for water in tanks. There is lots of data about what happens to carbon over time, in tank filters. The important take away from those studies is that carbon stops being useful after some period of time. A time period that varies depending on the type of carbon and what it is derived from.
If you want a personal take, I use an AmmoCarb mix in new tank setups if I'm going to put fish in before I'm sure the tank has fully cycled. For example, I have a fresh tank setup with filter squeezings from a mature filter and a used sponge in the AquaClear filter. I'll be moving mature air driven sponge filters in there as well.
Tomorrow, I'll be putting a couple of dozen CPDs in that tank. A bag of AmmoCarb in the filter basket and a few drops of Prime each day will help ensure the health of the fish. There will also be a piece of Poly Bio Marine Poly-Filter® in there so I can visually monitor the water quality.
After a couple of weeks, I'll pull the bag of AmmoCarb.
i dont use carbon in any of my set ups. its one of those things i am not sure is clear. some say it removes the trace ferts others do not. i never seen anything thta has pointed me one way or another. if i am trying to remove meds in a tank then ill use it. though i qt everything and havent needed meds in a planted tank yet.
since you have to replace it every 1-2 weeks to keep it useful its not cost effective for me as well. in the end like most its a personal choice.
since you have to replace it every 1-2 weeks to keep it useful its not cost effective for me as well. in the end like most its a personal choice.
I use it in some of my planted tanks, I am not worried about it removing ferts. I personally dose the EI method on the tank I run carbon on (or at least I am trying to get into the habit of dosing lol) and I don't test my fertilizer levels so I can't tell you for sure whether carbon removes ferts but I don't think that it does and I have read many things that say it does not.
In the past I have used carbon in planted tanks that I added ferts to,and never had a problem. I do not use carbon in any of my tanks any more though.
I used carbon for 6 months in my planted tank. I dosed my tanks with ferts and it never did anything negative.
Only reason I stopped using carbon is because my tank wasn't clear enough. I started using Marineland Rite size filter floss and it significantly made my tank clearer. Now you can barely tell there is water in the tank
.
I hear carbon wastes fast and for 8 bucks for only 1 month I rather use the filter floss. One rectangular cut that is 4 inches wide has lasted me 1 month. Still got plenty of floss to go so I save big time money.
Only reason I stopped using carbon is because my tank wasn't clear enough. I started using Marineland Rite size filter floss and it significantly made my tank clearer. Now you can barely tell there is water in the tank
.I hear carbon wastes fast and for 8 bucks for only 1 month I rather use the filter floss. One rectangular cut that is 4 inches wide has lasted me 1 month. Still got plenty of floss to go so I save big time money.
my name's not pete, but can i repeat? :iagree: but i don't just want to post :iagree:... and he said it so well...
i bought carbon once... and gave it to my mom... then i wound up with it back when she took down her tank. been using it as a terrestrial plant soil amendment ever since, lol. i'd rather medicate a QT tank than my main tank... and the Q tank gets stripped down afterward... so no need there, either.