Thrive

[King Fisher]

Can you use thrive with carbon filters on HOB's?

 

[Delapool]

Thrive fertiliser?

There was a member who tested her planted tanks on here with/without carbon and concluded it made no difference.

I suspect there is some loss of micros but plenty in system anyways or they get released back off the organics adsorbed on the carbon as decays.

I’ve never seen a post definitely saying carbon will cause major issues with ferts.

But it seems posts report some for and some against.

 

[ZxC]

Any specific reason for using the carbon?

 

[Funken_A]

I removed my carbon filters on HOB and replaced it with 2 Mesh bag of perlite on the bottom (one for each chamber), a 2nd mesh bag of filter floss on top and some bio balls sandwhich between them.

Carbon can strip some trace elements

In the near future I would like to swap out my filtration medium and turn my HOB into a HOB Riparium

 

[agrasyuk]

Another vote for not using carbon in filters unless specifically removing something bad. I never tested this and don't have evidence for or against. However the filter is designes to capture and retain chemicals/elements until it reaches saturation. I don't see how it can possibly descriminate and leave elements usable to for plants alone.

 

[King Fisher]

I only use carbon because it's what came with the HOB. Never really had a reason not to use carbon unless I was medicating the tank. Now that I want to use Thrive fertilizer for my low light plants I was curious if the carbon filter would essentially remove the fertilizer components as it does some medications. If this is true, what would you all advise I use for filtration media?

 

[ZxC]

I only use carbon because it's what came with the HOB. Never really had a reason not to use carbon unless I was medicating the tank. Now that I want to use Thrive fertilizer for my low light plants I was curious if the carbon filter would essentially remove the fertilizer components as it does some medications. If this is true, what would you all advise I use for filtration media?

What else is in the filter? How old is the carbon/do you replace it monthly?

I usually go with more biomedia and then some fine filter floss that I replace every week or two. The best place for free floating crud is in the garbage, not rotting away in the filter

 

[Caliban07]

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/does-carbon-remove-trace-elements.6980/#post-77856

***No source quoted for information***

I prefer to leave my crud rotting away on the substrate floor [emoji23]

 

[ZxC]

Looks like carbon can uptake some essential micros

 

[Delapool]

That’s what I found as well but the link above is much more detailed - was actually trying to find that one.

Another question would be how often is the carbon getting changed out. If every week to two weeks - imo definitely worth trying with / without carbon to see if any difference. If the carbon is getting changed every several months - I’m guessing not much impact would be noted. If there was any in the first place. I have an iron test kit and that never seems to read much even after dosing just iron micro ferts as dry dosing (not sure what chelate is used).

I ran carbon and EI ferts dosing for a little while but found dropping back to lighter doses of micros just as good anyways (says something about our tap water perhaps!) and not huge amounts of carbon used in filter.

 

[King Fisher]

What else is in the filter? How old is the carbon/do you replace it monthly?

I usually go with more biomedia and then some fine filter floss that I replace every week or two. The best place for free floating crud is in the garbage, not rotting away in the filter

I change it once every 3-4 weeks. I'll look into that stuff you got.

 

[King Fisher]

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/does-carbon-remove-trace-elements.6980/#post-77856

***No source quoted for information***

I prefer to leave my crud rotting away on the substrate floor [emoji23]

So the consensus on that thread is you CAN most likely use carbon with ferts?

 

[Caliban07]

So the consensus on that thread is you CAN most likely use carbon with ferts?

It will have very little if any impact on fertilisers.

 

[King Fisher]

Well I'll give it a go. I got a box or two of filters with carbon left. After that, I'll try out some plain filter media and make shift it into the filter. See if there's a difference. I appreciate you finding that thread.