How important is act. carbon?

[pegleg]

Can filtering be effective without it and how long is it effective?

 

[rich311k]

You do not need AC except to remove medications. There is no reason to use it all. I never use it.

 

[flamingonhot]

I personally only use it when the water gets a wierd color tint to it. But usually that means my water quality is going down so I do water changes, etc.

Like rich said you really only need it for removing medication or for some corals that release chemicals to slow the growth of others. For the coral thing i've only heard of a couple people doing that.

 

[Devilishturtles]

AC is like a sponge. After even hours in your tank, it's done soaked up all it can. Therefore, it's pretty much useless. Some people use it, some don't.

 

[Tolak]

The only times I use carbon is to remove meds, or on a newly cleaned & set up tank. It either removes meds, or any residue left from cleaning or manufacturing. I pull it after a few days.

 

[Fruitbat]

I use activated carbon in all of my tanks, replacing it about every two weeks. It is effective at removing a wide range of undesirable compounds including (as mentioned above) medications remaining at the end of a disease treatment regimen. It is also useful in clearing the tannins released from natural driftwood that often give the water in an aquarium a tea-stained look.

Is is essential for a healthy aquarium? No....I don't believe it is....but I have found it useful over the years and have no reason to change my regimen at this point.

-Joe

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I have driftwood and use AC to remove some of the tannins. I like having some discoloration, but not heavy. So that's my reason for using it.

It's also great for removing medications in combination with water changes. Also clears the water and helps remove some odors. But it only lasts about a week in my opinion. After a week, if you have a heavy bioload, it's all clogged up and need to be replaced.