Activated Carbon

[jrizza]

Hello,
I am fairly new to fish keeping and am wondering about activated carbon.

I have a cycled 10g with two aqualear sponge inserts and a bio-max insert. When cycling, i hear i should not put carbon in, so I didn't- and i've read that many people do not use carbon at all. However, it still appears to be a very common thing in the fish-keeping world. So I'm wondering...

When should an activated carbon insert be used, and what specifically does it do?

 

[Jmunroe]

It is good to remove medications(which you won't need if you do regular large water changes). It is good to remove smells(which you won't have if you do regular large water changes). It is good to remove some pollutants (which can be removed with regular large water changes) but be careful not to let pollutants around your tank. Basically carbon is a waste of space in your filter and that space can be much better utilized by more biomedia. The regular large water changes are required with or without carbon by the way.


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[RABENA]

I been using it ( carbon)by the lbs and it does not seem to be no big thing.. I tried all that stuff and I DONT see no difference
if you do your w/c and DONT over feed you should have no problem
my new thing is the pillow now . just bought a brand new pillow and cut it open put the stuffing in the filters now thats working great !!

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[FishyBusiness]

It is good to remove medications(which you won't need if you do regular large water changes). It is good to remove smells(which you won't have if you do regular large water changes). It is good to remove some pollutants (which can be removed with regular large water changes) but be careful not to let pollutants around your tank. Basically carbon is a waste of space in your filter and that space can be much better utilized by more biomedia. The regular large water changes are required with or without carbon by the way.


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Just what I was gonna say! Carbon isn't used by many unless under these circumstances. When it's in the aquarium tho, it's rendered inactive after a week or two so if you use it, needs to be changed frequently where other media really never needs replacing unless it's falling apart.

 

[treemanone2003]

It is good to remove medications(which you won't need if you do regular large water changes). It is good to remove smells(which you won't have if you do regular large water changes). It is good to remove some pollutants (which can be removed with regular large water changes) but be careful not to let pollutants around your tank. Basically carbon is a waste of space in your filter and that space can be much better utilized by more biomedia. The regular large water changes are required with or without carbon by the way.


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You got there first !!! I could not add anything that would diff er from the info you provided except, I don't use use it.

 

[treemanone2003]

I been using it ( carbon)by the lbs and it does not seem to be no big thing.. I tried all that stuff and I DONT see no difference
if you do your w/c and DONT over feed you should have no problem
my new thing is the pillow now . just bought a brand new pillow and cut it open put the stuffing in the filters now thats working great !!

Sent from my C5170 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

I hope that pillow is not fire retardant. If it is ( and most are per industry standards ) your fish will die from exposure to PBDE's and TDCPP. California ( what else is new ) has linked both of these to be carcinogens, and it has recently been a topic of hot debate ( in the UK primarily ) that one, both, a combination of, or exposure from other linked chemicals in the process of creating the above mentioned, could have an adverse affect in the complications associated with SIDS.

That's just some "off the top of my head" memory from NFPA Fire Officer school.

 

[jrizza]

It is good to remove medications(which you won't need if you do regular large water changes). It is good to remove smells(which you won't have if you do regular large water changes). It is good to remove some pollutants (which can be removed with regular large water changes) but be careful not to let pollutants around your tank. Basically carbon is a waste of space in your filter and that space can be much better utilized by more biomedia. The regular large water changes are required with or without carbon by the way.


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2

What's a "large" water change. 50%?

 

[treemanone2003]

What's a "large" water change. 50%?

No that's only half. (IMO) large is 75% or greater for me.

 

[Jmunroe]

Depending on your bioload for water changes. I would do at least 50% a week even on a tank with really low bioload. Then do more of your tank needs it. Keep those nitrates really low. Below 20 ppm.


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[Fresh2o]

I hope that pillow is not fire retardant. If it is ( and most are per industry standards ) your fish will die from exposure to PBDE's and TDCPP. California ( what else is new ) has linked both of these to be carcinogens, and it has recently been a topic of hot debate ( in the UK primarily ) that one, both, a combination of, or exposure from other linked chemicals in the process of creating the above mentioned, could have an adverse affect in the complications associated with SIDS.

That's just some "off the top of my head" memory from NFPA Fire Officer school.

OP - check the label on the pillow for flame retardants.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

I use JBL sy-mec, it's a filter wool designed for fish tanks, it's cheaper than a pillow too! ......and 100% safe! A big bag will last me well over a year and that's with four external filters using it.

I have carbon, rarely use it. I used it all the time to start with. Basically the first answer you got is the best one. It's good for removing meds quickly, in the case of wrong diagnosis it can be useful. It also takes the yellowing out of the water.


As they have said before me, the number of water changes you need to do to maintain a proper tank almost entirely negates the need for carbon. It is handy to have on site though. Emergency use only for me.

It's also possible you are not seeing much result from your carbon if it is in the wrong place in your filter. Carbon should be the last thing before you return to the tank;
Filter in> sponges, wool, bio media, Carbon> filter out.
This way it lasts longer, with regular changes 100g carbon should last 4-6 weeks in 120litres (32us gal) of water with a normal stock of normal size fish (2-4" 5-10cm) Under normal conditions 25 litres twice a week is enough to maintain a healthy tank of 120 litres, depends on filtration, stock and fertiliser method.

It does make a difference but it's marginal. I prefer the extra flow through the filter and not to clog it up with media. I just run sponges floss and bio media (Rena stars which are excellent or ceramics like jbl micro-mec which work but I prefer the stars, you need less stars) I've done it that way for almost as long as I've kept fish with no trouble.