Komodo
Aquarium Advice Activist
When cycling a new aquarium, should I remove the Carbon from my filtration system?
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....
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."
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.