Carbon good or bad?

[Captainjr]

I am cycling my new tank, and put a carbon bag in the canister filter to absorb any remaining tannins from the driftwood. But the cycle is going very, very slowly. I am wondering if carbon impedes the cycle, absorbs bacteria or the bacterial starter I added, etc. I have read carbon is really not needed unless you are removing something specific like tannin or medications. What do you think?

 

[librarygirl]

It's not needed but I doubt it's doing any harm. If you can answer the questions below it will help us pinpoint the issues:

--is this a fish-in or fishless cycle? (if fish-in what fish; if fishless, are you dosing ammonia and if so what kind and how much)
--what are the current parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, PH)
---how long have you been cycling?
---what size tank?
--tank temp?
--what filter?
--what test kit are you using? liquid or strips, etc?

 

[Captainjr]

55 gal planted. Fish in cycle, 7 danios. 20 days in. 0.2 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate. pH 7.4. 78 degree temp. Eheim 3e canister filter. API master test kit. Just got some brown algae on the substrate and plants. Took out the carbon to see if ammonia comes up faster.