Does cycling and carbon mix?

[Komodo]

When cycling a new aquarium, should I remove the Carbon from my filtration system?

 

[Fishanatic]

Carbon is never really recomended unless medicating a tank because after the saturation of the carbon, it leaches out chemicals that kill fish. As to your original question, you should probably remove it for good but it will not affect the cycling process of a tank. Ive already cycled a tank with duo HoB carbon filtration when I used to have a 20gal.

55 Gallon- Empty
125 Gallon- CKF and Tiger Oscar
220 Gallon- To come...

 

[ppo8820]

No it can stay right where it is. People on here will start discussing if carbon is needed or not, even though you didnt ask that. If you are cycling, or not, you can leave the carbon in there. Carbon creates clear water, removes certain metals, and keeps the water smelling fresh............which is very important in cycling as without it, the tank will stink after a few days once the bacteria show up.

 

[Fresh2o]

I have cycled a few tanks and have never observed bad odors while the bacteria was building up. If one was doing a fishless cycle with a raw shrimp or prawn decaying in the tank, then I could understand the smell. Carbon will do the things listed but it should have no effect on cycling. I choose not to use it because it would quickly become saturated with the daily ferts I use.


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[aqua_holic]

Carbon is never really recomended unless medicating a tank because after the saturation of the carbon, it leaches out chemicals that kill fish.

This is not true. Even if it could leach what it had adsorbed, it would release the things completely unchanged since there is no actual chemical reaction that takes place..... So the things you say will kill the fish are the exact same things that you are leaving in the water by not using carbon....

 

[Fishanatic]

This is not true. Even if it could leach what it had adsorbed, it would release the things completely unchanged since there is no actual chemical reaction that takes place..... So the things you say will kill the fish are the exact same things that you are leaving in the water by not using carbon....

All my reports are from external ressources. Ill try to find a legitimate article about it if i cant then ill give you reason.

55 Gallon- Empty
125 Gallon- CKF and Tiger Oscar
220 Gallon- To come...

 

[aqua_holic]

Just think about it for a second. How can the things you leave in the water not be lethal by not using carbon, but become lethal by adding carbon? Understanding how activated carbon works, it's just not possible. Too, it requires like 900 degrees Celsius in a zero oxygen environment to get carbon to release what it's adsorbed.

 

[Fishanatic]

Just think about it for a second. How can the things you leave in the water not be lethal by not using carbon, but become lethal by adding carbon? Understanding how activated carbon works, it's just not possible. Too, it requires like 900 degrees Celsius in a zero oxygen environment to get carbon to release what it's adsorbed.

I should probably study carbon to thoroughly understand it but from my research this is what i found: " Answer: Carbon is added to the filter to make the tank clear and free of certain toxins. After a period of time the carbon will become saturated and leach toxins back into the water. It should be replaced before this happens." Although i dont mind using carbon, i find it a quite tedious task to have to replace it and pre time the saturation of activated carbon prior to the re release of toxins into the water. I also cant explain the re release of toxins back into the water in scientifical terms. Ill try to keep researching.

55 Gallon- Empty
125 Gallon- CKF and Tiger Oscar
220 Gallon- To come...

 

[aqua_holic]

What toxins is this person (whoever they are) talking about?? The toxins you would otherwise leave in the tank by not using carbon? It's just completely illogical.

Furthermore, we have No idea at what point the carbon becomes saturated. None at all, so how can anyone make any kind of claim about how often it needs to be changed? The standard "every month" doesn't take any factors at all into account, and I think is a recommendation of pure convenience since standard advice is to clean the filter every month. There are a TON of factors involved with how long it takes for carbon to become saturated.

 

[ppo8820]

That is just a rumor someone started to get people to change their carbon more often. It cant release things back in the tank unless like someone else said, you heated it to 900 degrees.

 

[aqua_holic]

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/activated-carbon

 

[Fishanatic]

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/activated-carbon

Thanks for the link some great jnsight and knowledge

55 Gallon- Empty
125 Gallon- CKF and Tiger Oscar
220 Gallon- To come...

 

[PNWaquarist]

I should probably study carbon to thoroughly understand it but from my research this is what i found: " Answer: Carbon is added to the filter to make the tank clear and free of certain toxins. After a period of time the carbon will become saturated and leach toxins back into the water. It should be replaced before this happens."

When the carbon becomes saturated, it doesn't leach anything. It simply stops adsorbing chemicals.

Using carbon is a personal preference thing. It might be useful if you have well water with higher-than-normal levels of volatile organics. Other than that, its greatest benefit is adsorbing meds after treating one's tank.

 

[Fishanatic]

When the carbon becomes saturated, it doesn't leach anything. It simply stops adsorbing chemicals.

Using carbon is a personal preference thing. It might be useful if you have well water with higher-than-normal levels of volatile organics. Other than that, its greatest benefit is adsorbing meds after treating one's tank.

On the long run wouldnt an RODI unit cost less for well water or water of that type?

55 Gallon- Empty
125 Gallon- CKF and Tiger Oscar
220 Gallon- To come...

 

[PNWaquarist]

Nah, carbon is cheap and you'll have to add ions and buffers back to your RODI water.


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