Carbon Media

[Elpez]

Does carbon media really absorb nutrients the plants need? Will it absorb the ferts added, such as iron, magnesium, potassium?

 

[Link119]

No, it does not remove ions generally so you dont need to worry about it removing your ferts, but it certainly does remove many organic compounds that plants may otherwise use as food. In a planted tank you should not need it IMO.

 

[Rivercats]

This is a highly debatable subject but I've never found carbon to remove ferts/nutrients or in anyway bother plants at all. If you research aquarium carbon you can find exactly what it absorbs and you will see that as far as I can remember that nothing that we add as ferts/nutrients is removed by it.

 

[Elpez]

I did look it up and I agree with you. At least non of the main nutrients are removed.

I haven't been using carbon but wanted to add some now that odor is getting stronger.
I've had a planted aquarium for over a year now and I was using carbon in rare occasions.
I also have purigen but I hate the regeneration process.
Thanks for your feedback.

 

[aqua_chem]

It doesn't remove free ions (Ca, Mg, Mo), but it could possibly remove chelated metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) as the chelators themselves are large organic molecules. The evidence available is all extremely subjective/anecdotal, so you can't really draw any solid conclusions from it, and most of the people most adamant about it are talking out the butts.

It's only an issue if you force it to be, and if you force the issue, you're doing something wrong. I wouldn't worry about it unless you're going to be using a fresh batch of carbon diligently every two weeks, in which case there are better ways to go about chemical filtration.

 

[Elpez]

Thanks Aqua Chem, I guess it won't hurt to use from time to time. What other chemical media would you use instead of carbon and purigen?

 

[aqua_chem]

I would use Purigen if you absolutely had to use something, but not doing anything works fine as well. Its not really needed in a planted tank thats getting proper water changes.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello El...

Start removing and replacing half the tank water every week or two and you can stop using carbon. The water change does a lot more for the tank than chemical medium can. Save the money you'd spend on carbon medium and use it to buy that new fish you want.

B

 

[Elpez]

Thanks for your comments. Unfortunately I can't change 50% of the water weekly, it's a 100G tank. Plus it doesn't really need it. I think I have a good balance of fish and plants. Ammonia, nitrites are at 0, PO3 at 0.5 nitrates 30 ppm. It's been like this for months now.
I have been doing monthly water changes 25%. It's just the odor. And carbon has worked in the past when I used it once every 3 months or so and only kept it in the tank for a couple of weeks. The only difference is that now I have more plants and I had ferts and i was wondering about the absorption capabilities of carbon.

Also it is harder to vacuum with all the plants which may add to the odor. It's not bad odor just aquarium odor.

 

[Rivercats]

I have a 220g 100% planted tank, along with others, and I do a 50% WC weekly. Just use an Aqueon Water Changer and it's easy as can be. Carbon only absorbs 2-4 weeks so unless you change it monthly it's not going to help a lot. Plants don't add order to a tank either, if they did my house would stink royally since all my tanks are planted.

 

[Elpez]

Looks like I did not express myself correctly. Or my information was not complete.
I don't like to use tap water so I have to go get it at a vending machine with 5g bottles. I only have 5. = 25 gallons.
The plants do not cause the odors but having so many plants makes it is harder to vacuum the gravel.

 

[Rivercats]

You don't need to vacuum the gravel in a planted tank. I never vac the substrate on any of the planted tanks.

 

[Elpez]

Are your tanks fully covered with plants? Does it matter if it's partially planted ( meaning some open spots )

 

[Rivercats]

You can have as many or few plants as you like. I have a 220g tank that is completely planted. Every inch of substrate, as it is a Dutch Style. Then I have other tanks that are medium planted with some open substrate. You plant it how you like as there are no set rules of how many plants you need.

 

[Elpez]

So you you don't vacuum the gravel on any of them? Fully planted or not?

 

[Elpez]

I forgot to ask you, what's your water flow rate for each of your tank sizes?

 

[Rivercats]

I do not gravel vac any of my planted tanks at all not matter how many or few the plants. As for water flow it depends on the type of fish I keep but in a planted tank it's best if the plants move slightly due to water current.

 

[Elpez]

Thanks, I appreciate your comments.